Pubdate: Tue, 18 Jul 2000
Source: New York Post (NY)
Copyright: 2000, N.Y.P. Holdings, Inc.
Contact:  http://nypostonline.com/
Author: Robert Novak, syndicated columnist
Bookmark: MAP's link to shadow convention items:
http://www.mapinc.org/shadow.htm
Note: Shadow Convention websites: http://www.drugpolicy.org/
http://www.shadowconventions.com/

THE SOROS CONVENTION

WASHINGTON -- Would Sen. John McCain be the keynote speaker of an
alternative political convention with a distinct far-left aroma that intends
to ridicule his Republican Party and is partially financed by the archenemy
of the war on drugs, billionaire global financier George Soros? That is
McCain's intent, even as other Republicans fall off the list of speakers.

McCain is the star attraction July 30 opening the "shadow" convention to be
held in Philadelphia while the Republicans meet there beginning July 31.
That makes him the only speaker who will address both a major party
convention and one of the two alternative gatherings arranged by political
gadfly Arianna Huffington in Philadelphia and (shadowing the Democrats) in
Los Angeles. McCain will find himself sharing the podium with such left-wing
GOP-bashers as ice cream (Ben & Jerry's) maker Ben Cohen and comedian Al
Franken.

In the Senate Republican cloakroom and other redoubts of the party
establishment, McCain's decision has prompted comments that he is "out of
control." But nobody says it on the record, because the senator from Arizona
has become America's most popular politician. Indeed, if George W. Bush
wanted to assure victory over Al Gore, he would cajole McCain into becoming
his vice president. An important reason why he won't is McCain's mindset in
going to the Soros convention.

Not to worry, said McCain political aide John Weaver. "He will take a
decidedly pro-Bush and pro-Republican position," Weaver told me. Then why
attend a conclave that may look like the bar scene in Star Wars? "He often
accepts invitations that traditional Republicans don't," Weaver explained,
"in order to advocate causes he believes in -- in this case Gov. Bush's
candidacy."

McCain's determination to keep his date, while Jack Kemp and apparently Rep.
Christopher Shays of Connecticut were breaking theirs, particularly upsets
Republican leaders because of the Soros involvement. A master currency
speculator who makes billions in one transaction, the New York-based
investor keeps a low public profile but ardently presses a distinctive
political agenda.

While Soros sometimes espouses conservative libertarian causes (such as
opposing federal police power to seize personal assets), he increasingly
presses a decidedly liberal agenda by advocating gun controls, retention of
the estate tax -- and, most assertively -- weaker drug laws ultimately
leading to legalization of narcotics. That is not where John McCain comes
from.

Involved in planning the alternative convention is Soros's political adviser
Hamilton Fish V, leftist grandson of the legendary conservative Republican
antagonist of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Rep. Hamilton Fish III of New York. The
current Fish sits on the board of the Open Society Institute (OSI), Soros's
Washington front organization.

OSI -- therefore, Soros -- is helping fund the alternative conventions. The
Lindesmith Center in New York had been OSI's drug policy arm, lobbying for
needle exchanges and medicinal marijuana on the road to total legalization.
On July 1, it split off and is playing a direct role in the shadow
convention, making sure the drug war comes under attack.

Arianna Huffington, who not long ago was a conservative activist, has been
raising money for the alternative conventions and personally getting on the
telephone to dragoon speakers for the Philadelphia and Los Angeles events
(with L.A. including her choice for president, actor Warren Beatty). Kemp
said yes when she offered him a chance to deliver an anti-poverty speech.
But late last week he decided that the 1996 Republican vice-presidential
nominee had no place at an event addressed by Al Franken making fun of the
party and organized by a Soros aide who calls the GOP "hopeless" in
comparison with Democrats.

Rep. Shays, a sincere moderate who is McCain's House counterpart in
crusading for campaign finance reform, also accepted but at this writing was
ready to pull out. That leaves New Mexico's peculiar Gov. Gary Johnson, a
drug legalizer, as the only other Republican on the shadow schedule. Unlike
McCain, he will also address the Los Angeles alternative gathering. Unlike
McCain, Johnson is not a showcased speaker at the Republican convention.

McCain was first unaware of the Soros connection with the shadow convention
but decided to fulfill his commitment there even after he found out.
Republican leaders can only hold their tongues and shake their heads.
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MAP posted-by: Don Beck