Fwd: [cacklinggrackle] Anti-Hillary campaign loses spine

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Lassiter Jonez <ljonez23

Sep 21, 2006 10:40 AM

[cacklinggrackle] Anti-Hillary campaign loses spine

cacklinggrackle

 

 

 

" Tasini not only failed in his bid to take down

Hillary (let alone hold her accountable for her

unwavering support for the war in Iraq) he is now

failing the movement against the war in Iraq by

refusing to endorse an antiwar candidate in November's

contest. In an interview with Elizabeth Benjamin of

the Times Union on September 19, Tasini confirmed that

he would not be endorsing the only visible antiwar

alternative to Hillary Clinton in the state, Green

Party candidate Howie Hawkins.

 

" 'I am a Democrat. I ran as a Democrat. I decided not

to endorse the incumbent, and to stay out of endorsing

anyone else. Between now and November, that could

change. Something could happen and she (Sen. Hillary

Clinton) could decide the war was really bad and

wrong, and then I would reconsider.'

 

" That's the kind of garbage you'll hear from a

Democrat even if they oppose the war in Iraq. Party

loyalty matters far more than any antiwar ethic.

Undeniably, Tasini did his job quite well this past

summer. By running a losing campaign in the Democratic

Primary he drew attention and support away from Howie

Hawkins and other independent antiwar candidates.

Instead of helping build a viable antiwar campaign

that would be on the ballot in November when it will

matter most, Tasini played right into Hillary's hands

by not challenging her all the way up to November --

even if by proxy through another antiwar campaign.

 

" Tasini's run, much like Rep. Dennis Kucinich for

president in 2004, is just one more pitiful

illustration of how antiwar politics in the Democratic

Party amount to nothing. They possess no teeth, no

backbone, and more importantly, no tangible goals. If

antiwar progressives like Jonathan Tasini really want

to put pressure on Hillary Clinton and the war party

she represents, they wouldn't be Democrats in the

first place. Hillary is already piecing together her

campaign for the White House in 2008, and the drive to

stop her must begin this election season. "

 

Full article at:

http://www.counterpunch.com/frank09202006.html