Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

ZELL MILLER: So-called Democrat traitor: Why I defend my speech
Houston Chronicle ^ | September 18, 2004 | Zell Miller

Posted on 09/18/2004 12:25:24 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

Many of my Democratic friends seem more interested in shooting the messenger than in considering the message. So perhaps we need to go back and review the facts:

• In 44 years, no Democrat has won the White House unless he had a platform that could sell in the South.

• In 40 years, no Democrat has won the White House unless he was from the South. So how do today's national leaders in the Democratic Party respond to these two irrefutable facts?

Simple: Run everyone out of the party who is moderate or conservative, and therefore, run the Democratic Party out of the South.

Here are some more facts:

• In 1980, the South (Virginia, Kentucky, Arkansas, Oklahoma and all states below) had 26 U.S. senators — 20 of them were Democrats and just six were Republicans. • In 1980, the Senate swung toward Republicans, but then back to Democrats in 1986. • By 1994, the South had 17 Democratic senators and nine Republicans. • In 2004, the South has 17 Republican senators and just nine Democrats. • In 2005, there's a good possibility that ratio could go to 22 Republicans and just four Democrats. So the facts are that the Republican and Democratic strength in the U.S. Senate in the South has completely reversed in 10 years. By next year, Democratic senators in the South could be one-fifth their strength in 1980.

At the exact time the South is growing in both population and power, the Democratic presence in the South has dwindled drastically.

See why I call it a national party no more?

When John Kennedy won in 1960, the South accounted for about one-fourth of the Electoral College vote. Today, the South accounts for almost one-third of the Electoral College — 31 percent. That gain in the South's vote share is equal to Ohio's share.

And so all at the same time, three things are happening:

The South is becoming more powerful; it is trending Republican; and it is absolutely essential to the election of any Democratic presidential candidate.

But when I argue that the party must stop driving out moderate and conservative Democrats, I am somehow a traitor?

This lifelong Democrat can no longer ignore the consequences that the soft defense and weak foreign policy views of the national Democratic Party have on my children and grandchildren. And that was what my speech in New York was all about.

One day, there will be a rebirth of the Democratic Party in the South, a rebirth where there is room for moderates and conservatives and where there is a place for a John Kennedy Democrat who believes in a strong national defense and cutting taxes.

Today is not that day.

Miller is Georgia's Democratic U.S. senator.


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: country; democraticparty; duty; honor; leadershiper; marine; service; zellmiller
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

1 posted on 09/18/2004 12:25:25 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Dog Gone

boom

The AWB Has Expired - Gun Owners Have Won Again For All Americans!

2 posted on 09/18/2004 12:28:27 AM PDT by Southack (Media Bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

It'll be DECADES before my beloved South embraces the democrat party.


3 posted on 09/18/2004 12:29:24 AM PDT by onyx (JohnKerry deserves to be the last casualty of the Vietnam War.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

SOCK IT TO EM ZELL

OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER.


4 posted on 09/18/2004 12:34:54 AM PDT by Quix (CONTACT CHURCHES UR AREA 2 HAVE SOLID PLAN 4 BUSSES VANS 2 GET CONSRV VOTERS 2 POLLS ELECTION DAY!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Yep.

As long as the Dim party supports homosexuality, pedophillia, radical environmentalism, the removal of God from our society, and gun control, they will NEVER win in the South.


5 posted on 09/18/2004 12:37:31 AM PDT by clee1 (Islam is a deadly plague; liberalism is the AIDS virus that prevents us from defending ourselves.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Love ya Senator!


6 posted on 09/18/2004 12:38:48 AM PDT by RandallFlagg (<a href="http://www.michaelmoore.com" target="_blank">Hatriotism)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #7 Removed by Moderator

To: Cincinatus' Wife

I admire the man's tenacity, honesty, and integrity.

It's got to be really hard to be a conservative, and watch as the party that you've been loyal to your whole life slides farther and farther away to the left, and be powerless to stop it.

As I read Ann Coulter's book "Treason", it becomes apparent that it has been sliding in that direction since at least WWII. The sliding has simply accelerated in recent years. I am afraid that liberalism has become so entrenched in the Democratic party, that nothing can save it now. The liberals are infamous for being arrogantly and flagrantly unrepentant.


8 posted on 09/18/2004 12:59:52 AM PDT by TwoWolves (The only kind of control the liberals don't want is self control.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
The day the Democrat Party stops being soft on defense, soft on crime, and starts respecting the Constitutional Right to Keep and Bear Arms as written in the Second Amendment, it will cease to be the Democrat Party.

Hell, the Democrat Party isn't even the Democrat Party today. If anything, it's the Communist Party.

9 posted on 09/18/2004 1:25:22 AM PDT by Prime Choice (The Religion of Peace ISN'T.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
The South is becoming more powerful; it is trending Republican; and it is absolutely essential to the election of any Democratic presidential candidate.

But when I argue that the party must stop driving out moderate and conservative Democrats, I am somehow a traitor?


This phrase needs to be embedded in the mind of any DNC leader who hopes to see their candidate in the WH in 2008 or 2012. Is Sen. Clinton's staff listening?
10 posted on 09/18/2004 1:29:21 AM PDT by Talking_Mouse (Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just... Thomas Jefferson)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TwoWolves
It proves that a big tent is necessary to win on the national stage.

If you can't attract voters with part of your message, you'll have no seat at the political decision making table.
11 posted on 09/18/2004 1:38:51 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Prime Choice

Exactly!

Who do they want to lead?


12 posted on 09/18/2004 1:39:31 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: TwoWolves

Anne Coulter's "Treason" is must reading, for democrats and Republicans, alike. After reading, and after seeing what's happening with CBS,I somehow feel that McCarthy is finally being vindicated. What is that about the wheels of justice grinding slow but exceedingly fine?

But I digress (nothing new there). Thank God for Democrats like Zell Miller. An honest man. I used to be a Democrat, too, and I also saw the party change. From the retrospect of a Republican, I could never be a Democrat again, even if they became what they once were, but at least once upon a time, they had something akin to a conscience.


13 posted on 09/18/2004 2:48:19 AM PDT by freepertoo
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
I read that in 1980, the Southern Senate contingent was 22 D to 4 R.
It's now 17 R to 9 D (I think) with a chance to go to 22 R and 4 D in this election.
14 posted on 09/18/2004 3:56:45 AM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Zell is awesome, but he should just join us.


15 posted on 09/18/2004 4:04:29 AM PDT by MarMema
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Zell is right, but take this to its logical conclusion.

Let's say that the dems see the light and tack right, allowing the free exchange of ideas from pro-life, pro-marriage (man-woman), strong defense and lower taxes. There are many in the dem party that are there only because of the vehicle, not because they are dems. They will look elsewhere and there will be a stronger green party, which will be even more radical but appeal to the disenfranchised dems. They cannot tolerate dissent to their socialist/radial cause.

The dems will shrink in power but be bigger than but not as enthusiastic as the extreme greens. They will become a permanent minority party.

The pubs have lots of RINOs who disagree with pro-life, pro-marriage (man-woman), strong defense and lower taxes. But the party accommodates them and they really have nowhere to go now. If the dems moderate, they may leave, but that is unlikely as long as the dems are a minority party, since they will lose their power. Plus, it is fun being an upstart and getting all the attention.

So if the dems follow Zell's advice, they will become a minority party for a long time, but if they do not they will remain a minority party for a long time. Catch 22.


16 posted on 09/18/2004 4:28:22 AM PDT by KeyWest
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

"When John Kennedy won in 1960"... John Kennedy was not elected, he was selected by his daddy, who spent big bucks for voter fraud.


17 posted on 09/18/2004 4:34:00 AM PDT by tkathy (There will be no world peace until all thuggocracies are gone from the earth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MarMema

I disagree.

We need more democrats like Zell Miller, to balance out the parties in a fair and equitable manner.


18 posted on 09/18/2004 5:53:40 AM PDT by Bigh4u2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife

Way to go, Zell!


19 posted on 09/18/2004 5:56:05 AM PDT by ContraryMary
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: KeyWest
Let's say that the dems see the light and tack right, allowing the free exchange of ideas from pro-life, pro-marriage (man-woman), strong defense and lower taxes.

For the sake of argument, it would mean our country had moved to the right.

I don't think Hillary can attract enough people to give her the WH in 2008. She will try to convince voters she's a centrist, which is laughable at best, but she is as far left as they go.

20 posted on 09/18/2004 6:07:50 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson