Dayton says time may be near to unite behind Kerry

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Sen. Mark Dayton hinted Monday that he would back Sen. John Kerry if the Massachusetts Democrat has a strong showing in Tuesday's presidential primaries.

"Let's see how he does tomorrow," Dayton told reporters on a conference call. "If he is successful in most or all of those races tomorrow, there will be a strong case for trying to unite the party behind his candidacy."

Dayton, a Minnesota Democrat, has remained neutral so far. "I don't think we're well served by having this become protracted once somebody establishes his or her credentials and viability and has a strong base of support," Dayton said. "We don't need Democrats trying to destroy other Democrats. We need to unite and join together and run a race against the president and his administration in the fall."

Dayton recalled that his first federal campaign contribution was made to Kerry in 1972, during Kerry's failed run for U.S. House.
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/7857006.htm

[MercutioATC]

1. Or not...

[AntiCoup2K4]

2. And his next campaign contribution will be made to

... Kerry's failed run for the White House. Hey, at least he's consistent. Unlike the guy he's supporting.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

3. United Farm Workers union agrees

United Farm Workers union endorses Kerry for president

[NewYorkerfromMass]

15. Is Cesar Chavez' union considered a 'special interest' ?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

16. In some quarters, yes.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

28. True

the agri-businesses must think so.

[Southsideirish]

4. Would sew my fingers together and nail my feet to the floor first.

(n/t)

[Feanorcurufinwe]

32. I'll be right over with a needle and thread.

[lastknowngood]

5. You support your guy I'll support my

guy

[RetroLounge]

6. Oh, okay, we'll just not bother voting

oh, wait, didn't Kerry Supporters whine about this very same thing a few months back?

[Feanorcurufinwe]

7. I encourage everyone to vote.

I want everyone to get in the habit so they can do it again in November.

[ShaneGR]

8. Go ahead and vote! Seriously, but......

If your fellow Democrats happen to choose someone else, please start to think about the will of the party. This is why we have primaries, so the person with the MOST votes gets to be the nominee.

[Hoppin_Mad]

9. Like hell I will ! "We've just BEGUN to fight !" -nt-

[Casablanca]

10. Do not unite so soon before the nomination!

Give the Republicans and the Rove media machine a false sense of complacency for a change.

[Duncan Grant]

11. Oh Dear! It's all over now.

How many times does this bandwagon drive by each day?! Mind if I catch it in a few weeks?

[Straight Shooter]

12. I'm getting dizzy from constantly rolling over for Kerry

:eyes:

[Old and In the Way]

13. But if Dean were the frontrunner, I'll bet you'd suggest Kerry keep

the campaign going even if it were a futile effort.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

14. This isn't about me

it's about Minnesota Senator Mark Dayton.

[DebJ]

17. I thought the law was guided by MAJORITY rules, not 'i called it first

so its mine' Majority has not yet voted. Doesn't California and New York and other large populations have the right to vote?

[DebJ]

18. of course not...the machine is speaking

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

19. I think the time to unite is when there is a clear winner

Until then people should support their person. THAT PERSON MUST do everything in their power to unite people behind them and the other candidates, if sincere about evicting Bush, should also, then provide their support.

I don't like people telling people what to do.....

let the race continue until the candidates can no longer see viability.

Let Rove and the Grand Oil Party continue to wonder...fuck em.

[PVnRT]

20. Yeah, why should my vote count?

I'll let ten states tell me who to vote for in November. Wonderful.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

21. Amen..but I do feel sorry for Indiana being so late in the process

[cthrumatrix]

22. lol....when donkey's fly....let the process 'cook' without the influence

of the media...report the facts and quit the rush to get a winner

[freetempe]

23. Sorry, but nope

Not that I would ever line up behind the Bush-enabling Kerry, but if I were I wouldn't line up after only 10% of the delegates had been claimed.

Party bosses and Party insiders acting just like the GOP did back in 2000 when Bush and McCain duked it out and that disturbs me greatly.

Once Bush beat McCain in South Carolina the GOP party bosses who had hand-picked Bush demanded everyone fall in line behind Bush which is the same thing that is going on now withKerry and the Democrats. I'd like to at least have the illusion that all the Democrats in this country should have a say in who their candidate is instead of the corporate media and the party insiders, but again, I may just be dreaming. Oh well, the Democratic Party disappoints again, what else is new???

[Cuban_Liberal]

24. Sen. Dayton speaks for Sen. Dayton.

I will decide when and whether it's time to get behind Sen. Kerry, and until he explains himself better than he has about his special-interest money history, that time has not arrived.

[Piperay]

25. I don't like this 'unite behind' Kerry

stuff any better now than I liked it when the Dean supporters after getting Gore's endorsement told the rest of us it was all over and best to unite right away. It's to early for that now just as it was then, I will 'unite' behind the nominee once there is a nominee but not before. :mad:

[D G]

27. I agree - and I support Kerry (among others)

but this is no time for bandwagons. I resented the call when Gore endorsed Dean, and I resent it now. I don't blame other folks for being ticked off.

[Tim_in_HK]

26. Why would I care that a Senator

I never heard of says unite behind Kerry?

[quaker bill]

29. Then I would recommend that he go and do it.

I find the idea entirely unappealing.

[goobergunch]

30. Way to continue Wellstone's legacy, Dayton

I've been a bit disappointed in him - and I continue to be.

Incidentally, Dayton's family started the Target chain - it was originally called Dayton Hudson.

[Leilani]

31. What a Jerk!

Maybe he could wait till people have been heard.

[Anwen]

33. Oh, then by all means, let's do it!

:eyes:

[mzmolly]

34. I like Dayton, but I disagree...

:hi:

[Carolina]

35. what is the

damn hurry? We still have Super Tuesday. This rush to hurry up and annoint Kerry is really pissing me off. Let the process unfold. Let all the voters have their day at the polls. These fucking politicians need to shut up. No wonder people are turned off and tuned out. It all seems fixed and preordained: do as you're little voter because your opinions don't matter. Sheesh.