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Progressive Leaders Grill Rice: How Could You Not Vote for Gore Over Bush in 2000 Election??

by SoHo Journal Staff

 

 

According to bombshell report, Kathleen Rice did not “see the significance” in voting, including closest-ever 2000 race — while living in Pennsylvania! 

 

Leaders to Rice: What made choice so difficult? Bush’s promise to appoint anti-choice judges? His obsession with Iraq? Commitment to eroding civil liberties?

 

 

 

NEW YORK - Progressive leaders today took AG candidate Kathleen Rice to task for not voting for eighteen years, specifically declining to cast a ballot in 2000 for Al Gore over George Bush in the closest race ever – while she was living in the battleground state of Pennsylvania. Specifically, the co-chairs of the Progressive Caucus of the New York City Council, Brad Lander and Melissa Mark-Viverito, today fired off a letter to Rice demanding she explain how she can consider herself a progressive who cares about social justice while failing to see the significance in voting for Gore over Bush.
 
The following is the text of the letter:
 
July 26, 2010
 
Kathleen Rice
Nassau County District Attorney
262 Old Country Road
Mineola, NY 11501
 
Dear Ms. Rice,
 
As progressives who have fought for core values like a woman's right to choose, civil liberties, and a judiciary that appreciates civil rights, among many others, we were distressed to learn that you did not see any reason to cast a vote for Al Gore over George Bush in 2000, while you were living in a battleground state, no less. As you know, this was literally the closest presidential election in history, where the stakes could not be higher and where an individual's vote, particularly in a swing state like Pennsylvania, could not be more important.
 
To explain this decision, you have used the excuse that "like a lot of young adults early in their professional lives, I failed to see the political significance of casting a ballot." However, let us be clear: you were not a young person at this time, but a 35-year-old practicing attorney.
 
In all candor, if you could not see the "political significance" in voting for Al Gore over George Bush, one of the most destructive presidents of all time, then we have serious reason to question your judgment and commitment to core progressive values.
 
What was it that made such a decision so difficult? Did you fail to see the political significance of Bush's promise to appoint anti-choice judges, his obsession with Iraq, or his commitment to eroding civil liberties? With all due respect, we believe that until such time that you can explain this decision, you are ill-suited to represent the Democratic Party as our nominee for Attorney General.
 
Sincerely,
 
Brad Lander & Melissa Mark-Viverito
New York City Council Members
 
 

 

 

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