MA State Party Chairman Opposes Anti-Abortion Roemer As DNC Chair

[ClarkUSA]

WASHINGTON - The chairman of the Massachusetts Democratic Party said Monday that it would be "extremely foolish" for Democrats to chose someone who opposes abortion rights to lead the party.

Phil Johnston, who heads the Democrats in losing presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry's home state, spoke out amid news of former Rep. Tim Roemer's decision to seek the national party's chairmanship.

"The fact that we lost the 2004 presidential race by a narrow margin should not result in the abandonment of our party's core principles," Johnston said.

Democrats, he said, can only regain the White House by choosing someone who can articulate the values of the party and strengthen its grass-roots organization.

"It would be extremely foolish if the DNC were to be led by a chair who agrees with the Bush administration's position on abortion," Johnston said.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050110/ap_on_re_us/democrats_chairman_1