Posted on 10/19/2004 6:41:47 AM PDT by SmithPatterson
Michigan's Milliken Endorses Kerry Michigan's Former Republican Governor William Milliken Endorses Kerry The Associated Press TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. Oct. 18, 2004 - Former Republican Gov. William Milliken of Michigan endorsed Democratic Sen. John Kerry for president on Monday, saying President Bush has pursued policies "pandering to the extreme right wing."
Milliken, governor from 1969-82, accused the Bush administration of rushing into the Iraq war, pushing tax cuts that benefit the rich and blocking meaningful stem-cell research.
"I felt so strongly about the direction of this country that in the end, it wasn't a difficult decision to make," Milliken said in an interview Monday with Traverse City Record-Eagle reporters and editors.
Milliken issued a three-page statement of his views about Bush and domestic and international issues.
"This president has pursued policies pandering to the extreme right wing across a wide variety of issues and has exacerbated the polarization and the strident, uncivil tone of much of what passes for political discourse in this country today," Milliken said in the statement.
Milliken, a moderate Republican, has been critical of Bush and has faulted the GOP on such issues as same-sex marriage, flag-burning and abortion.
The Bush campaign dismissed Milliken's endorsement, saying he led under a different time.
"We didn't have the threat from terrorists who want to kill us," said John Truscott, a spokesman for the Bush campaign. "We didn't have the same kind of war going on. This election and these times demand a strong leader who's decisive and who will tell the truth."
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Copyright © 2004 ABC News Internet Ventures
He's still alive? Bill Milliken is the first governor I remember.
Does this has-been RINO still have any pull in MI? He's a legacy Ford Republican.
A RINO endorses Kerry. No surprise there.
This guy was a RINO before the term was invented.
Isn't this guy older than dirt now?
Gov. Milliken also paroled child-murderers. He's sure been a wonderful asset to the state. /sarcasm
Milliken who?
We got Zell who needs him???
"uncivil tone of much of what passes for political discourse in this country today"
Yet, he feels comfortable in endorsing Kerry?
He must be well into his 80s.
A very obvious warning sign of the onset of senile dementia.
Didn't realize he was still alive. He was always very liberal. A Rockefeller Republican. He was sent into retirement due to the bad Michigan economy in the early 80's. I don't think his endorsement of Kerry is much of a plum, though it might be in Michigan.
I lived in that state through most of his years as governor. He left the state in a fiscal mess, the workers comp got screwed up, taxes went skyhigh and many employees had to go with payless paydays in order to balance the budget. Many businesses left the state.When Detroit Mayor Coleman Young called Milliken an M------ F----er, Milliken issued no response. How wimpish. Milliken even rebuffed Reagan's offer to be Ambassador to Canada. According to the book, "Out of the Smoked Filled Rooms", that was written by former Michigan Congressman Neil Staebler, Milliken told Staebler, that if his (Milliken's) father had not been a Republican, he (Milliken) would have been a Democrat. Don't you just love closet liberals??
He endorsed Joe Schwarz for governor in 02 and Schwarz got his butt kicked in the primary. 70-30.
Ad of course they did not mention Mark Hatfield's endorsement of Bush. I wonder why?
Dems don't win in Grand Traverse County.
Agreed. I remember how he would not support Dick Headlee in 1982. Brickley, the Lieutenant Governor, was so confident he would succeed Milliken, that he didn't even campaign in the primary, thinking Milliken's name and coattails would get him the nomination. Jim Brickley got a rude awakening from Headlee!! Milliken's wife was even in favor of homosexual marriages. But, then again, Milliken is a quieter version of Lowell Weicker. They are both pompous millionaires, who only look for themselves and could care less about the Republican Party.
Gov. Milk Toast
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.