Democrats Abroad NZ Post-Election

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Local Democrats Looking Beyond Election Results WELLINGTON, 4 November 2004—The people of the United States have spoken. The re-election of George W. Bush last night in such dramatic circumstances reflects the deep divisions that remain in the American electorate and between the United States and its friends and allies abroad.

“In conceding the election result, Senator Kerry sought assurances from the president that he recognizes and will respond to the need to bring the nation together,” said Mark Chubb, New Zealand country committee chair of Democrats Abroad.

The conciliatory tone of Senator Kerry’s concession speech reflected a genuine personal commitment to a cooperative approach to the problems confronting the nation and the world.

“Americans living in New Zealand and elsewhere outside the country know how important this election was to citizens of other nations. Democrats living here hope President Bush responds more effectively to their concerns now that he has four more years to repair our relationships with once staunch friends and allies.”

Like his party’s candidate, Mr Chubb called his counterpart at Republicans Abroad, Professor Bill Bailey, to congratulate him on the result and pledge his cooperation to help keep the thousands of American New Zealanders who rejoined the political process in this election remain actively involved in the years to come.

“Consular officials have estimated that as many as 10,000 New Zealand resident Americans voted in htis election. We both recognize that participation is the key to maintaining an effective and accountable democracy. We’ll work together in future to see that American citizens exercise their right to choose the country’s leader.”

As Democratic Party officials back in the United States consider what they could have done differently, Mr Chubb, says he and his fellow Democrats here will do the same.

“We believe in what John Kerry stood for, and know that a significant majority of New Zealanders do too. We’ll do our best to see that these values are clarified and communicated to our fellow citizens back home in hopes that we can influence the American political agenda in a way that helps restore confidence and respect in the the United States among the community of nations.”

ENDS

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Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

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