GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

http://www.votetosmoke.org

GREENS REBUT SPECIOUS CHARGES BY D.N.C. CHIEF
McAULIFFE AND OTHERS ABOUT GREEN DEFECTION
AND LACK OF GREEN SUPPORT FOR NADER


WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Green Party leaders dismissed
claims by Democratic National Committee chair Terry
McAuliffe on CBS's Face The Nation (Sunday, February
22) that Greens are abandoning their party to support
a Democratic nominee for President.

"The Green Party is growing, while the Democratic
Party has stagnated," said Brent McMillan, Political
Director for the Green Party of the United States.
"Despite harsh attacks from the Democratic hierarchy,
the Green Party's membership increased by 27% between
2000 and 2002, and by 8.7% between October 2002 and
January 2004, while the Democrats lost membership
[Source: Ballot Access News]. Democratic officials
are also panicked because of Green San Francisco
mayoral candidate Matt Gonzalez's strong showing in
the 2003 runoff election."

Mr. Nader announced his independent candidacy on
February 22, but there remains a possibility he could
win the Green nomination at the party's National
Convention in Milwaukee, June 23-28. Greens in many
states have launched a 'Draft Nader' effort. Mr.
Nader's nomination would depend on the support of
state delegates attending the convention and his
willingness to accept the it. Seven other candidates
have launched presidential campaigns, are attracting
support, and are on some state primary ballots for the
Green nomination; some Greens prefer that the party
not run a presidential campaign in 2004.

"Gov. Bill Richardson's [D.-N.M.] remark that Mr.
Nader is running on ego and vanity is an empty smear,"
said Alex Kobrin, co-chair of the national party.
"His remark reveals that some Democrats can't fathom
the motivation to run for office outside the two-party
establishment. If the Democrats were so serious about
their challenge to Bushism, they might have dissuaded
Senators Graham and Edwards from giving up perfectly
good Senate seats. That's ego at work."

Some local Green Party chapters are already reporting
an increase in membership due to the Dean, Kucinich,
Sharpton campaigns being squelched. ""The Democratic
Party tries to use progressive primary candidates to
lure progressive and independent voters to support the
corporate Democratic nominee in the end, but a lot of
these voters are seeing through that game," said Howie
Hawkins, a Teamster and chair of the Syracuse, New
York Green Party who has been contacted by disaffected
local Dean and Kucinich supporters in recent weeks.

Green membership and votes come from former nonvoters,
independents, third party advocates, disaffected
Republicans and Democrats, and others alienated by the
erosion of American democracy and the two
establishment parties by corporate interests.

"If they were really concerned about third party
spoiling, Democrats in office at state and local
levels have had four years to implement reforms like
Instant Runoff Voting, and have been challenged to do
so by Greens," said Starlene Rankin, Lavender Green
Caucus delegate to the national party. "They haven't
acted -- suggesting that many Democrats are more
comfortable with Republican victories than with
democracy."

"Democratic Party officials and apologists tell us
it's 'not the right year' for a Green candidate -- but
these critics will never say it's the right time for a
third party candidate, whether for President or for
dogcatcher," added Greg Gerritt, Rhode Island Green
and secretary of the Green Party of the United States.
"They want the Green Party to disappear. We don't
generally seek advice from Democratic Party officials.
The Green Party is here to stay."


MORE INFORMATION

Green Party Presidential Nomination Convention &
Candidates http://www.gp.org/convention/process.html
Media credentialing for the convention
http://www.gp.org/forms/media/

Greens respond to the 'spoiler' accusation
http://www.gp.org/organize/spoiled.html

The Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1700 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 404
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193

Ballot Access News
http://www.ballot-access.org


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