Bob Graham on Principles & Values FL Sr Senator (retiring 2004); Democratic Primary Candidate for President

Withdraws from Presidential race, and Senate race

Bush divides Americans

Favorite song: "Changes In Attitude, Changes In Latitudes"

This is for the Gen X crowd, and it's very personal. What's your favorite song?
• MOSELEY BRAUN: What's my favorite song? "You Gotta Be."
• SHARPTON: My favorite song is James Brown's song on the Republican Party, "Talking Loud, Saying Nothing."
• KERRY: Bruce Springsteen, "No Surrender."
• DEAN: One you've never heard of, Wycliffe Jean, "Jaspora" [Creole for "Diaspora"]
• LIEBERMAN: Well, you know, like a good politician, I'm going to take two. Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow, remember that one? And the classic Frank Sinatra, "My Way." We're going to do it our way in 2004.
• KUCINICH: John Lennon, "Imagine," as in imagine a new America.
• GEPHARDT: Bruce Springsteen, "Born In The USA."
• GRAHAM: Jimmy Buffet, "Changes In Attitude, Changes In Latitudes." We're going to change some attitudes and latitudes.

Opportunity For All: economic plan for one America

I know that if we can rebuild the schools, the roads, the bridges, the electric grid of Iraq that we can do it here at home. That's why I have published an economic plan, "Opportunity For All." This is how we can rebuild America.

I believe in one America. Together we can create a prosperous America, we can create a respected America, we can create a safe America, we can create our America. With Bob Graham as president, we will have one America.

Question Bush's secrecy and manipulativeness

A: I've questioned Bush's secrecy and the apparent manipulation of intelligence data over waging war in Iraq to the administration's cover-up of the report on the terrorist attacks of 9/11. I've questioned in the wake of new tax giveaways to the upper-crust of society while he leaves average Americans without jobs, without hope and without the critical investments that will help make their lives better.

Centrist Southern governor is best candidate for presidency

GRAHAM: I am running not to be running, but running to be the next president of the USA. I believe that the combination that Americans are looking for in their next president include, one, they want someone with executive experience: For 8 years I was governor of the 4th largest state in this nation, which I think is the best preparation to be president. And the American people think so too since 4 of the last 5 presidents elected had been governors of their state before they became president.

Second, I am a centrist. I believe that you don't set policy from the end zones; you set policy from the 50-yard line and build out until you have a majority.

Third, I happen to be a Southerner. Who have been the last 3 Democratic elected presidents? Lyndon Johnson from Texas, Jimmy Carter from Georgia, and Bill Clinton from Arkansas. That says something about what it takes to be elected.

I come from the electable wing of the Democratic Party.

As Governor of Florida, I helped create one million new jobs, built schools and balanced the budget as a member of, and for the last two years, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I know how vulnerable we are and I know what it's going to take to secure America. And as an American I have spent almost 400 days working side-by-side with Americans. My name is Bob Graham. I come from the electable wing of the Democratic Party.

Religious affiliation: United Church of Christ.

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Member of Democratic Leadership Council.

Mission

Who We Are

Since its inception, the DLC has championed policies from spurring private sector economic growth, fiscal discipline and community policing to work based welfare reform, expanded international trade, and national service. Throughout the 90’s, innovative, New Democrat policies implemented by former DLC Chairman President Bill Clinton have helped produce the longest period of sustained economic growth in our history, the lowest unemployment in a generation, 22 million new jobs, cut the welfare rolls in half, reduced the crime rate for seven straight years, balanced the budget and streamlined the federal bureaucracy to its smallest size since the Kennedy administration.

Now, the DLC is promoting new ideas -- such as a second generation of environmental protection and new economy and technology development strategies -- that is distinctly different from traditional liberalism and conservatism to build the next generation of America’s leaders.

New Democrat: "Third Way" instead of left-right debate.

America and the world have changed dramatically in the closing decades of the 20th century. The industrial order of the 20th century is rapidly yielding to the networked “New Economy” of the 21st century. Our political and governing systems, however, have lagged behind the rest of society in adapting to these seismic shifts. They remain stuck in the left-right debates and the top-down bureaucracies of the industrial past.

The Democratic Leadership Council, and its affiliated think tank the Progressive Policy Institute, have been catalysts for modernizing politics and government. The core principles and ideas of this “Third Way” movement [began with] Bill Clinton’s Presidential campaign in 1992, Tony Blair’s Labour Party in Britain in 1997, and Gerhard Shroeder’s Social Democrats in Germany in 1998.

The Third Way philosophy seeks to adapt enduring progressive values to the new challenges of he information age. It rests on three cornerstones:
1. the idea that government should promote equal opportunity for all while granting special privilege for none;
2. an ethic of mutual responsibility that equally rejects the politics of entitlement and the politics of social abandonment;
3. and, a new approach to governing that empowers citizens to act for themselves.

Member of the Senate New Democrat Coalition.

The Senate New Democrat Coalition (SNDC) [is analogous to] the New Democrat Coalition (NDC) in the House. Members of both groups are moderate Democrats who advocate a new centrist, progressive approach to governing and who often reach across party lines to get things done.

Established in 1997, the House New Democrat Coalition (NDC) grew to 64 members between 1998 and 2000, making it the largest caucus in the House. With the success of NDN’s top House candidates on Election Day, the NDC has grown to 72 members in the 107th Congress. The Senate New Democrat Coalition (SNDC), established in 2000, is already 20 members.

In announcing the establishment of the SNDC in February 2000, Sen. Landrieu stated, “The American people are tired of the same old proposals and are demanding that we work together in a more creative way on the many problems facing our nation. Too often here in Washington, the loudest voices are the ones on the far left and far right. That is why this group was formed, to give voice to those in the sensible center.” The SNDC has already made its voice heard on critical issues ranging from education to trade to health care and, with the Senate evenly divided, the Senate New Dems are increasingly determining the balance of power.