Posted on 02/03/2004 7:19:10 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
A KERRY MAN: Former Sen. Don Riegle announces his favorite in Democratic race
Tuesday, February 03, 2004
By Steven Harmon
The Grand Rapids Press
The sign outside the Creston VFW Post 3023 invites the public to a steak dinner Saturday.
But downstairs in the smoky veteran's hall in Northwest Grand Rapids, former U.S. Sen. Don Riegle had another choice in mind for Saturday: U.S. Sen. John Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who is trying to run away with his party's nomination for president.
Riegle was blunt -- sometimes profane -- in his Monday address, calling President Bush "by far the worst president" he can remember.
Riegle said Bush never should have held the office, and said Kerry towers over him in stature and is the best man to beat him.
That appears to be the case many Democrats are making for Kerry as they await returns from today's primaries and caucuses in seven states and brace for an intense half-week of campaigning for Michigan's Saturday caucuses.
The Rev. Al Sharpton is expected to give a speech at Grand Valley State University at noon Thursday. None of the other six campaigns have determined whether their schedules will include the Grand Rapids area.
On Monday, Kerry received the backing of the Grand Rapids-area labor organization, Friends of Labor, and the Kent County Democratic Black Caucus. That came on the heels of Gov. Jennifer Granholm's endorsement over the weekend.
"We strongly, very, very strongly endorse John Kerry because we feel he's got that presence and ability to win," said Paul Mayhue, president of the black caucus and a Kent County commissioner.
Riegle sounded like a man looking past the primaries to a general election contest with Bush.
He assailed Bush for being unprepared to lead the nation, for failing to save the 176,000 manufacturing jobs that have left the state and the three million jobs lost nationwide; for misleading the country on his reasoning for going to war with Iraq; for stonewalling the 9/11 commission; for refusing to extend unemployment benefits for those who can't find work; and for cutting back on services to veterans, including health care for Gulf War veterans.
"We can't afford to have a president like that," he said. "We need a president who understands human needs. How can any president be sending people to Iraq and turn around and keep shorting veterans' programs and telling us he won't help the unemployed?"
Riegle retold the story of Kerry's feats in Vietnam, where he saved the life of a soldier by turning his boat back into enemy fire to pull him out of the water, earning three purple hearts, a silver and a bronze star.
"Everybody needs to know about John Kerry's war record," Riegle said. "When he realized one guy fell out of the boat, there were no cameras, no pollsters or advisers. He had to decide right there. He turned the boat around, went back into machine gun fire, reached down, wounded as he was, and pulled this man out of the water and saved his life.
"I want a president who will turn the boat around to help the people who need help today," Riegle continued. "I want a president who has the willingness to stand up and be a leader under fire. This nation has never left the wounded behind, and John Kerry won't leave people behind who are hurting."
A Gallup poll, released Monday, showing Kerry ahead of Bush, 53 percent to 46 percent, means that "people really like what they're hearing and seeing of Kerry, and they're also saying Bush is a guy we want to get rid of," Riegle said.
Bruce Harvey, the political director for the Teamsters Local 406, said Friends of Labor threw its support behind Kerry because of his promise to focus on jobs.
"We are pleased with Kerry's stance on labor and his platform for this country and the state of Michigan," Harvey said.
The International Association of Fire Fighters was one of the first labor unions to back Kerry, and is happy to lay out a welcome mat to others, said Bill Smith, the political director of the Grand Rapids Fire Fighters Local 366.
"We're going to breed strength with numbers," he said.
Leaders of the Kent County Black Caucus vowed to work hard to get out the vote of blacks and minorities for Kerry, even as Kerry has been criticized for questioning the effectiveness of affirmative action programs.
"We can work through that," Mayhue said. "The bigger goal is to win the presidency. The black vote is already ready to come out. We're reeling from what's happened under Bush."
"by far the worst president" he can remember.
And you were by far the worst sinator I remember.
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