Zell Miller Blast Dems, Says Party Is in 'Breakdown'

NewsMax.com ^ | Thursday, Oct. 23, 2003 | Carl Limbacher and NewsMax.com Staff

[jmstein7]

Retiring Sen. Zell Miller blasted his fellow Democrats on Wednesday for pushing their party so far to the left that they've left it in a state of total "breakdown."

Using some of his harshest rhetoric yet, Miller told nationally syndicated radio host Sean Hannity, "This party is a shrinking party."

He then slammed the current crop of Democratic presidential candidates for trying to appeal only to left-wingers and special interest groups.

"These nine candidates - the naive nine who are running for president - they're not really running for president," Miller complained. "They're running for the nomination. They're not trying to put together a consensus to win."

The Georgia Democrat continued, "They're just taking that shrinking Democratic base, that's about 32 percent right now, and they are appealing to the most shrill and the most active and the loudest - what they're doing is they're pulling this party further and further to the left."

Asked why he refers to his party's presidential field as "the naive nine," Miller told Hannity, "Because they're headed down the same road other people have gone down and we know exactly what the results were."

The Southern senator noted that in 1972, Democratic presidential standard-bearer George McGovern failed to win a single Southern state in his landslide loss to incumbent Richard Nixon.

"Mondale in '84 did just about the same thing," he added. "Dukakis in '88 didn't carry a single Southern state and neither did Al Gore in 2000."

Noting that no high-profile national Democrat came to the South to campaign in last year's midterm election, Miller said, "Isn't it an indication of the present Democratic Party's breakdown, that here these so-called national leaders can't even campaign in the South because they would do to whoever they were trying to help more harm than good."

Miller said that national Democrats have all but written off the South, a decision that means they're no longer a truly national party.

"If you're going to be a nationwide party you've got to have some nationwide appeal. And you can't totally ignore one-third of the country, especially the fastest-growing one-third, and still call yourself a nationwide party."

The leading Southern Democrat details his party's predicament in his new book, "A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat."

[Parley Baer]

I heard the radio interview on Sean Hanity's show yesterday. Zell is one of the few Democrats that I could vote for. The rest of the democRATS I would not touch with a ten foot pole. Make that a 20 foot pole. Parley

[votelife]

bttt

[rickmichaels]

...Democrats have all but written off the South...

And the north, the east, and the west, too.

[AmericaUnited]

Zell is a DINO.

[hilaryrhymeswithrich]

Zell was not always this right leaning. I think his time in DC and the requirement of the DNC to have him under their collective thumbs, in a way he did not have to be when he was a Gov., was a real eye opener. On my otherwise all Repub ticket a few years ago, he was the only Dem notch I hit.

[samtheman]

By playing to the left, the dimowits drive centrists away, shrinking their own base.

[Kay Soze]

DINO!

I Love it!

[commish]

It has been interesting to watch Zell become more and more conservative as he has grown older (wiser?).

When he was Lt. Gov of GA he was well left of center on many issues, although he has never been a complete Liberal. When he became Governor he moved more to the center, but was still left-leaning on many issues. Now it seems that he has truely moved to the center, and maybe even a slight bit to the right of center.

[SwinneySwitch]

The DNC is raising money for 2003 victories in 3 tight? southern races in Kentucky, Mississippi, and Louisiana.

[mvpel]

It looks like RW Bradford's prediction that Bill Clinton will be the last Democrat ever elected President might actually come to pass.

[T Lady]

Shocking, just shocking...that a Democrat can actually speak the truth. Especially about the meltdown of his own political party.

...Let's just hope Miller won't be found 'sleeping with the fishes' if you catch my drift.

-Regards, T.

[Cobra64]

Now it seems that he has truely moved to the center, and maybe even a slight bit to the right of center.

I'd LOVE to see him jump to our side; offsetting Jumping Jim Jeffords shenanigans two years ago.

Wouldn't that put the Dems in a flippin' tizzy?!?!

I'd send the RNC another $100 to see this happen. (sigh- one can only wish)

[MadelineZapeezda]

Retiring Sen. Zell Miller

Say it ain't so, Joe!

[Noumenon]

Socialists, communists, Democrats, Leftists, cannibals, looters totalitarian thugs and criminals. They're all equal in my eyes.

[floozy22]

If a retiring Republican senator came out with these comments about his/her party, we'd be seeing it as the lead story on every network and cable news program...and they'd all (except Fox), be giddy about it.

[PLK]

The Southern senator noted that in 1972, Democratic presidential standard-bearer George McGovern failed to win a single Southern state in his landslide loss to incumbent Richard Nixon.

All true, however, it concerns me that the demographics of those "southern states" has changed considerably since that time. Liberals have insured that they are overflowing with immigrants who tend to vote overwhelmingly for the party that provides the biggest "transfer" payments to them.

[oceanview]

good point. the demographics are trending away from republicans, every election will be a close fight, just like 2000.

[firewalk]

bttt