Tsongas Calls Election a Referendum on Presidency of George Bush

Press Release

Tsongas Calls Election a Referendum on Presidency of George Bush

Niki Tsongas, fresh from her primary night victory, today said that the general election campaign is a referendum on the presidency of George Bush.
The day after her victory in the Fifth Congressional District Democratic Primary, Niki Tsongas joined
with Governor Deval Patrick, Attorney General Martha Coakely, State Party Chair John Walsh,
Candidates Eileen Donoghue, Jamie Eldridge and Barry Finegold, and most of the District's Democratic
state and local elected officials including State Senators Steve Panagiotakos, Steve Baddour, Sue Tucker,
and Susan Fargo among other legislators and supporters, at a Unity Breakfast where the elected officials
vowed to join together behind Tsongas as the Democratic candidate to succeed UMass Lowell Chancellor
Marty Meehan in Congress.
"Make no mistake, this election is a referendum on the presidency of George Bush and the most
important issue we face in this country, the war in Iraq," said Tsongas. "We need to create a timetable for
the withdrawal of our soldiers, bring them home and commit as a nation to caring for them now and into
their future. I would like to go to Washington to do just that."
And, make no mistake," she added, "my Republican opponent cannot run and cannot hide from the fact
that this is what this election is about and it is what we're going to talk about. And, we're going to send a
message to the White House that it is time to end the war."
"I also want to thank these most worthy candidates," Tsongas added. "It was my great honor to compete
with them. It made us all work harder, to the benefit of the Democratic Party and the people of the Fifth
Congressional District and to the future of this country. That is what this is all about. We need to work
together so that we can send a message to the White House so we can go in a different direction."
"These races wouldn't be hard if we didn't have candidates who care very deeply about the direction of
our country," said Senator Edward Kennedy. "What we have at risk is too important. Niki, we need you.
We need your voice, your energy and your talent in ending this war in Iraq."
Governor Deval Patrick called on the Party to come together the day after the Primary "to join in this
journey towards a brighter and more positive future for our country. And the campaign that is about that
kind of future, and that kind of horizon is the candidacy of Niki Tsongas. This is not going to be easy.
This is not going to be simple. There is a strong candidate on the other side. He is wrong about a lot, but
he is not going to go down without a fight."
"Niki is going to fight very hard to make changes in the day to day lives of the people in the Fifth
District," said Lowell City Councilor Eileen Donoghue. "And, it is about making a change. Niki has
said that on the trail over and over again. It's time that we change the tone of politics. Those are true
words and Niki is going to do that. And, that's why I'm here, so that we can work together, because the
issues we're facing are too serious in Washington. Unity starts right now. We have to make sure Niki
makes it to Congress. I know she will, but she needs all of our support. And, in the words of another
great Tsongas woman, Molly, she's tenacious!"
"It's been a great race, and it's been a debate about the issues," said Representative Jamie Eldridge. "I'm
so honored to express my full and unconditioned support for Niki Tsongas for Congress. Beginning
tomorrow night, I'm going to personally begin to phone bank for Niki Tsongas for Congress. The whole
country is watching this race, and this is about the direction of this country. Niki Tsongas is going to
reverse that, and that's why we should unite together and fully support her."
"I'm happy to be here and fully endorse Niki Tsongas," said Representative Barry Finegold. "I'm totally
committed to making sure that she is the next Congresswoman from the Fifth Congressional District. I
know Niki Tsongas is going to go down to Washington to do something about global warming, to rid our
addition to foreign oil, and I know she's going to be a great Congresswoman, but we need to make sure
that we help her get there."

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