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Democratic Delegates Differ with Kerry on Iraq
Wed Jul 28, 2004 05:05 PM ET
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The nonbinding party platform, largely written by the Kerry campaign, avoids
the question, stating only "People of good will can disagree about whether
America should have gone to war in Iraq."

The delegates' role is largely ceremonial at the convention and their
opposition to the Iraq war is therefore unlikely to cause Kerry problems. Yet
they also represent the grass-roots base of the party.

A contentious issue among the delegates is what to do next in Iraq. Some agree
with Kerry that American troops must stay in place to ensure stability, but
others insist on an immediate withdrawal.

"We should bring our troops home today, not next month, not next year," said
Sam Burns, a New York delegate.

However, the anti-war delegates were heartened by Kerry's vote earlier this
year against Bush's plan for funding the war, and his insistence on
international cooperation has convinced them he is really on their side.

"We have an opportunity to educate Kerry on this issue, and I think he'll
listen," said Seema Shah, a Minnesota delegate.

But these disagreements have not dampened the delegates' enthusiasm to beat
Bush, and the convention has been remarkably free of the internal squabbling
that usually characterizes Democratic conventions, said Stephen Hess, a
presidential scholar at the Brookings Institution.

Kerry does not want to leave room to be attacked by Republicans as soft on
national security, Hess said, and party activists will quietly suffer Kerry's
hawkish rhetoric.

"(Delegates) are giving Kerry a pass on this issue," he said. "They want to
beat Bush, so these fights are easily papered over."

© Reuters 2004. All Rights Reserved.