Liberal groups, financier unite to defeat Bush
Thomas B. Edsall, Washington Post
Friday, August 8, 2003
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Washington -- Labor, environmental and women's organizations, with strong backing from international financier George Soros, have joined forces behind a new political group that plans to spend an unprecedented $75 million to mobilize voters to defeat President Bush in 2004.
The organization, Americans Coming Together (ACT), will conduct "a massive get-out-the-vote operation that we think will defeat George W. Bush in 2004," Ellen Malcolm, president of EMILY's List, said Thursday. Malcolm will become ACT's president.
ACT already has commitments for more than $30 million, Malcolm and others said, including $10 million from Soros, $12 million from six other philanthropists and about $8 million from unions, including the Service Employees International Union.
The formation of ACT reflects growing fears in liberal and Democratic circles that with Republicans likely to retain control of the House and Senate,
a second Bush term could mean passage of legislation, adoption of regulations and the appointment of judges that together could devastate left-supported policies and institutions.
Other groups joining the fight against Bush include the American Majority Institute, which was put together by John Podesta, a former top aide to President Bill Clinton. The institute will function as a liberal counter to conservative think tanks such as the Heritage Foundation.
A network of liberal groups has formed America Votes to coordinate the political activities of civil rights, environmental and abortion rights groups,
among others; and former Clinton aide Harold Ickes is trying to set up a pro- Democratic group to finance 2004 campaign television ads.
Another factor behind the surge of political activity is the fear that the prohibition on "soft money" will leave the Democratic National Committee without adequate funds to pay for state and federal "coordinated campaign" activities, which are voter mobilization efforts eight weeks before the election.
In the past, the DNC paid for much of the costs using large "soft money" contributions from unions, corporations and the wealthy.
Republicans sent a warning shot across ACT's bow. "We are going to be watching very closely to make sure they adhere to their claim that they will not be coordinating with the Democratic Party," said Republican National Committee spokeswoman Christine Iverson.
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