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California Ballot Measure on Iraq Troop Withdrawal Very Popular with Voters

Will be Big Issue, Perhaps Key Test for Presidential Candidates This Weekend at California Democratic Party Convention

By Frank D. Russo

Poll results released yesterday show that there is overwhelmingly strong support amongst Democrats for a Vote Us Out of Iraq advisory measure that Senate President pro Tem Don Perata is proposing for the February 5, 2008 presidential primary ballot.

A survey conducted by Moore Methods of 800 likely voters shows that Democratic voters support the measure by a margin of 86% to 11%. Amongst all California likely voters, the proposition is ahead by a two to one margin, 62% to 31%. Moore Methods is a highly respected, long established polling outfit. The poll has a margin of error of 3.5% and was released by Polka Consulting which has worked with Perata on other ballot propositions and bond measures.

Support levels amongst the leading three Democratic contenders is virtually the same on this question with supporters of John Edwards in favor 89% to 9%, Hillary Clinton supporters at 88% to 7%, and Barrack Obama supporters favoring it by 84% to 12%. Given that the margin of error is higher with these subsets, they prove only one thing--this is an issue important to their base. Only 3% of Democrats are undecided, according to this poll.

This weekend will be historic for California Democrats as all 7 announced candidates for President will be attending and speaking to 3,200 convention delegates. Perata is distributing information on his proposal to the delegates and it is expected that California Democratic Party Chair Art Torres will present a resolution that the state party formally endorse it on the floor of the convention on Sunday.

The media will be all over the convention, with 310 so far credentialed from over 110 organizations, including 27 television reporters and at 18 internet bloggers, with more expected. When I spoke with Democratic Party official Bob Mulholland, he compared the situation to that experienced by voters in New Hampshire, saying, "Where else can one get to see 4 Democratic candidates within the space of an hour?" With the kind of media presence, there will be about one reporter per ten delegates.

Present at the state convention in addition to the Presidential candidates will be many of California's Democratic officeholders and those who do the work at the "grassroots" and the "netroots" level. An unprecedented number of Democrats met in Assembly District caucuses in January to be elected as delegates. Many of them have been outside the party's tent in the past and have not attended past conventions.

There is renewed interest in the party, and enthusiasm for organizing not only in Democratic strongholds, but also in the so called "red" counties and districts in the state. Fueled by an almost giddy feeling over the election of Jerry McNerney to Congress on the back of door to door contact with voters, and sensing opportunities for picking up seats in Republican districts, such as Congressional District 4 where Democrat Charley Brown ran a very strong race against incumbent John Doolittle, many delegates will be helping the party to put together a 58 county strategy. (There are 58 counties in California).

Over 104 resolutions have been submitted for consideration and more are reportedly on the way. They will be winnowed to about the top dozen by the rules committee which will begin to meet Friday night to an eventual top 12 to be voted on Sunday. There may be a move to have others presented to the floor by petitions which require hundreds of signatures.

These resolutions will be on a number of different topics, but Iraq will be on many minds. According to Mulholland, "Every Presidential candidate and delegate has the same goal--to bring all combat troops out of Iraq as soon as possible, as well as establish stability in the Mideast."

Moore's poll is in line with most surveys of California Democrats, showing Hillary Clinton with a 10 point lead with 31% to Obama's 21% and Edward's 19%. Bill Richardson, the fourth candidate in most polls is at 4%. 20% of California Democrats are undecided or support other candidates.

Posted on April 24, 2007

Comments

This might be popular on the "Left Coast", but not here in our Red state of Tennessee and the rest of our great southern states! Californians need to get a life!

Posted by: William Haupt at April 25, 2007 05:50 AM

William: I don't understand what you mean by "get a life." We have lost more than 300 California lives for this folly and it's time to end it.

National polls and the last election also support this.

Posted by: Frank D. Russo at April 25, 2007 09:50 PM

As a long time resident and native of of California, I am constantly amazed at my fellow Californians. For such a crucial question as to what the US is trying to do in Iraq and the Middle East, a majority of my fellow Californians do not want to take the time to read about the issues involved.

Yet in their ignorgance, some insist that they be allowed to vote on a withdrawal.

The obligation of the citizens of a republican form of government is to inform themselves on the issues. In my experience, this is to much work for the majority of Californians. I have found that just reading the voting information sent out by state regarding the issues to be voted on at the next election is too much work.

Some of the same arguments as to why we should not be involved in Iraq are the same arguments some used to argue that we should not fight aganst the Nazis or the Japanese in World War II. There is a strong feeling that if we just leave, the world will return to peace and harmony. This in spite of the September 11 attack on New York.

Until such time as I can have a discussion of the real issues of the Middle East, I think it is a terrible idea to have my fellow Califorians vote on this issue.

Posted by: A Student at May 7, 2007 08:13 AM

put a stop to this war in iraq. let our son/daughter come home! my son is going back again!

Posted by: sandra ancheta at June 1, 2007 08:50 AM

Stop wasting your time and the taxpayers money on issues like this. The Iraq issue can be decided by the people we, as individuals, put in National Office as our representatives. Work on ways to improve our state!!!

Posted by: Ray Wallin at June 7, 2007 08:20 AM

Our government sent our sons and daughters into this.
God help us all.

Depleted Uranium
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-8PlJVhogs&mode=related&search=

Depleted Uranium 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYNIOce-08s&mode=related&search=

Have you listened to this seven part video interview?

Alex Jones - Dr. Doug Rokke interview part 1 of 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzO4kAZLong&mode=related&search=

Posted by: Donna at June 16, 2007 11:09 PM

corrections on sites to watch these videos,and information sites.
Donna

Our government sent our sons and daughters into this.
My son went into this exposure in Iraq too.
God help us all.

Dr. Doug Rokke Ouote: "Depleated uranium dumped on US cities."
"Our goverments knowledge of depleated uranium effects on our troops."

Dr. Doug Rokke
Depleted Uranium
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYNIOce-08s
Dr. Doug Rokke
Depleted Uranium 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-8PlJVhogs

Alex Jones - Dr. Doug Rokke interview part 1of 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzO4kAZLong

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Secrecy: "War WMD Tests on Us Soldiers and Sailors".

Project 112 and the Shipboard Hazard and Defense Project consisted of "50 tests conducted between 1962 and 1973." The tests were conducted in Alaska, Maryland, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Utah, Panama, Canada and Britain and aboard ships in the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
read more......http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/07/01/national/main561218.shtml

fact sheet _you can look and see if you were used as a guinea pig in WMD testing.
http://fhp.osd.mil/shad/factSheets.jsp
http://fhp.osd.mil/shad/index.jsp

"Project SHAD

Veterans who want information about obtaining a medical evaluation or filing a claim for disability benefits, may call the SHAD Helpline at 800-749-8387 or send an e-mail to VA at SHADHELPLINE@vba.va.gov.
http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=521

Posted by: Donna at June 17, 2007 01:07 PM

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