Convention Report: Gov. Dean joins Reps. Kucinich, Conyers, Lee in Roxbury Today
A convention report from the Kucinich website:
As the Democratic Party as a whole unites at the Fleet Center, Gov. Howard Dean will join the co-chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), along with the "Dean" of the Congressional Black Caucus, John Conyers (DMI), for an all-day program in Roxbury at the Progressive Democratic Convention.
Other presenters will include Medea Benjamin, the founder of Global Exchange and co-founder of Code Pink; veteran progressive Democratic Party activist and former California State Senator, Tom Hayden; Granny D. Haddock, candidate for the U.S. Senate in her home state of Maine ; Jim Zogby of the Arab-American Institute; Tom Andrews, former congressman (D-ME) and leader of Win Without War; Mimi Kennedy, Actress and Chair of Progressive Democrats of America ; and John Norris, National Field Director, Kerry/Edwards Campaign The program is being organized by Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) and Progressive Vote two new organizations inspired by the Kucinich and Dean campaigns. Both are dedicated to digging in for the long haul to transform the Democratic Party along progressive lines.
The all-day event will showcase activists from a wide range of issues and organizations and will feature a history of progressive organizing within the Democratic Party by Tom Hayden. According to PDA staff member, Charles Lenchner, "Thursday's program is designed to demonstrate that those concerned about increasing corporate control of American democracy, U.S. intervention abroad, our endangered environment, and a broad spectrum of social justice concerns from health care to racism, can and must forge a home within the Democratic Party."
Lenchner continued, "Progressive activists are hungry for a third alternative between voting for a progressive third party candidate like Ralph Nader or David Cobb on the one hand, or supporting John Kerry in November on the other. Our people don't want to tip the vote to George Bush, but they want to be involved in long-term transformative action. Organizing in a credible and sustainable way within the general framework of the Democratic Party offers that."
Referring to Wednesday's "Building the Peace Movement" Forum at the Paulist Center, which was attended by a standing room only crowd of over 400 and was featured in yesterday's New York Times Convention Coverage, Kucinich Campaign Deputy Director Tim Carpenter said, "Support for serious progressive work within the Party is striking a real chord, both with rank and file Party activists, progressive activists and with the media.
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