Bob Weiner Media Points November 11, 2003

• Given Bush polls tanking (now by 53%-40% Independents say won’t vote for him, and his popularity down to 52% from 92% two years ago), Iraq weapons missing, White House leaking, the expose of White House blocking clean air as a giveaway to corporations, spinning a few jobs created while losing 3 million, giving millionaires and corporations the big tax breaks, state revenues at record lows while the national deficit is at an all time high and skyrocketing (in contrast to Clinton’s surplus), and now, the arrogance of the White House refusing to answer Congressional Democrats and asking the news to censor the truth in Iraq, as well as Republicans blocking projects in Democratic districts for voting their consciences, Americans are going to seek change. In addition:

• 2M more uninsured health care numbers (6% more in 2002, 44 million)
• Highest poverty in a decade, now 35 million, 1 in 8 Americans.
• 3M lost jobs—first president since Hoover to have net loss; all Bush can do now is spin success of 150,000 jobs up this month after non-recovered 3year 3Million loss.
• Greater drug abuse and crime now versus when Clinton/McCaffrey made the issue visible and dropped the numbers.
• Destruction of environment by disarming Clean Air, Clean Water, and Superfund toxic cleanup; and pander to Cheney secret energy committee of contributors who are the polluting corporations.
• Tax Cuts Most to Millionaires. Bush of, by, and for the wealthy.
• Destroying $500 billion surplus and creating $500 billion annual deficit
• Misleading and false info on Iraq, and current "leak" investigator reports to Bush's Yale buddy and then to Ashcroft.
• “Mission Not Accomplished: How Bush Misjudged the Task of Fixing Iraq”—TIME Cover, Oct. 6, 2003.
• Cheney/Halliburton/Republican business billions in Iraq but cost to Americans $100 billion + a year. Why not turn over to int’l community—as should have first?
• Where are the WMD? And wouldn’t $87 billion reconstruct the US nicely for OUR hospitals, electrical grids, roads, health care, jobs, and phone systems? Do we really care more about new toilets in Iraq when they’ve been peeing in the Euphrates River for 6000 years, than we do about giving health care to children, seniors, and families in the U.S.? & denying court-earned money to tortured American Gulf vets!
• Ignoring priority of Korea nukes, Burma heroin and freedom, Afghanistan Taliban return and more heroin, Syria home of terrorists, and first defenders funding in US.
• Democratic congressional and cabinet heroes I've worked for -- Pepper/Conyers/Rangel/Kennedy/Koch/McCaffrey
• Pepper would roll over in his grave about Bush's Social Security and
  Medicare destruction proposals to privatize and arm both for big business, for $200 BILLION new annual profit for drug companies – money FROM seniors’ care. 
• IS NO SOCIAL SECURITY DEFICIT: Fund solvent 40 yrs. and counting, boomers lowest birth rate as parents means lowest draw on SS, and people working longer.
• Republican revisionism when they try to paint Clinton as unpopular:
  Clinton actually left office with 68% popularity, highest of ANY president
  upon leaving office, and the more the Republicans victimized him the higher
  his popularity grew. By the way he and Hillary have been married 30
  years -- who wouldn't take that -- with a wonderful daughter they love; and
  since half of all marriages end in divorce, usually by unfaithfulness, it's
  nice that he and Hillary love each other despite what's happened.
• California/Mississippi/Kentucky elections? If voter anger the issue, Bush and congressional Republicans are in trouble. And South trend was already there.
• Usurpation of democracy when Republicans can’t win fair—Florida/U.S., Texas, California. Aren’t Americans tired of giving up their voting rights? California deficit only part of Bush-created deficits in 46 states including California. Again, if voter anger becomes the issue, another serious problem for Bush and incumbent Republican Senators, House members, and state legislators.
• OUR CANDIDATES: ALL STRONG, ALL BETTER THAN BUSH:

* Dean: unprecedented new strategies, young voters, Internet, now also getting traditional support including key unions. Flag flap short lived – candor, apologized, but valid that we need Southern workers’ votes.

* Gephardt: thorough understanding of the issues, “Bush miserable failure” perfect.

* Clark: brilliant 4-Star General’s military mind, int’l coalition in Kosovo succeeded

* Lieberman: reaches centrists, actually won national election with Gore in 2000

* Kerry: charismastic, dynamic, “Trickle down is trickle on” good point.

* Edwards: mainstream and dynamic, epitomizes new Southern Democrat, emphasizes Bush “of, by, for the wealthy”.

* Sharpton: powerful, funny, candid, great reactions at debates

* Braun: courageous, thoughtful approach to issues

* Kucinich: traditional liberal, key part of Democratic constituency