West LA Progressives’ Weekend Joined by Tom Hayden and Wesley Clark

Reported by Rodger and June Caldwell. Picture of Tom Hayden by June Caldwell.

In keeping with the media’s sudden obsession with the clothes and hair of political figures since Hillary Clinton has thrown her hat in the Presidential race, I must say Tom Hayden looked smashing in his ivory garden party suit. At the Progressive Democrats of America third year anniversary bash on Saturday in Topanga Canyon, he chatted with us about slaughter in Iraq. Likewise, Retired General Wesley Clark went with casually comfortable yet chic in a pastel golf shirt and slacks, his tan showing off his crystal blue eyes as he quietly encouraged the marchers at the weekly Sunday Impeachment rally in front of the Veterans building.

The first weekend in August was a whirlwind for political activists in LA’s Prius populated Westside. On Saturday, the PDA bash had much to celebrate and much more work to do. It was a showcase of original Impeachment T-shirt designs and bumper stickers. The crowd enjoyed the generous buffet of taco fixings and salads that soon disappeared. There was also a genuine hunger for a change in direction for the US and the divisive bullying by the Bush White House and its right wing extremists, lobbyists and corporate ties. The PDA is one of the primary organizations that has been insistent on keeping the Democratic Party true to its progressive base, and calling foul whenever and wherever that is not done.

Along with PDA luminaries present such as Mimi Kennedy and Lila Garrett, speakers included Tom Hayden, world renowned political activist, still going strong since his work helping to end the Viet Nam War. Hayden addressed the group in the lovely setting about some not so lovely truths in Iraq. He shared atrocities from the Iraq War such as the ‘gated communities’ that are actually internment camps for the Sunnis that the US is using to enable the ethnic cleansing being committed against them by other factions in Iraq, and that our government is supporting them with the goal of breaking the will of the people there so thoroughly we can take over permanently. He also outlined a simple and logical exit strategy and emphasized that all US military must leave, not just our recent troops, in order for there to be any real country left there. His new book, ‘Ending the War in Iraq’ is hot off the press just in time to answer Hillary’s now notorious question about a plan to exit Iraq, and was gobbled up by the crowd. Other speakers such as Marcy Winograd, President of the PDA Los Angeles, outlined the incredible successes the PDA’s have achieved in their short 3 years. Pulling the Democratic Party to the left and keeping them real is the charge of this group.

The next day’s weekly noon Impeachment Rally in front of the Veterans Building in West LA was coordinated largely by the new Los Angeles Impeachment Center. After an opening on July 4th weekend to a crowd of 500 people, the vibrant new center is a successful coalition of Progressive Democrats, Green Party affiliates and Libertarians…and has already had a bomb threat from an anonymous phone caller. The crowd was enthusiastic and determined at the rally on Sunday. Cars honked in agreement non-stop for the full hour and a half. Similar rallies were held through out the country. In one small town of a heavily red state, a small group of impeachment supporters were cited for encouraging people to honk in support.

Among the attendees at our West LA rally was Russ Warner, running for Congress in Rancho Cucamonga. I asked him what he thought about Impeachment. He said, ‘history will Impeach Bush’. I respect that he was there offering support where so many in public office shy away from such controversial issues. However, I don’t think we would have been happy to wait for ‘history to Impeach Hitler’ so it didn’t seem to sit well to be so passive now. Retired General Wesley Clark, former Presidential candidate stood with the group for most of the rally. I asked what he thinks of Impeachment. He said he would support the investigation leading to it. I then asked why Congress is not going forward with Impeachment. He explained that people in high public office are pressured heavily in ways that most of us could hardly imagine, to do what the right-wingers want them to do. So, he added “the best hope for our country is you guys, doing what you are doing right here!” Amen.