[GNC] New York Times

[Scott Laugenour]

I looked at the online version of the New York Times yesterday to see what coverage, if any, there was on the Green Party Convention in Chicago.  I used the site's search function - typing GREEN PARTY.  The NY Times published an article yesterday about progressives who have been disenchanted with Obama.  The article falsely stated that the Green Party's nominee is Ralph Nader!

I sent a note directly to the writer, William Yardley, on the link provided.  I also drafted the following letter to the Editor:

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To the editor of the NY Times:

William Yardley erroneous states that Ralph Nader is the Green Party presidential candidate this year.  This error of fact appeared in your July 13 article about the disenchanted progressives who are turning away from Obama following his "move to the center."

One day prior to the publication of this story (July 12), in Chicago at the Green Party national convention, Cynthia McKinney was voted enthusiastically as the Green Party presidential candidate.  Ralph Nader was not on the convention ballot.  It has been several months since he publicly stated that he was not seeking the Green Party nomination.
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In the next few days I'll draft a press release to my local paper with notes from the GPUS press release about the convention.  I hope it's OK to continue to use the list serve for post-convention organizing.  (Let me know if there's another means/format that may be better.)

A meeting of 7 of us in Chicago (4 on site and 3 on the phone) voted me to be the spokesperson for the delegation on the convention floor on Saturday.  Thank you for giving me that opportunity.  This was my first convention.  I return home with a great experience, a lot of learning, and a lot of enthusiasm for the ticket and for the direction of the national party.

I look forward to working with you through the year to promote the national candidacy and to build local registrations and candidacies.  To me, the two are critically related.  Some of us didn't have a lot of time to get together in Chicago, not to mention getting together before Chicago.  I hope we can remedy that in these critical post-convention months.  I'll be tabling for the Green-Rainbow Party and for Cynthia McKinney in Pittsfield this Thursday evening on the 400 block of North Street from 5-8 pm.  Stop by if you can.

Scott