Home > Programs
> Democracy
Now! > Fri., July 7, 2006
Democracy Now!
ATTN: ALL STATIONS
From: Democracy Now!
Re: Rundown 7-7-06
PRSS Channel: A67.7
Calderon Declared Victor in Disputed Mexico Race; Lopez Obrador
Calls for Mass Rally
New York, Georgia Courts Reject Gay Marriage
Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism
Army Charges Lieutenant With Contempt and Conduct Unbecoming
an Officer for Refusing Iraq Deployment and Criticizing Bush,
War
Calderon Declared Victor in Disputed Mexico Race;
Lopez Obrador Calls for Mass Rally
Mexico's electoral commission has announced that conservative
candidate Felipe Calderon has won the presidential election
with a razor-thin victory. His populist rival, Andres Manuel
Lopez Obrador says he will challenge the result in the courts.
We go to Mexico City for a report. [includes rush
transcript]
Mexico's electoral commission has announced that conservative
candidate Felipe Calderon has won the presidential election
with a razor-thin victory. His populist rival, Andres Manuel
Lopez Obrador says he will challenge the result in the courts
and is urging his supporters to attend a large rally on Saturday
in Mexico City.
But Calderon said he will take office as president and vowed
to work for all Mexicans.
- Felipe Calderon: "Friends, Mexicans, the contest
is behind us. Now is the hour for unity and agreements between
Mexicans has arrived. I urge you towards that end, to work
for Mexico, to work with passion and valor for the Mexico
that our children deserve. Viva Mexico! Viva Mexico!"
The final results of the race came after electoral officials
recounted ballot tallies from Sunday's vote. The recount showed
that Calderon won the presidency by the closest margin in
Mexico's history - around two-hundred-twenty-thousand votes
of forty-one million cast - that comes to just over half a
percentage point.
Preliminary results after Sunday's election had given a slight
lead to Calderon but Lopez Obrador refused to concede citing
electoral fraud and demanded a recount. Lopez Obrador then
took the lead as the verification process started, only for
Calderon to pull slightly ahead as the very last results came
in. Lopez Obrador is now repeating his demand for ballot-by-ballot
recount of the vote.
- Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador: "We are going to the
Federal Electoral Tribunal with the same demand - for the
votes to be counted because we can not accept those results.
We cannot recognize or accept those results. There are many
irregularities."
Once the Federal Electoral Institute announces the official
result, candidates have four days to lodge a legal complaint
with the electoral court. The Federal Electoral Tribunal then
has until early September to certify the winner.
- Laura Carlsen, director of the Americas Program at the
International Relations
Center. She has lived in Mexico many years and has published
numerous articles on social and political issues in the
country.
New York, Georgia Courts Reject Gay Marriage
The highest courts in two states delivered rulings within
hours of each other Thursday that set back efforts of gay
and lesbian couples to win marriage rights. The New York Court
of Appeals rejected same-sex couples' bid to marry and the
top court in Georgia upheld a Constitutional amendment banning
gay marriage in the state. [includes rush
transcript]
Yesterday, the highest courts in two states delivered rulings
within hours of each other that set back efforts of gay and
lesbian couples to win marriage rights. The New York Court
of Appeals rejected same-sex couples" bid to marry and
the top court in Georgia upheld a Constitutional amendment
banning gay marriage in the state.
The New York court ruled 4-2 that the state's definition
of marriage as a union between a man and a woman was constitutional
and that it was up to the State Legislature, not the courts,
to decide whether it should be changed.
One of the two dissenters was the Chief Judge of the Court,
Judith Kaye. In her dissent she wrote that barring gay marriage
is akin to laws that once prohibited interracial marriage.
She went on to write that, "This state has a proud tradition
of affording equal rights to all New Yorkers. Sadly the court
today retreats from that proud tradition. I am confident that
future generations will look back on today's decision as an
unfortunate misstep."
A rally protesting the court's decision was held in the West
Village in New York City last night. Crowds gathered at Stonewall
where gay and transgendered bar patrons resisted a 1969 police
raid that is widely considered the beginning of the modern
gay rights movement.
Reverend Pat Bumgardner of the New York Metropolitan Community
Church was one of those who addressed the rally.
For more on the rulings we speak with an attorney involved
in the case:
- Alphonso David, staff attorney at the National Headquarters
of Lambda Legal
which was one the main organizations involved in the gay
marriage case.
Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism
In her book, "Kingdom Coming: The Rise of Christian
Nationalism," author Michelle Goldberg examines how gay
marriage has become "the mobilizing passion for much
of the religious right." The book also charts how Christian
fundamentalism is supported by Republican patronage and how
under the Bush administration, it is increasingly shaping
many aspects of public policy. [includes rush
transcript]
We take a look at some of the larger forces that are leading
the effort to ban gay marriage. In her book, "Kingdom
Coming: The Rise of Christian Nationalism," author Michelle
Goldberg examines how gay marriage has become "the mobilizing
passion for much of the religious right." Goldberg documents
how the religious right has not only tried to stop gays and
lesbians from achieving marriage rights but have attempted
to strip gay people of a host of legal protections- including
the right to share health insurance, adopt children and become
foster parents.
"Kingdom Coming" also charts how Christian fundamentalism
is supported by Republican patronage and how under the Bush
administration, it is increasingly shaping many aspects of
public policy.
- Michelle Goldberg, senior writer for Salon.com.
She is author of new book "Kingdom Coming: The Rise
of Christian Nationalism."
Army Charges Lieutenant With Contempt and Conduct
Unbecoming an Officer for Refusing Iraq Deployment and Criticizing
Bush, War
The Army has filed three charges against 1st Lieutenant
Ehren Watada who refused to deploy to Iraq last month because
he believes the war there is illegal. The charges against
him include conduct unbecoming an officer, missing movement
and contempt toward officials. He faces up to seven years
in prison if convicted. [includes rush
transcript]
The Army has filed three charges against a lieutenant who
refused to deploy to Iraq last month because he believes the
war there is illegal. 1st Lieutenant Ehren Watada is the first
commissioned officer to refuse deployment to Iraq. The charges
against him include conduct unbecoming an officer, missing
movement and contempt toward officials. He faces up to seven
years in prison and a dishonorable discharge if convicted.
The contempt and conduct charges are based on public comments
he made last month criticizing President Bush and the war.
After military officials told Watada he was barred from speaking
publicly about the case, he issued this video recording on
June 7th explaining why he is refusing to fight.
- 1st Lieutenant Ehren Watada, video statement. Courtesy
of Ron Smith.
For more on the latest in 1st Lt. Watada's case, we go to
Hawaii to speak with his attorney.
- Eric Seitz, attorney for Army 1st Lieutenant Ehren Watada.
He has been working on military cases for many years. He
joins us on the line from his home in Hawaii.
For a copy of today’s program, call 1 (800) 881 2359.
Our website is www.democracynow.org.
Our email address is mail@democracynow.org.
Democracy Now! is produced by Mike Burke, Sharif Abdel Kouddous,
Ana Nogueira, Elizabeth Press, Jeremy Scahill and Parvez Sharma.
Mike Di Filippo is our engineer.
Thanks also to Uri Galed, Angela Alston, Orlando Richards,
Simba Russeau, Johnny Sender, Rich Kim, Joe Murgio, John Randolph,
Chris Zucker, Karen Ranucci, Denis Moynihan, Eric Rweyemamu,
Jenny Filipazzo and Isis Phillips.
|
Listen
to the show
Help
whole
show
