PRESS RELEASE
DNC Chair Accuses Cheney of Responsibility
for Disrupting LaRouche Youth Movement
Participation in Democratic Convention
July 25, 2004 (EIRNS)—This release was issued today by the LaRouche in 2004 Presidential campaign committee.
At the opening press conference of the 2004 Democratic Party National Convention in Boston, Democratic National Committee head Terry McAuliffe, when challenged by Matthew Ogden, a leader of the LaRouche Youth Movement (LYM), accused Vice President Dick Cheney of being behind the cancellation of rooms—reserved and paid for—that the LYM intended to use as meeting areas for delegates, especially youth, during the convention.
Ogden's challenge came in response to McAuliffe's assertion that, "We're doing something we've never done before. We've brought 5,000 youth to this convention to be trained in politics." Ogden, with an audience of 40 press and others, demanded McAuliffe explain why, if he and the DNC were so committed to bringing youth into politics, he and they had colluded with Homeland Security to cancel the LYM rooms.
McAuliffe initially claimed ignorance. When reminded that, in an exchange with Ogden two weeks earlier, he had defended Cheney and insisted that Cheney should remain on the Republican ticket rather than be indicted for his crimes related to Iraq, McAuliffe replied, "I think it was Cheney who is responsible for cancelling your rooms."
Several hours later, LYM activists were joined by a group of elected officials at a press conference denouncing the DNC actions and demanding the convention be opened to the more than 100 LYM members currently in Boston. The elected officials participating included Rep. Harold James (PA), Rep. Joe Towns (TN), Rep. Perry Clark (KY), Rep. Billy McKinney (GA-former), and City Councilman Robert White, Cleveland.
