Miller begins 'Democrats for Bush'

Wednesday, March 27, 2004
By Joseph Curl

Washington Times Writer

Kerry spokesman David Wade asserted that Mr. Miller's voting record in the Senate on strengthening the military and providing for U.S. intelligence "is darn near identical to John Kerry's over these last years." But Mr. Miller said Mr. Kerry's ideals differ greatly from those of a former senator from Massachusetts, John F. Kennedy, who cut taxes and vowed to "bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty."

WT
Sen. Zell Miller yesterday kicked off a national "Democrats for Bush" drive, labeling fellow Democratic Sen. John Kerry a tax-and-spend liberal who is weak on defense and national security.

"Fortunately, Democrats like us have a courageous and principled leader that we're proud to support. It just so happens that he has a little 'R' after his name," the Georgia Democrat said in a speech.

While Mr. Miller has been a vocal supporter of the president throughout his term, voting for the war in Iraq and supporting across-the-board tax cuts, it is unusual for a Democrat to categorically denounce a presidential candidate from his own party.

But Mr. Miller, who is not seeking re-election in November, says the Democratic Party has moved so far from the ideals once at its core that he no longer can support its actions.

"Frankly, I've had it up to here with the politicians who claim to represent my party but really represent nothing but special interest groups and their own partisan agendas," he said.

"I remember when most Democrats were in favor of projecting America's power abroad, because we believed that America was a great force for good over evil. ... For decades, the Democratic Party maintained peace through strength. We worked with Republicans to ensure that freedom and democracy would not falter in the face of any threat," Mr. Miller said.

(More: WashingtonTimes.com / National)

2004 © The Washington times.

Dan