California Could Become First State To Oppose Iraq War

Apr. 5 - KGO (KGO) -- Pledging to set the tone of the next presidential election, State Senator Don Perata wants to put the Iraq war up to a vote. The State Senate President Pro Tem launched a campaign for a February ballot measure.

The first week in February California is going to have one of the earliest Presidential Primaries in the country. And because this is such a big state it will be one of the most significant. If Senator Don Perata has his way it will include a vote on the war, which could have a number of political reverberations.

State Senate President Don Perata describes it as a simple measure.

St. Sen. Don Perata (D) Senate President Pro Tem: "The best way to express the importance and power of a democracy is to use the vote, and that's what we intend to do."

Perata says the measure will ask California voters if they think it's time to get out of Iraq. It's only an advisory vote -- the President could ignore it. But presidential candidates coming to California could not.

Sen. John Kerry (D) Massachusetts: "I think these kind of votes help tell Washington and national politicians what the sentiment of the people are -- so I'm all for it."

Senator John Kerry says politicians campaigning in California will have to address the issue. And the head of U.C.'s Washington Center and ABC7's political analyst says it will impact the Presidential Primary.

Bruce Cain, ABC7 Political Analyst: "It will effect the turn out, by putting something as important and nationally emotional as this issue. It's going to drive up the turn out particularly from liberal Democrats in the state."

And it could help some Democrats like Barack Obama more than other Democrats like Hillary Clinton.

Bruce Cain, ABC7 Political Analyst: "And the reason is that Obama has much more strictly been against the war from the start."

On the Republican side the leading GOP candidates all favor the President's surge so at this point the war vote doesn't appear to be as big a factor. But Republican lawmakers ABC7 talked to don't like it.

Asmb. Mike Villines (R) Minority Leader: "I think it's a political ploy, I think it's a political tactic to send a message that you don't do when men and women are putting their lives on the line."

GOP spokesman Hector Barrajas says Perata is out of his league.

Hector Barrajas, State GOP Spokesman: "If Senator Don Perata wants to have a say in our Military or foreign policy, then he should run for president."

Perata insists he wants the people of California to have a say and he adds this measure will do that.

St. Sen. Don Perata: "We wanted our voters to have an opportunity to be heard and to set the pace, to set the tone for the next presidential election."

The Governor's office won't say what Governor Schwarzenegger thinks of the measure. But if he wants to kill it he is going to have to veto it and at this point our political analyst and Don Perata think that doesn't seem likely.

<!--DO NOT DELETE BELOW--> Related link:

>> LINK: www.voteusout.org

ABC7 Extra:
Watch all of Sen. Perata's comments from his press conference in Berkeley:

<center><!--html1--></center>

Get more News »

• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•