Zell Miller Endorses Bush

The Weekly Standard ^ | 10/29/2003 | Fred Barnes

[HarleyD]

SENATOR ZELL MILLER OF GEORGIA, the nation's most prominent conservative Democrat, said today he will endorse President Bush for re-election in 2004 and campaign for him if Bush wishes him to. Miller said Bush is "the right man at the right time" to govern the country.

The next five years "will determine the kind of world my children and grandchildren will live in," Miller said in an interview. And he wouldn't "trust" any of the nine Democratic presidential candidates with governing during "that crucial period," he said. "This Democrat will vote for President Bush in 2004."

Miller, who is retiring from the Senate next year, has often expressed his admiration for Bush. He was a co-sponsor of the president's tax cuts in 2001 and 2003. The two got to know each other in the 1990s when both were governors.

The senator's endorsement is important for several reasons. With Miller on board, Bush will have a head start on forming a Democrats for Bush group in 2004. Such a group would woo crossover votes from conservative or otherwise disgruntled Democrats next year. In 2000, an effort by the Bush campaign to form a Democrats for Bush organization fizzled.

Since he came to the Senate in 2000, Miller has become increasingly critical of Senate Democrats and the national Democratic party. He recently published a new book, "A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat," in which he criticizes the party for being too liberal, too elitist, and subservient to liberal interest groups. In the book, Miller singles out Democratic presidential frontrunner Howard Dean, whom he knew as governor of Vermont, for being shallow.

[jragan2001]

Exactly. A great example of your statement happened a few
years ago when a representative from the state House of
Georgia, who happens to be a Democrat (don't remember his
name) started successful legislation blocking any city in
Georgia who wanted to bring frivoulous lawsuits against
gun manufacturers. This was brought on by the Former Corrupt mayor of Atlanta Bill Campbell who wanted to sue
gun manufacturers for the crime in his city.

[Lazamataz]

....and he never misses an opportunity to tell EVERYONE that fact whenever there is a microphone nearby...

I haven't heard lately. What has Kerry claimed?

[Marysecretary]

THAT is the secret! Love of country as opposed to love of party. I wish the democrats would realize how important that is. We don't want to hear about how horrible Bush is all the time. Democrats need to get back to having good ideas and plans for the future of America, not how many people they can get elected. Cheez.

[petercooper]

he's a vietnam vet. I did not know that.

[cwb]

By the way, after reviewing state legislatures since 1992, this is what the Dems have lost:

1992-Dems controlled 25 state legislatures; GOP only controlled 8; 16 were split bodies. (Neb unicameral)

2003-Republicans control 21 legislatures; Dems control 16; 12 are split.

This is the largest advantage the GOP has had since 1952..and in total number of Democratic state seats lost, it appears to now be over 1200 since they've continued to lose seats through 2000, 2002 and 2003. Combine this with seats lost at the federal level (Senate, House and even Governerships) and the Clinton legacy continues to march on. It becomes much more obvious why liberals have become more shrill each passing year...and why the judiciary has become their last bastion of refuge as they obstruct at unprecendented levels: They haven't lost this much power since Reconstruction.

[zbigreddogz]

Zell Miller has recently become my favorite Senator. The man has more integrety then the vast majority of people in politics, and more then in 99% of his party.

Heck, if more democrats were like Zell Miller, I might even vote Democrat every now and then.

[HELLRAISER II]

In Georgia it will, you have to understand that in Georgia the Democrats are worlds apart from the northern DemocRats. Believe it or not your average Southern Democrat is just as Conservative as you or I. They just haven't bothered to change their Party because their families have been Democrats for generations.

[lilylangtree]

Right choice, Zell!

[cwb]

Oh, great. Hannity's up with the rest of his interview with Zell. As if Hannity's head wasn't big enough, we are about to learn how Sean's book influenced Zell's change of position. Hey, if it's true, I'll give him credit.