When did Miller change so much

[jiacinto]

I remember how, 12 years ago, I was really uplifted by his speech at the Democratic Convention in 1992.

What happened?

[w13rd0]

1. I've seen several people...

...pushed "over the edge" following S11. Persons on the fence that just let the greed and bitterness and hatred gnaw them away from the inside out. Some have since returned to reality, others, like Zell, seem to remain mystified by the Bush PR Push. It certainly does make it more difficult to make the argument that these conservative Dems are an assett. It wasn't a long jump for him to make. And they used Zell's image, with his approval, to unseat Max Cleland. This guy hasn't been batting for our team for a while. I don't know if it was money or power or what that bought him out, but he's been bought and paid for...

[DemoTex]

4. Sorry, I have to say it ...

ZIG-ZAG ZELL!

[Beetwasher]

5. I'd Be Willing To Bet it Was Either

Some dollar figure OR an offer of another sort he couldn't refuse...

Although it's possible he was a cleverly placed plant right from the start :shrug: It wouldn't surprise me....

[dolstein]

9. What planet are you living on?

Miller's support for Bush predated 9/11. He was the first Democrat to endorse Bush's tax plan.

Also, I seriously doubt Zell approval of Republican's use of his image in their campaign to unseat Max Cleland. After all, Zell Miller ENDORSED Max Cleland. He campaigned for Max Cleland. He did a television ad for Max Cleland. I can't speak to what Miller was feeling in his heart -- all I can say is that by all outward appearances, Miller was a Max Cleland supporter.

There are plenty of valid reasons for criticizing Miller. Why do you feel the need to suggest, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that Miller opposed Cleland's reelection?

[Flying_Pig]

2. Yeah, and I remember you being one of the people on DU who

consistently defended him, and used to denigrate those who called him the DINO he is. Are you ready to admit the error of your ways, and apologize?

[jiacinto]

3. I won't apologize

His recent behavior crossed the line.

[salin]

10. his behavior in the past two years gave a good clue

as to what was coming down the pike. Worse than the endorsement for Bush (which is bad!) is the whole book thing - dissing the entire party - and thus giving ammunition to southern republicans looking to lure more southern democrats over to the other side.

Actions and words in the Senate have given lots of clues - as to this recent behavior. This is not some conversion that just happened yesterday (or today?) when he uttered the words endorsing Bush.

[jiacinto]

11. IT was coming

But frankly I wonder why he changed.

[salin]

16. Despite the demonstrated drift... I asked the same exact question

earlier today. He is not running for office again, so rule out any opporunistic campaign calculus. I have no idea.

[UTUSN]

6. I Was Willing Not to Condemn a Dem, but FUCK Zell

[edzontar]

7. We are all agreed

Zell can go to .......

[w13rd0]

8. Hey...

...if you want to see a Congressional cockroach scurry, you have only to shine a bright light on Zell Miller's back.

[Tinoire]

12. I can't speak specifically to Zell but he may have company

but IG has been warning people about him for years... I can imagine your disappointment Jiacinto but we are going to have more. I am pasting this here from another Miller thread because Miller is not alone. He has company and we need to be aware of this. You probably know all of this already but it fits in this thread. I hope others add stories about who is endorsing Republicans because if we don't wake up, we are hosed. We've been infiltrated for a while and if you think about it, why not? How else to best destroy your arch nemesis of a party?

Lockyer: I voted for Schwarzenegger

BERKELEY -- Democratic Attorney General Bill Lockyer said Saturday that he voted against the recall of Gov. Gray Davis but crossed party lines on the question of who should replace the incumbent, choosing Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.

<snip>

He represented for me what he did for others: hope, change, reform, opportunity, upbeat problem-solving," Lockyer said of the movie star and governor-elect, his surprise confession sending a jolt through a room of about 150 political consultants, academics and journalists gathered at the University of California, Berkeley, for a post-election analysis.

<snip>

While consistent in his opposition to the recall, Lockyer had taken a swipe at Davis weeks before election day, warning that if the governor ran a campaign of "puke politics" he would consider supporting one of his challengers.

"That sanctimonious posturizing is all well and good, but it was not helpful" to keeping Davis in office, snapped the outgoing governor's strategist, Garry South, during his own remarks Saturday.

<snip>

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/recall/story/7629545p-8570117c.html

and just to show you how slick these people are, here's that reptile in action the day before he voted for Schwarznegger. After you read this check out Lockyer's comment about investigating Schwarznegger.

Attorney General wants Schwarzenegger investigated

October 6, 2003
San Jose / Silicon Valley Business Journal
Timothy Roberts

California Attorney General Bill Lockyer on Sunday in San Jose called on Arnold Schwarzenegger to volunteer to be investigated over the accusations that he harassed 15 women over the last 20 years.

The attorney general, a Democrat, was accompanying a campaign bus tour by Gov. Gray Davis, who is the target of Tuesday's recall election.

<snip>

http://sanjose.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2003/09/29/daily58.html?jst=b_ln_hl

"Jolting Democrat News: Bill Lockyer Voted for Schwarzenegger"

The Democrats may still be in shock from learning on Saturday that their state's attorney general, Bill Lockyer, bolted his party and voted for Arnold Schwarzenegger for governor. Dan Walters, dean of Sacramento political writers, tells the story in his column below, abridged from the Sacramento Bee website.


BERKELEY -- Dozens of political junkies--campaign consultants, pollsters, journalists, academicians and so forth--gathered at the University of California on Saturday for what they expected to be a lively and detailed postmortem on the historic and often bizarre election that dumped Gray Davis from the governorship and selected movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger as his successor. Their expectations were more than met as operatives for the competing factions on the recall and the major candidates to replace Davis--plus a panel of lawyers, reflecting the litigious nature of the event--dissected the eight-month-long, ever-twisting path to the Oct. 7 election.

But, as if to prove that this most unusual campaign still has surprises to offer, what left attendees buzzing afterward was not what the campaign strategists had to say, but Democratic Attorney General Bill Lockyer's startling declaration, during a luncheon speech, that he had voted for Republican Schwarzenegger himself after looking at the "crappy list" of alternatives, including Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante. ((Ok, now I'm NO fan of Bustamante but damn, I'd vote Green before EVER voting Republican if I hated all the Dems!))

<snip>

Later, Lockyer said that the late-blooming allegations that Schwarzenegger had harassed women during his acting career did not alter his decision, characterizing the allegations as undoubtedly true--Schwarzenegger himself partially acknowledged that--and "frat boy behavior." "I gave him the benefit of the doubt," Lockyer told reporters.

<snip>

http://chronwatch.com/content/contentDisplay.asp?aid=4780&catcode=33

And of course, let's not forget Mississippi

Democrats endorse Barbour

Democrats endorse Barbour: Republican Haley Barbour on Wednesday released a list of 42 Democrats he says are supporting him over Democratic Gov. Ronnie Musgrove in the Nov. 4 general election.

Among them are former Lt. Gov. Brad Dye and former Supreme Court Justices Lenore Prather and Jim Roberts.

Roberts lost to Musgrove in the 1999 Democratic primary for governor and to state Sen. Barbara Blackmon in this year's Democratic primary for lieutenant governor.

About 30 of the Democrats backing Barbour stood behind him during a news conference at the state Capitol.

<snip>

"Haley Barbour is the most partisan Mississippi Republican of his generation, and has built a career out of vicious and unprincipled attacks upon Democratic candidates and the Democratic Party, the current campaign being only the most recent example," Cole said. "Many of us still remember his campaign of calculated insults against the legendary John C. Stennis."

<snip>

http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0310/23/m12a.html

[mitchum]

13. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

He's already rich, but he's also a greedy son of a bitch

Fuck Zell

[terrisel]

14. He nearly lost his last term for Governor

It was during the Republican "Revolution" in the nineties. A number of Republicans came into office during that election, including a new Republican head of the State Board of Education. (Thankfully now out of office.

Miller was interviewed on election night and compared the election to a freight train bearing down on him. He then preceeded to get on board the train that nearly derailed his career. Hasn't got off since.

He may have associated his almost losing that election to an attempt he had made to change the Georgia flag.

He does not exhibit leadership in tough situations.

I imagine that he and Bush are expecting that the big spending of our tax dollars on the military will improve the economy in enough time to save their reputations, and Bush's job.

While he campaigned for Max Cleland, he was certainly unable to stop the Republican smear of Max so he either was in agreement with it or has no real power with the White House.

I see him as another Christy Whitman. Something about lying with dogs and getting fleas.........

[chaumont58]

15. He is an enigma to me

Some reports of his book say that he felt that the Democratic Party ignores the South, and that the party's stand on abortion was out of step in the South. I can't see that the Democratic Party's postiion on abortion has changed since 1973.
He also mentioned welfare reform. That got down, perhaps with tragic results for the disadvantaged, by a Democratic President.
I've done a half hearted search on Google to try to get more, but no success. I'm too cheap to buy the book. I don't think the Democratic Party left Miller. I think Miller left the Democratic Party.
One change that has occured in recent years, the Democratic Party is supporting gay rights more. Perhaps, Zell is just as homophobic as former Georgia Senator San Nunn.