OntheWilderSide

Green Party Candidate for President to Speak In Carbondale

Six-term Congresswoman, former Democrat and now Green Party member Cynthia McKinney will be speaking in Carbondale, Illinois on Saturday, December 8th, as part of her “Power to the People” tour, promoting her campaign to win the Green Party nomination for President of the United States.

Following its unprecedented electoral success in 2006, the Green Party in Illinois will have its first statewide primary on February 5, 2008. In addition to McKinney, other Green candidates appearing on the ballot will be college professor Jared Ball of the District of Columbia, New York Green Party activist Howie Hawkins [standing in for Ralph Nader], and California air quality inspector Kent Mesplay.

During her swing through Carbondale, McKinney will speak at a $10/plate catfish dinner organized by local supporters, to be held at 12:30 p.m. on Dec. 8th at the Hopewell Baptist Church, 400 E. Main St. This will be preceded by another appearance at the SIUC Student Center Auditorium at 11:00 a.m. A press conference will be held at the same location beginning at 10:30. McKinney is also expected to make a brief visit to the weekly peace vigil held at the Carbondale Town Square, between noon and the 12:30 appearance.

Cynthia McKinney was the first African-American woman from Georgia elected to Congress, serving six terms in the House. Prior to completing her last term, she introduced articles of impeachment against President Bush charging him with manipulating intelligence and lying to justify the war in Iraq, failing to uphold accountability and violating privacy laws with his domestic spying program. The articles also included charges against Vice President Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

McKinney will be accompanied on the tour by 2006 Green Party gubernatorial candidate Rich Whitney, who won the support of over 10 percent of Illinois voters in that campaign.

“I have long felt that Cynthia McKinney was a Green at heart,” Whitney commented recently. “Unlike most Democrats in Congress, Cynthia has long been a principled, tireless advocate for peace, civil rights, and the fundamental right of the people to vote and have their vote count– accurately. She has long been a fighter against corruption, injustice, environmental destruction, the imperial presidency and the corporate aristocracy in this country. Her voting record was impeccable. She was, and is, a true representative of the public interest.”

“I welcome Cynthia to the Green Party, where she truly belongs, joining our fight to establish genuine government of, by and for the people,” Whitney added. “I am absolutely thrilled to have her as an ally in this struggle.”

Related Posts:

• Illinois Green Party: Primaries and the GP Presidential Convention
• Nader, McKinney & Brown on CA Green Party Primary
• Daily Greens: Presidential Forum
• The People’s President Page
• Daily Greens: Press Conference with presidential candidates (video)
• Daily Greens: Green Party Presidential Candidate Forum (video)

Filed under: cynthia mckinney, election, elections, grassroots democracy, Green Party Websites, Political Websites, presidential race, Press Release, progressive politics, Ralph Nader, third party, US Politics Tagged: | Jared Ball, kent mesplay, Ralph Nader, rich whitney, third parties