Kucinich takes aim at Dean
Originally published in the Des Moines Register
Kucinich takes aim at Dean
By LYNN OKAMOTO
Register Staff Writer
08/07/2003
The presidential campaign for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean on Wednesday acknowledged that Dean has changed his position on whether to raise the age at which retirees qualify for full benefits under Social Security.
"Governor Dean in 1995 was open to the idea of raising the retirement age to balance the budget," said Sarah Leonard, a spokeswoman for the Dean campaign. "He then learned from Bill Clinton that it was not necessary to do so.
"Now, in this campaign, Governor Dean has never proposed raising the retirement age and has no plans to do so."
The statement came in reaction to criticism launched Wednesday by Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich. According to Kucinich, Dean said on "Meet the Press" that he would consider moving the retirement age to 68 or 70. He later denied it.
"We must find out what his real position is on Social Security," said Kucinich, speaking at a Des Moines union hall.
Kucinich's economic plan calls for moving the retirement age from 67 back to 65.
Dean Goforth, 67, a retired Des Moines plumber, and his wife, Joyce, said they agreed with Kucinich. "In hard labor, you wouldn't want to work until you're 70 years old," Joyce Goforth said.
Kucinich also criticized Dean and U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri for their positions on trade.
America has lost 2.4 million manufacturing jobs in the past two years, but none of the other candidates would cancel the North American Free Trade Agreement and the United States' membership in the World Trade Organization as Kucinich would.
"Our trade laws have permitted and even encouraged a race to the bottom," Kucinich said.
Bill Burton, a spokesman for the Gephardt campaign, confirmed that Gephardt was the key negotiator for the World Trade Organization.
"He thought it would be a powerful force in raising labor standards throughout the world," Burton said.
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