A year ago, as WorldNetDaily reported, the Communist Party USA decided it would not run a candidate for president in 2004, choosing instead to form a “united front” to stop the re-election of President Bush.
Until recently, the party’s official newspaper, People’s Weekly World, focused its editorial slant on bashing Bush, rather than praising Sen. John Kerry.
But with Kerry fading in some polls, the Communists appear to be pulling out all the stops – switching from just criticizing Bush to saying positive things about Kerry.
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This week, the paper took particular comfort in Kerry’s harsh criticism of the war in Iraq.
In a front-page headline, the paper announced: “Kerry slams war costs.”
The lead article in the current edition of the Communist Party paper explains that the Democratic Party candidate for president “articulated the hope and the anger that workers and their families are feeling.”
The paper quoted Kerry in a speech in Toledo, Ohio, as saying: “And now every American is paying the price. Almost all the casualties are the sons and daughters of America. And nearly 90 percent of the cost is coming out of your pocket. The price tag so far: $200 billion and rising every day … $200 billion we’re not investing in health care … not investing to make sure no child is left behind … $200 billion we’re not investing in new and better jobs … in homeland security, to protect our airports, our subways, our bridges and tunnels.”
“Workers are not naive,” the article concludes. “They do not expect that if Kerry wins, the war in Iraq will end Nov. 3. What they are looking for is hope for peace, a shot at a decent job, a chance for health care coverage, an opportunity to put their issues on the table in Washington, a president who tells the truth and upholds the law, and a government that reflects their moral values in reality.”
Left reeling by slipping polls since the barrage of attention grabbed by the Swift Boat Vets for Truth ad campaign, Kerry continued his anti-war rhetoric yesterday – hoping to regain momentum in an uphill fight to win the White House.
He targeted Vice President Dick Cheney and his links to Halliburton, the oil services and construction contractor.
“Dick Cheney’s old company, Halliburton, has profited from the mess in Iraq at the expense of American troops and taxpayers,” Kerry said at a town-hall-style meeting in Albuquerque.
Though Cheney has dissolved his ties with Halliburton, he continues to receive income through bonuses and deferred compensation. Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt accused Kerry of hypocrisy, noting that Kerry’s running mate, Sen. John Edwards, received deferred compensation while in the Senate.
The Gallup poll released yesterday has Bush leading Kerry by 13 percentage points, other national polls show the race tightening.
While the Communist Party USA is on record as opposing Bush at all costs, the Democratic Socialists of America Political Action Committee has officially urged its members to work for the election of John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election.
“Kerry was hardly the first choice of our members,” said Frank Llewellyn, national director of the DSA. “Most supported Dennis Kucinich or Howard Dean in the Democratic primary elections and would be very critical of Senator Kerry’s voting record on trade issues, as well as his support for the resolution authorizing the use of force in Iraq; but the most important concern of our members now is to defeat Bush.”
The statement urged DSA members to participate in get-out-the-vote and voter education projects with other progressive organizations.
The Democratic Socialists of America’s chief organizing goal is to work within the Democratic Party and remove the stigma attached to “socialism” in the eyes of most Americans.
“Stress our Democratic Party strategy and electoral work,” explains an organizing document of the DSA. “The Democratic Party is something the public understands, and association with it takes the edge off. Stressing our Democratic Party work will establish some distance from the radical subculture and help integrate you to the milieu of the young liberals.”
Nevertheless, the goal of the Democratic Socialists of America has never been deeply hidden. Prior to the cleanup of its website in 1999, the DSA included a song list featuring “The Internationale,” the worldwide anthem of communism and socialism. Another song on the site was “Red Revolution” sung to the tune of “Red Robin.” The lyrics went: “When the Red Revolution brings its solution along, along, there’ll be no more lootin’ when we start shootin’ that Wall Street throng. …” Another song removed after WorldNetDaily’s expose was “Are You Sleeping, Bourgeoisie?” The lyrics went: “Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping? Bourgeoisie, Bourgeoisie. And when the revolution comes, We’ll kill you all with knives and guns, Bourgeoisie, Bourgeoisie.”
Earlier stories:
Socialists urge support of Kerry
U.S. Communists to support Dems
