WASHINGTON - February 24 - Green Party leaders dismissed claims by Democratic National Committee chair Terry McAuliffe on CBS's Face The Nation (Sunday, February 22) that Greens are abandoning their party to support a Democratic nominee for President.

"The Green Party is growing, while the Democratic Party has stagnated," said Brent McMillan, Political Director for the Green Party of the United States. "Despite harsh attacks from the Democratic hierarchy, the Green Party's membership increased by 27% between 2000 and 2002, and by 8.7% between October 2002 and January 2004, while the Democrats lost membership [Source: Ballot Access News]. Democratic officials are also panicked because of Green San Francisco mayoral candidate Matt Gonzalez's strong showing in the 2003 runoff election."

Mr. Nader announced his independent candidacy on February 22, but there remains a possibility he could win the Green nomination at the party's National Convention in Milwaukee, June 23-28. Greens in many states have launched a 'Draft Nader' effort. Mr. Nader's nomination would depend on the support of state delegates attending the convention and his willingness to accept the it. Seven other candidates have launched presidential campaigns, are attracting support, and are on some state primary ballots for the Green nomination; some Greens prefer that the party not run a presidential campaign in 2004.

"Gov. Bill Richardson's [D.-N.M.] remark that Mr. Nader is running on ego and vanity is an empty smear," said Alex Kobrin, co-chair of the national party. "His remark reveals that some Democrats can't fathom the motivation to run for office outside the two-party establishment. If the Democrats were so serious about their challenge to Bushism, they might have dissuaded Senators Graham and Edwards from giving up perfectly good Senate seats. That's ego at work."

Some local Green Party chapters are already reporting an increase in membership due to the Dean, Kucinich, Sharpton campaigns being squelched. ""The Democratic Party tries to use progressive primary candidates to lure progressive and independent voters to support the corporate Democratic nominee in the end, but a lot of these voters are seeing through that game," said Howie Hawkins, a Teamster and chair of the Syracuse, New York Green Party who has been contacted by disaffected local Dean and Kucinich supporters in recent weeks.

Green membership and votes come from former nonvoters, independents, third party advocates, disaffected Republicans and Democrats, and others alienated by the erosion of American democracy and the two establishment parties by corporate interests.

"If they were really concerned about third party spoiling, Democrats in office at state and local levels have had four years to implement reforms like Instant Runoff Voting, and have been challenged to do so by Greens," said Starlene Rankin, Lavender Green Caucus delegate to the national party. "They haven't acted -- suggesting that many Democrats are more comfortable with Republican victories than with democracy."

"Democratic Party officials and apologists tell us it's 'not the right year' for a Green candidate -- but these critics will never say it's the right time for a third party candidate, whether for President or for dogcatcher," added Greg Gerritt, Rhode Island Green and secretary of the Green Party of the United States. "They want the Green Party to disappear. We don't generally seek advice from Democratic Party officials. The Green Party is here to stay."

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party Presidential Nomination Convention & Candidates http://www.gp.org/convention/process.html

Media credentialing for the convention http://www.gp.org/forms/media/

Greens respond to the 'spoiler' accusation http://www.gp.org/organize/spoiled.html

Ballot Access News

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