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Q&A: "The U.S. Election Is Going to Be Won at the Margins"

Interview with David Bonior, veteran Congressman and workers' advocate

DETROIT, Sep 2 2008 (IPS) - Michigan is a key state either presidential nominee needs to win the White House on Nov. 4. Unlike Democratic nominee Barack Obama, John McCain has carried Michigan before when he ran against President George Bush.

But with an increased Democratic presence in Oakland County, a Republican stronghold and one of the richest counties in the nation, some believe Obama could take the Wolverine state. Most recent polls here show Obama leading McCain by a few points.

In a sign of how important Michigan is to both nominees, Obama and his running mate Joe Biden campaigned in Michigan on Sep. 1, to mark Labour Day, while John McCain is also scheduled to be in the state this week.

David Bonior, chairman of American Rights at Work, a national pro-union advocacy group, believes Obama will carry Michigan and win the White House. Once known as the Democratic pit bull inside the Beltway, the former Michigan Congressman, who worked under five U.S. presidents and served in the House of Representatives from 1977 to 2003, has distinguished himself as a national voice on labour and protecting the environment.

A leading critic of the North American Free Trade Agreement, Bonior is widely respected for his honest approach when it comes to public service.

Today, he is credited with the downfall of the once powerful Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Bonior was the Democrat's No. 2 man in the House when he waged an effective battle against Gingrich for a myriad of ethical and moral lapses, forcing Gingrich to cave in to the House ethics panel investigation of contributions made to his political-action committee.

A key supporter of Obama, Bonior told IPS correspondent Bankole Thompson at the Democratic National Convention Aug. 28 that the stakes in this election are high and that his candidate will win Michigan.

Excerpts from the interview follow.

IPS: Why are you supporting Barack Obama?

David Bonior: I believe in his message of change to bring universal health care, fight poverty, end this war, to deal with the whole question of global warming. He's been consistent and out front, he wants to change the way business is done in Washington. And I think that's what we need in this country, a big structural change. So I'm enthusiastic about what he brings and where America can move. We need to take care of our people here for them to work at home, and earn our respect back abroad.

IPS: What is your reaction to President Bill Clinton's message that Barack Obama is ready to lead?

DB: He said all the right things. He's been president so he would understand and know what it takes to lead. He's watched very closely the last two years how Sen. Obama has handled himself. It's been the most amazing presidential campaign in my lifetime. The organisation that he's put together, the way he handled himself in debates, his breadth of knowledge on the issues, great values exhibited in his family, all of that adds up to someone who is ready to lead.

IPS: Is this going to be an easy election for your candidate?

DB: No. No elections are easy. It's going to be tight. It's going to be won at the margins. That's all I can say. The more people are registered to vote, the better we're going to be. We're going to win this with numbers.

IPS: Where is labour's future in this campaign?

DB: Oh it's big because the issue that labour cares about most is the right to organise, which has been stolen from them by the corporations. The playing field is very uneven for working people. Remember the Employee Free Choice Act [H.R. 800, S. 1041); Sen. Obama is for that. He would sign it as president. So [labour members] are very enthused about Sen. Obama. Sen. McCain has been against working people his whole life on economic issues. Sen. Obama would get two-thirds of the labour vote.

IPS: Some say Barack Obama's selection of Joe Biden [a long-time senator from Delaware] as VP changes his message of "change". Do you agree?

DB: Well, it doesn't except Joe's been a big advocate for work change. He didn't stay in Washington. He took the train home every day for 35 years. That's sort of something about his commitment not only to family but to his community.

IPS: What would be Barack Obama's challenge in this race?

DB: He needs to show the difference between him and McCain. He has to establish a vision for the future that will get people excited and he also has to have the passion to move forward for the next nine and a half weeks. If he does that he'll win.

IPS: Do you think Barack Obama's race would be an issue for him to get elected?

DB: Race has always been an issue in politics. I don't care if it's in the United States or if it's in France or if it's in Brazil or if it's in Nigeria. But it's becoming less and less so and what's wonderful about Sen. Obama is that in many ways he transcends race. He's leading in Colorado, which has very few African Americans.

IPS: In order for an Obama administration to succeed, he'll need a Congress to work with. Does he have that Congress on the Hill?

DB: [If] Obama wins, we'll have a huge Congress. We'd have the 60 votes we need in Congress. When he wins, he'll have allies in Congress.

IPS: Michigan is up for grabs. What do you think will happen?

DB: I think Michigan has gone four of the last five times to Democrats. It will be close but I think it will go for him [Obama] because under Bush we've had eight years of disaster for Michigan and so we need a change. And the change is in Barack Obama and Joe Biden.