Vol. 72/No. 36      September 15, 2008

Kennedy filed 2,450 signatures August 28 with the Minnesota Secretary of State to gain ballot status.

During her campaign stop Kennedy was interviewed by KFAI radio station reporter Todd Melby, who asked what her campaign was doing differently. Kennedy pointed to her recent trip to New Orleans where “much of the working class areas haven’t been rebuilt. They still look like the aftermath of the hurricane while downtown New Orleans has been totally rebuilt,” she stated. Calero and I, she added, “would implement a public works program putting millions to work at union-scale wages and build safe levees and bridges that do not collapse.”

A high point of the tour was meeting workers outside the Dakota Premium Foods plant in South St. Paul. Over the course of last year, workers there won a new contract after defeating a company effort to get rid of the union.

Kennedy talked to workers about the immigration raid in Mississippi, which many of them had not heard about. One worker, who said that workers have to keep fighting these raids and attacks, commented, “Let’s see if Obama gets us something.” Kennedy explained that Obama and McCain have similar positions on immigration.

Kennedy discussed with workers what was going on in the plant now. She shared some of her experiences in the struggle by coal miners, who were fighting for a union at the Co-Op mine in Utah where she had worked at the time. In that battle, led by Mexican immigrant miners, the fight for legalization was a central issue.

Several workers from the plant attended a campaign forum and social event so they could continue these discussions.

Kennedy’s tour coincided with the opening of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. On September 1 more than 10,000 demonstrated under the slogans of “U.S. Out of Iraq Now, Money for human needs not war, Demand peace, justice and equality,” and “Say no to the Republican agenda.” It was the first of several days of protest activities. Hundreds of campaign flyers were distributed and more than 100 single copies and 11 new subscriptions to the Militant sold. Many demonstrators, including youth and others sporting Obama buttons, appreciated Kennedy’s explanation of how Obama and McCain are supporters of Washington’s wars, including in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

One woman at the protest was from Louisville, Kentucky, where Kennedy herself had been involved in a successful fight to desegregate the schools in the 1970s. She told Kennedy that rulings to desegregate the schools have been overturned and today “the schools are segregated and terrible.” Kennedy said that schools are getting more segregated by race and class and pointed to New Orleans “where there are only five public schools in the city that are open.”

Nathan Sherer, a community college student, came to get his photo taken with the socialist candidate. He said he’s for Kennedy’s campaign so that “the rich don’t keep getting richer and the poor getting poorer.”

Kennedy spoke with Gerry Mischke, a graphic artist, about the need for workers to have their own political party. He told Kennedy of his experiences at a local newspaper. In response to changed work hours, workers in the department where he was employed organized and won a union. After a year of negotiations the company closed the department and outsourced their jobs.

Kennedy was interviewed by Fox News, the Minneapolis Star Tribune, the UK-based Guardian newspaper, and reporters from Chinese and Hungarian news agencies.

“Why are you running in the election?” asked the reporter from Fox News. Kennedy, said, “I am running in this election because I am a worker and I do not think that the Democratic and Republican parties represent the working class.”

“We are the only presidential candidates in this election who call for the immediate withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and any other country where there are U.S. troops.”

“Immediate withdrawal?” asked the reporter.

“Yes, immediate withdrawal,” replied Kennedy. “These wars are fought to protect the right of the U.S. rulers to exploit and plunder the world. McCain and Obama are for the escalation of the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan. These wars are not in the interests of workers in these countries or in the United States.”

“Calero and I are also for the immediate legalization of all undocumented workers with no conditions,” Kennedy added. “We oppose the brutal ICE raid that just took place in Mississippi.”
 
 
Related articles:
McCain, Obama contend for commander in chief
In Denver, Calero says legalizing immigrants is life-or-death question
SWP senate candidate demands: Stop the raids!  
 
 
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