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The Green Party had their nominating convention on Saturday, July 12, 2008, at the Chicago Symphony Center and Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney was nominated as their party's presidential choice.
Cynthia McKinney is an African American woman that represented Georgia's 4th Congressional District, as a Democrat, for six terms, five of which were consecutive.
McKinney chose Rosa Clemente, who is a journalist and activist as her running mate.
In 2007 McKinney left the Democratic party and a month later, in October of 2007, she filed paperwork with the FEC creating an exploratory committee for a Green Party presidential campaign.
At the Green Party's nominating convention on Saturday, McKinney received 313 votes out of the 532 votes cast on the first round of balloting.
Green Party spokeswoman Scott McLarty acknowledged McKinney was a "long shot" for the White House, but said, "Every vote that she gets helps the Green Party."
"The United States needs an alternative party," McLarty said. "The narrow two-party system we have right now has not served us very well."
There were approximately 800 people attending the convention and McKinney told them in her speech, "I am asking you to vote your conscience, vote your dreams, vote your future, vote Green. A vote for the Green Party is a vote for the movement that will turn this country right-side-up again."
McKinney runs on an anti-war and human rights platforms and is well known for her efforts to help Hurricane Katrina victims as well as her criticisms of the government on their handling of it.
McKinney also took an active interest into the death of Tupac Shakur where she sponsored a bill that would have demanded release of records pertaining to his death, in a manner that would have been faster than the process used under the Freedom of Information Act.
In 2003 and in 2005, McKinney introduced bills called the MLK Records Act, that had they succeeded, would have seen all currently sealed files concerning the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr released. Those records were sealed in 1978 and are not due to be declassified until 2028. The Senate version of that bill was introduced by John Kerry and co-signed by Hillary Clinton.
Cynthia McKinney has been very outspoken on a number of issues which are popular to members of the far left progressive Democrats, but running as the Green Party candidate makes it a "long shot", even according to the Green Party officials.
The most successful Green Party Candidate was Ralph Nader in the year 2000, where he received 3 percent of the vote, and later was highly criticized by members of the Democratic party that blamed him for Al Gore's loss.
This year Ralph Nader is running as an Independent.
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Isn't that the woman who went after a congressional security guard? Or am I thinking of a different woman?
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@ Samantha A. Torrence
Isn't that the woman who went after a congressional security guard? Or am I thinking of a different woman?
That is the one! Here is more on her.
A statement issued after the incident said:
"Earlier today I had an unfortunate confrontation with a Capitol Hill Police Officer. It is traditional protocol that Capitol Hill Police Officers secure 535 Members of Congress, including 100 Senators. It is the expectation of most Members of Congress that Capitol Hill Police officers know who they are. I was urgently trying to get to an important meeting on time to fulfill my obligations to my constituents. Unfortunately, the Police Officer did not recognize me as a Member of Congress and a confrontation ensued. I did not have on my Congressional pin but showed the Police Officer my Congressional ID.
"I know that Capitol Hill Police are securing our safety, that of thousands of others, and I appreciate the work that they do. I deeply regret that the incident occurred. I have demonstrated my support for them in the past and I continue to support them now." -
OKay yeah i know that woman, she claimed the guard was racist or something. Bad choice green party.
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@ Samantha A. Torrence
OKay yeah i know that woman, she claimed the guard was racist or something. Bad choice green party.
I don't know about that. Think of it this way. Obama is racing for the center so fast it is pissing of the far far left progressive massively.
Jackson's remarks recently show that some African Americans have a problem with Obama.
Other Democrats, such as women and men supporting Clinton, would love a candidate that is NOT Obama.
This woman is known to be a Democrat, she takes far far left progressive positions with no desire to even attempt to move to the middle. She is not "lecturing" blacks, and she has the potential to truly become the Ralph Nader of 2008.
I am going to be watching her rise or fall very closely....this could potentially be good for McCain. -
Jackson's remarks recently show that some African Americans have a problem with Obama.
You assesment seems spot on, I didn't really think about that. As far as the quote above I have doubts that the community is that angry with him. They got the shock out after Bill Cosby. -
@ Samantha A. Torrence
You assesment seems spot on, I didn't really think about that. As far as the quote above I have doubts that the community is that angry with him. They got the shock out after Bill Cosby.
Maybe not a massive amount, but the Washington Post did a piece right after Jackson's statements became public saying they had "revived" concerns among other African American political activists.
Added to the Clinton people that refuse to vote for Obama...the ones not willing to vote for McCain and refuse to consider Obama....and the progressive left that is not infighting because some are criticizing Obama for his FISA, Second Amendment, Deat Penalty, Iraq statements of late and you have a nice segment of many different portions of the Dem party....that might gravitate to this unapologetic far left extreme candidate. -
No, this definitely does not bode well for the Obama camp. I can't, personally, imagine him taking on more of a constipated look than he already has, but I imagine this will somehow cause it to worsen.
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Yes that is a possibility.
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@ Mr Garibaldi
No, this definitely does not bode well for the Obama camp. I can't, personally, imagine him taking on more of a constipated look than he already has, but I imagine this will somehow cause it to worsen.
Don't forget, Barr is hurting McCain so it kind of evens things out, though I wish there was a way for all four of them to lose :P -
@ Michael Billy (TRA)
Don't forget, Barr is hurting McCain so it kind of evens things out, though I wish there was a way for all four of them to lose :P
Fortunately there isn't and the best man (Obama) is going to trample McBush. -
@ lensman67
Fortunately there isn't and the best man (Obama) is going to trample McBush.
Wishful thinking since now McCain has evened things up, and he and the RNC have 13 times more cash on hand, and is still rising while Obama is steadily losing support...but keep burying that unpleasant news as long as you want...LOL -
@ Michael Billy (TRA)
Don't forget, Barr is hurting McCain so it kind of evens things out, though I wish there was a way for all four of them to lose :P
That is a fair assessment but it ignores the 17 percent of Clinton voters (some say it is 22 percent) that are refusing to vote for Obama at all. 17 percent of 18 million is a large number and I doubt very much Barr will receive even that much from McCain.
Then you take into account the Obama supporters, on his very own site's comment section, declaring they will vote for the Green Party nominee or even sit it out because he has angered them and you start seeing that what Barr takes away from McCain is nothing in comparison.
Now we add McKinney into the mix and this promises to get very interesting. -
Of all that she accomplished in her tenure in the House of ILL Reputatives, her slapping the guard was what brought her the most notoriety. Mostly because she didn't do very much.
vote green, elect a tree
I'm going to vote green, [for mc cain] and make the DementedKrats green with envy -
I welcome her candidacy and she should be included in all upcoming debates. However, the McCain and Obama camps will exclude Ms. McKinney as well as Nader, Baldwin and Barr. It's a shame that the majority of the American electorate won't be able to hear her ideas because the corporate controlled American media and the two major political parties in this country don't believe and are afraid of true competition. Unfortunately, many American citizens feel this way too.
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@ Dave G. (TruthMan)
I welcome her candidacy and she should be included in all upcoming debates. However, the McCain and Obama camps will exclude Ms. McKinney as well as Nader, Baldwin and Barr. It's a shame that the majority of the American electorate won't be able to hear her ideas because the corporate controlled American media and the two major political parties in this country don't believe and are afraid of true competition. Unfortunately, many American citizens feel this way too.
Actually I agree that she should be part of the debates. I doubt she will, but her and Nader and Barr all should be allowed to enter the debates. Unfortunately, media outlets who invite people have certain standards about percentages and THEY too have the right as business owners to make their own business decisions. It is not like we have state owned media here, which is a good thing, and means we take the lumps with the freedoms.
I think someone very rich should buy network time for those other candidates. -
Interesting article and comments. I think Americans do themselves a great disservice by not giving the smaller parties an equal voice - from the outside looking in, a Canadian's perspective.
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@ Sheba
Interesting article and comments. I think Americans do themselves a great disservice by not giving the smaller parties an equal voice - from the outside looking in, a Canadian's perspective.
Even though I'm on the opposite side of the border, Sheba...I have to agree with you!
Sue, I remember this woman too...and this will be interesting to watch all the more! -
@ Debra Myers (skyangel)
Even though I'm on the opposite side of the border, Sheba...I have to agree with you!
Sue, I remember this woman too...and this will be interesting to watch all the more!
Agreed and thanks Sheba, how these things are viewed by people not from America is always interesting. -
If you can't say anything UGLY about someone don't say anything at all... nice smile Cynthia (Georgia will be glad when the elections are over and well don't have to own you and Barr any more for a while).
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I would love to see a debate among Barr, McCain, McKinney, Nader and Obama. I am searching for a candidate -- none of them fit the bill for me -- socially liberal and fiscally conservative. We need to end the wars, balance the budget and provide universal healthcare. No one seems to be talking about that combination.
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@ Patti Ferguson
I would love to see a debate among Barr, McCain, McKinney, Nader and Obama. I am searching for a candidate -- none of them fit the bill for me -- socially liberal and fiscally conservative. We need to end the wars, balance the budget and provide universal healthcare. No one seems to be talking about that combination.
Welcome to DJ, thanks for your comment and I would like to see a debate including all of the above as well. -
@ Sue D.
McCain ...and the RNC have 13 times more cash on hand and is still rising while Obama is steadily losing upport...but keep burying that unpleasant news as long as you want...LOL
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The Green Party Nominates Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney To Run As President
