XPost: ny.politics, alt.culture.ny-upstate, nyc.politics 
 XPost: nyc.general 
 From: billnech@msn.com 
  
 "CypherPunk Nonliberal"  wrote in message 
 news:1cc540cd.0309231638.17ff4227@posting.google.com... 
 > Because he KNOWS he CAN'T WIN!! People despise this Anti-American 
 socialist 
 > piece of garbage. 
 > 
 > WASHINGTON - Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle on Tuesday announced he 
 > would not seek his party's presidential nomination in 2004. 
 > "I've concluded that at this moment in our history, with so many important 
 > decisions to be made about our nation's future, my passion lies here in 
 the 
 > Senate serving the people of South Dakota, and fighting for working 
 families 
 > all across America," he said in a statement. 
 > 
 > The decision came as a surprise to top staff, who had been working to set 
 up 
 > a Saturday news conference in South Dakota where Daschle was expected to 
 say 
 > he intended to run for the Democrats' presidential nomination. The news 
 > conference was to be the launch of a stump tour of the key primary states 
 of 
 > New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina. 
 > 
 > Daschle's statement acknowledged that he "came very close to deciding in 
 > favor of running." 
 > 
 > Although by virtue of his position as the top Democrat in the Senate, 
 > Daschle might have been a formidable candidate, his failure to protect the 
 > Democrat plurality in the Senate during last year's midterm elections did 
 > not endear him as a national candidate to many in the Democrat base, said 
 > several key Democrat staff members. 
 > 
 > In addition, his constant carping at a popular president did not endear 
 him 
 > to independents and Republicans. 
 > 
 > In his statement, Daschle did not miss a chance yet again to attack 
 > President Bush's performance in managing the economy. 
 > 
 > "The United States Senate has an opportunity to shape the nation's 
 > priorities, not just over the next two years, but for a generation or 
 more," 
 > Daschle said. "This afternoon, President Bush is proposing an economic 
 plan 
 > that not only continues a failed economic policy that is wrong for the 
 > country now, but weakens our ability to meet America's great national 
 > challenges for years to come." 
 > 
 > Daschle decided not to join a race that was already top heavy with Senate 
 > Democrats, including John Kerry of Massachusetts, John Edwards of North 
 > Carolina, and likely Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. Sen. Chris Dodd of 
 > Connecticut, Bob Graham of Florida and Joe Biden of Delaware considering 
 > joining the fray. 
 > 
 > Former House Minority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo., has formed an 
 exploratory 
 > committee for a likely run. Outside Congress, Vermont Gov. Howard Dean and 
 > activist Al Sharpton have announced their intention to run for the 
 > nomination. 
 > 
 > Copyright 2003 by United Press International. 
  
 This is obviously an extremely old story, since it's not up to date on the 
 Democratic contenders.  Plus, Bush is no longer extremely popular. 
  
 For the record though, I announce today that I will not seek any party's 
 nomination for President, if selected I will not run and if elected I shall 
 not serve. 
  
 --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05 
  * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)