State Rep Urges Democrats to Resist 'Bullying' From Detroit Mayor

State rep urges Democrats to resist 'bullying' from Detroit mayor 8/17/2006, 6:00 p.m. ET By DAVID EGGERT The Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Disagreements over the Democratic ticket became unusually public Thursday when state Rep. Mary Waters said Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, a fellow Detroit Democrat, is trying to put a weaker Democrat up against Republican Attorney General Mike Cox to assure Cox gets re-elected in November.

The Democratic ticket typically has one black candidate among the top four statewide races: governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and secretary of state.

Waters, who is black, wants Democrats to nominate her at their Aug. 26-27 state convention to run against Republican Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land.

But Kilpatrick has made it clear he'd prefer to have another Democrat take on Land. Waters said Thursday that's because Kilpatrick wants to have Detroit lawyer Amos Williams, who also is black, get the nomination for attorney general over former Grand Rapids-area judge M. Scott Bowen, and it's unlikely two blacks would be named to the ticket.

Some Democrats think Williams is less likely than Bowen to defeat Cox, who they say could put his own money into the race and may appeal more to out-state voters.

Waters said Kilpatrick is close to Cox. Cox investigated allegations that the mayor had held a wild party at his official residence in 2002 but said in 2003 he found no evidence one had occurred, a finding backed up later by the state police.

Waters said Kilpatrick's opposition to her being on the ticket is about more than just getting back at her because she backed his opponent, Freman Hendrix, in the 2005 mayoral race.

"I'm a small fish in the pond. The real agenda is to protect Mike Cox," Waters told The Associated Press in a phone interview. "It is apparent that the Democratic Party of Michigan is submitting to the bullying tactics of Mayor Kilpatrick. I say shame on them for not standing up to the bully."

"Mayor Kilpatrick believes any candidate being considered for the Democratic Party's statewide ticket should be able to raise funds, deliver a Democratic message and mobilize Democratic voters," deputy chief of staff Eddie McDonald said in a statement. "Mary Waters has not met these criteria."

Michigan Democratic Party spokesman Jason Moon said Kilpatrick is "fully supportive of the Democratic ticket and has been engaged in this election process for months."

Waters held a Thursday news conference in Detroit to voice her complaints. Other Detroit lawmakers joined her at the event.

Waters' statements lend credence to increasing speculation that labor unions and Democratic party leaders, including Gov. Jennifer Granholm, have decided to nominate Williams for attorney general rather than Bowen, who at one point was considered Granholm's top pick.

Waters is the only Democrat to publicly seek the secretary of state nomination. A message seeking comment was left Thursday with Macomb County Clerk Carmella Sabaugh, who has been courted to run for secretary of state by some Democrats. State Rep. Rich Brown of Bessemer has also been mentioned as a possible candidate.

Cox spokesman Stu Sandler said the attorney general doesn't care which Democrat he faces.

"This election is about the record and accomplishments of the attorney general and what he's done for the people of Michigan," he said.

I was hard pressed not to post this under "comedy."

I love this. I only hope the idiots in Detroit and the dems keep it up until November!

The Democratic ticket typically has one black candidate among the top four statewide races...Waters said Thursday that's because Kilpatrick wants to have Detroit lawyer Amos Williams, who also is black, get the nomination for attorney general over former Grand Rapids-area judge M. Scott Bowen, and it's unlikely two blacks would be named to the ticket.

Sounds like a glass ceiling and discrimination on the basis of race by the Democrat Party.

Sounds like a glass ceiling and discrimination on the basis of race by the Democrat Party.

But of course. That is the side of quotas the 'RATs would rather not discuss.

3 posted on 08/18/2006 6:29:03 AM PDT by steveegg (Let's make the deeply-saddened Head KOmmie deeply soddened in Nov. - deny the 'RATs the election)

They're just positioning themselves for who controls the 40K dead voters that are supposedly purged from Detroit. Yes, I'm skeptical.

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