Green Party candidate named: A conversation with David Cobb
by James Tressler
The Eureka Times-Standard
Four years ago, George W. Bush defeated Al Gore in one of the closest and most controversial elections in the nation's history. Gore supporters blamed the loss in part on Green candidate Ralph Nader. This year, Greens are in transition -- Nader's running as an independent candidate. Picking up the Green torch is David Cobb, a Texas transplant who makes his home in Eureka. He lives with partner Kaitlin Sopoci-Belkap, who's active with Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt.
Cobb, 41, is well known in the party's national circles. He played a significant role in establishing Green parties across the country, including Texas' official Green Party -- quite an accomplishment considering the Lone Star State is Bush Country. In 2000 he worked on Nader's presidential campaign.
Cobb has now been named the Green presidential nominee. His running mate is Patricia LaMarche, a talk radio station host and former Green Independent Party candidate for governor of Maine in 1998.
Times-Standard political reporter James Tressler went to Cobb's home for a discussion on his campaign, where he sees his party -- and the country -- going in November and beyond. Below are excerpts from the conversation.
T-S: There's been division among Greens this year over whether they should support a Green Party candidate or throw their efforts into helping Democratic candidate John Kerry beat Bush. What's your take on what should happen?
Cobb: There is disagreement among Greens -- some strong disagreement about tactics -- (but) it's important to acknowledge our commitment to building the Green Party as the electoral arm for the growing movement for peace, racial and social justice, democracy, ecology remains unabated. ... Some Greens say don't run a presidential candidate at all, other Greens say run a Green without considering the impact it has on Kerry and Bush. Still others have supported Nader's independent campaign.
I've tried to articulate a campaign strategy and goals that say we want to continue building the Green Party, elect more Greens to office, register more Greens and we want to culminate with Bush out of the White House. I think that's the reason that I earned the GP's presidential nomination.
T-S: Are you afraid of taking votes away from Kerry?
Cobb: Well, I don't take votes away from Kerry because the individual voters have their own vote. They'll decide what to do with their vote. Kerry doesn't own votes, Cobb doesn't own votes. Neither does Bush or Nader. Each individual voter will decide what to do.
I am telling you the truth: John Kerry is not progressive. He is a corporatist who voted for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He voted for No Child Left Behind. He voted for the Patriot Act. He voted for NAFTA; He opposes raising the minimum wage to a living wage. He opposes single payer universal health care. That is the truth.
... I'm urging voters in California to remember that a vote for Kerry cannot un-elect Bush. The Electoral College is so obviously a win for Kerry in California. But all a progressive will do in California by voting for Kerry is express support for the nonprogressive agenda of John Kerry. California progressives -- don't waste your vote by voting for Kerry: It's a foregone conclusion. Invest your vote in the future, invest your vote in the Green Party.
T-S: Ralph Nader is well known to the American public, whereas David Cobb may not be. Who is David Cobb?
Cobb: I am an ordinary person trying to do something extraordinary. That's what Greens are doing. I am also a working-class person who worked hard and is living the American Dream. I am the only honestly working-class person running for president in this election cycle. And I think that matters.
T-S: This election could be one of the most important in the last 30 to 40 years. What's your assessment of the significance of the election in terms of where America's going?
Cobb: Elections are always important. The direction that Kerry and Bush are wanting to take the country is basically the same place, but the speed at which they're going is quantitatively different. The Greens and the Cobb campaign are running a campaign to ensure there is a broadening and deepening of the growing movement that will oppose the corporate nature of the policies that both Kerry and Bush are articulating. The Cobb-LaMarche Green Party campaign will not be over in November. We will continue to be the genuine opposition party in this country. This campaign will seamlessly segue into the progressive movement that will, that must, be taking place regardless of whether Kerry or Bush wins the election.
T-S: What's your assessment of the war in Iraq and what's your plan for the U.S. role in the future?
Cobb: The Green Party in this country was active in anti-war efforts. We continue to oppose the illegitimate, unconstitutional and immoral occupation of Iraq and call for bringing the troops home. Support the troops by bringing them home as quickly and safely as possible -- not only for the troops but also for the safety of the people of Iraq.
The role the U.S. should play at this point is to assist with rebuilding -- and not with corporate "fat cat" contracts to Halliburton and Bechtel. This war was another example of the corporate empire that has been funded by American tax dollars and paid for by the blood of American servicemen and women and the blood of innocent people abroad. The Green Party says we need a foreign policy that will end corporate wars.
T-S: What do you see as the key domestic issues?
Cobb: We're calling for universal health care, publicly funded elections, raising the minimum wage to a living wage, building schools instead of prisons and challenging the illegitimate doctrine of corporate personhood, where corporations claim constitutional rights, which they then use to overturn democratically enacted laws at the local state and even federal level.
T-S: Humboldt County is not your usual source of presidential candidates. How do you see your candidacy affecting Humboldt County?
Cobb: It's important to acknowledge the role Greens are playing in the anti-GMO initiative under way, the role they played in the anti-corporate personhood resolution in Arcata, as well as the role Greens had in anti-Patriot Act ordinances getting passed, as well as their role in stopping the LNG (liquefied natural gas) plant and the attempted recall of the district attorney. Everyone knows that recall was another example of big corporate money trying to dictate and overturn the outcome of a democratic election. Greens have been actively engaged at the local level and will continue to be actively engaged at the local level.
T-S: Do you find it ironic you're a Texan running in the Green Party against Bush?
Cobb: I actually think I'm a much more typical Texan than George Bush. George Bush is a big rich fat cat, and I actually come from working-class Texas roots. George Bush has been underwritten in all his endeavors either by his daddy's money or ... we're not sure where all George Bush's money initially came from. I actually pulled myself up by my bootstraps.
T-S: What's your prediction for November?
Cobb: The Green Party is going to grow larger, stronger and better organized than we ever have been and we're going to segue immediately into being the electoral arm for the progressive movement that's going to challenge whoever is in the White House to adopt policies that reflect a progressive agenda.
by James Tressler
The Eureka Times-Standard
Four years ago, George W. Bush defeated Al Gore in one of the closest and most controversial elections in the nation's history. Gore supporters blamed the loss in part on Green candidate Ralph Nader. This year, Greens are in transition -- Nader's running as an independent candidate. Picking up the Green torch is David Cobb, a Texas transplant who makes his home in Eureka. He lives with partner Kaitlin Sopoci-Belkap, who's active with Democracy Unlimited of Humboldt.
Cobb, 41, is well known in the party's national circles. He played a significant role in establishing Green parties across the country, including Texas' official Green Party -- quite an accomplishment considering the Lone Star State is Bush Country. In 2000 he worked on Nader's presidential campaign.
Cobb has now been named the Green presidential nominee. His running mate is Patricia LaMarche, a talk radio station host and former Green Independent Party candidate for governor of Maine in 1998.
Times-Standard political reporter James Tressler went to Cobb's home for a discussion on his campaign, where he sees his party -- and the country -- going in November and beyond. Below are excerpts from the conversation.
T-S: There's been division among Greens this year over whether they should support a Green Party candidate or throw their efforts into helping Democratic candidate John Kerry beat Bush. What's your take on what should happen?
Cobb: There is disagreement among Greens -- some strong disagreement about tactics -- (but) it's important to acknowledge our commitment to building the Green Party as the electoral arm for the growing movement for peace, racial and social justice, democracy, ecology remains unabated. ... Some Greens say don't run a presidential candidate at all, other Greens say run a Green without considering the impact it has on Kerry and Bush. Still others have supported Nader's independent campaign.
I've tried to articulate a campaign strategy and goals that say we want to continue building the Green Party, elect more Greens to office, register more Greens and we want to culminate with Bush out of the White House. I think that's the reason that I earned the GP's presidential nomination.
T-S: Are you afraid of taking votes away from Kerry?
Cobb: Well, I don't take votes away from Kerry because the individual voters have their own vote. They'll decide what to do with their vote. Kerry doesn't own votes, Cobb doesn't own votes. Neither does Bush or Nader. Each individual voter will decide what to do.
I am telling you the truth: John Kerry is not progressive. He is a corporatist who voted for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He voted for No Child Left Behind. He voted for the Patriot Act. He voted for NAFTA; He opposes raising the minimum wage to a living wage. He opposes single payer universal health care. That is the truth.
... I'm urging voters in California to remember that a vote for Kerry cannot un-elect Bush. The Electoral College is so obviously a win for Kerry in California. But all a progressive will do in California by voting for Kerry is express support for the nonprogressive agenda of John Kerry. California progressives -- don't waste your vote by voting for Kerry: It's a foregone conclusion. Invest your vote in the future, invest your vote in the Green Party.
T-S: Ralph Nader is well known to the American public, whereas David Cobb may not be. Who is David Cobb?
Cobb: I am an ordinary person trying to do something extraordinary. That's what Greens are doing. I am also a working-class person who worked hard and is living the American Dream. I am the only honestly working-class person running for president in this election cycle. And I think that matters.
T-S: This election could be one of the most important in the last 30 to 40 years. What's your assessment of the significance of the election in terms of where America's going?
Cobb: Elections are always important. The direction that Kerry and Bush are wanting to take the country is basically the same place, but the speed at which they're going is quantitatively different. The Greens and the Cobb campaign are running a campaign to ensure there is a broadening and deepening of the growing movement that will oppose the corporate nature of the policies that both Kerry and Bush are articulating. The Cobb-LaMarche Green Party campaign will not be over in November. We will continue to be the genuine opposition party in this country. This campaign will seamlessly segue into the progressive movement that will, that must, be taking place regardless of whether Kerry or Bush wins the election.
T-S: What's your assessment of the war in Iraq and what's your plan for the U.S. role in the future?
Cobb: The Green Party in this country was active in anti-war efforts. We continue to oppose the illegitimate, unconstitutional and immoral occupation of Iraq and call for bringing the troops home. Support the troops by bringing them home as quickly and safely as possible -- not only for the troops but also for the safety of the people of Iraq.
The role the U.S. should play at this point is to assist with rebuilding -- and not with corporate "fat cat" contracts to Halliburton and Bechtel. This war was another example of the corporate empire that has been funded by American tax dollars and paid for by the blood of American servicemen and women and the blood of innocent people abroad. The Green Party says we need a foreign policy that will end corporate wars.
T-S: What do you see as the key domestic issues?
Cobb: We're calling for universal health care, publicly funded elections, raising the minimum wage to a living wage, building schools instead of prisons and challenging the illegitimate doctrine of corporate personhood, where corporations claim constitutional rights, which they then use to overturn democratically enacted laws at the local state and even federal level.
T-S: Humboldt County is not your usual source of presidential candidates. How do you see your candidacy affecting Humboldt County?
Cobb: It's important to acknowledge the role Greens are playing in the anti-GMO initiative under way, the role they played in the anti-corporate personhood resolution in Arcata, as well as the role Greens had in anti-Patriot Act ordinances getting passed, as well as their role in stopping the LNG (liquefied natural gas) plant and the attempted recall of the district attorney. Everyone knows that recall was another example of big corporate money trying to dictate and overturn the outcome of a democratic election. Greens have been actively engaged at the local level and will continue to be actively engaged at the local level.
T-S: Do you find it ironic you're a Texan running in the Green Party against Bush?
Cobb: I actually think I'm a much more typical Texan than George Bush. George Bush is a big rich fat cat, and I actually come from working-class Texas roots. George Bush has been underwritten in all his endeavors either by his daddy's money or ... we're not sure where all George Bush's money initially came from. I actually pulled myself up by my bootstraps.
T-S: What's your prediction for November?
Cobb: The Green Party is going to grow larger, stronger and better organized than we ever have been and we're going to segue immediately into being the electoral arm for the progressive movement that's going to challenge whoever is in the White House to adopt policies that reflect a progressive agenda.
