July 1, 2004 Arcata, CA

David Cobb still answers his own phone, but that could change as the media madness intensifies this campaign season. Cobb was chosen over Ralph Nader last week at the Green Party convention in Milwaukee, WI. He is now a national celebrity, using the word "maelstrom" to characterize the commercial media's impact on his life. He says being a national figure makes it hard to find time to think. Fortunately, he has done a lot of thinking in anticipation of his new role as candidate for President of the United States of America.

According to his web site (www.votecobb.org), Cobb served as the General Counsel for the Green Party of the United States (www.gp.org) until declaring his candidacy and was the Green Party of Texas (GPTX) candidate for Attorney General in 2002. He is running with Patricia LaMarche, a single mother and radio personality in Maine. When I caught up with him at his home in Arcata, he was spending a lot of time on the phone, and his stomach was growling, having not taken time to eat for a while; so much for down time.



According to Cobb, the Green Party has the aim of "growing the movement for peace, racial and social justice, ecology and actual democracy."

Third Party Role

Many progressive people still look askance at third parties. In addition to their role in raising issues that are ignored by the two corporate parties, Cobb had a few words to say.

"Systemic change in this country has always required two things:  A broad and deep social movement and a political party willing to advocate for that movement at the ballot box.  The entire fabric of what we today would consider a just and compassionate society was literally woven together by third parties before us."  He lists a few things championed by third parties: "Abolition of slavery, workers compensation laws, pure food and drug laws, direct election of the U.S. Senate, and the forty-hour work week."

Cobb went on to say, "Today the Green Party is the only political party calling for an end to war as foreign policy, dismanteling the corporate military industrial complex (that Republican General Dwight Eisenhower warned about), universal health care, living wage, abolishing corporate personhood, and schools instead of prison."

CNN Interview: Greens are Different than Democrats

On June 29, 2004, David Cobb was interviewed by Judy Woodruff of CNN's "Inside Politics."

SEE Full Interview

"[T]he truth of the matter is, that John Kerry voted for the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. John Kerry voted for the USA PATRIOT Act. John Kerry voted for NAFTA. John Kerry opposes single payer universal health care. John Kerry opposes raising the minimum wage to a living wage. I'm going to be willing to criticize John Kerry on taking positions that progressives cannot support, and that progressives would like to see enacted. That's the reason so many more progressives at the grassroots level are actually joining the Green Party."

"At the same time, I'm going to acknowledge the truth of the matter that as bad as John Kerry is on all these issues, George W. Bush is qualitatively worse. The difference between John Kerry and George W. Bush may be incremental, but it is not inconsequential. I trust the voters to hear the truth, and make up their own minds." He advised me to watch the polls in Maryland, a state that is typically considered safe for the Democrats.

Woodruff closed the interview by saying, "We hear you and we thank you for joining us."

Now What?

Cobb is a genuine grassroots activist with a history of organizing.  He won the Green Party nomination by traveling to forty one states over the last six months.  He has the physical and mental stamina, but it also takes resources to advance a third party campaign. "We need raise enough money to keep the campaign going." As he heads off to Portland, OR, he is aware that he needs to raise a minimum amount by the end of July to ensure the campaign's viability.

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The Lighter Side

The "maelstrom" of media attention gives way to a little down time, that is if you don't count Baltimore Indymedia attention. David visits with his cat Sebastian in the sun room before getting back to work on the 2004 presidential campaign.