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Billionaire Soros takes on Bush

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Billionaire Soros takes on Bush
Mohja
11/11/03 at 16:47:38
Soros pledges $US15.5 million to oust Bush

George Soros, one of the world's richest men has given away nearly $US 5 billion ($7 billion) to promote democracy in the former Soviet bloc, Africa and Asia. Now he has a new project: beating President George Bush. "It is the central focus of my life," he said. The 2004 presidential race is "a matter of life and death".

Mr Soros, who has financed efforts to promote open societies in more than 50 countries around the world, is bringing the fight home, he said. He and a partner have committed up to $US5 million to Moveon.org, a liberal activist group, bringing to $US15.5 million the total of his personal contributions to oust Mr Bush.

Overnight, Mr Soros, 74, has become the major financial player of the Left. He has elicited cries of foul play from the Right. With a tight nod, he pledged, "If necessary, I would give more money."

"America, under Bush, is a danger to the world," he said. Then he smiled: "And I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is."

Mr Soros says a "supremacist ideology" guides the White House. He hears echoes in its rhetoric of his childhood in occupied Hungary: "When I hear Bush say, 'You're either with us or against us,' it reminds me of the Germans."

It conjured up memories of the Nazi slogan, "Der Feind hoert mit" (The enemy is listening): "My experiences under Nazi and Soviet rule have sensitised me," he said.

Christine Iverson, spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said Mr Soros was an example of the small group of people with special interests who fund the Democratic Party.

"It's incredibly ironic that George Soros is trying to create a more open society by using an unregulated, under-the-radar-screen, shadowy, soft-money group to do it," she said. "George Soros has purchased the Democratic Party."

In past election cycles, Mr Soros has contributed relatively modest sums. In 2000, his aide said, he gave $US122,000, mostly to Democratic causes and candidates. But lately he has grown alarmed at the influence of neoconservatives, whom he calls "a bunch of extremists guided by a crude form of Social Darwinism".

The neoconservatives, he said, were exploiting the September 11 terrorist attacks to promote a pre-existing agenda of pre-emptive war and world dominion.

"Bush feels that on September 11, he was anointed by God," Mr Soros said. "Rather than defeating terrorism, he's leading the US and the world toward a vicious circle of escalating violence."

Mr Soros said he had been waking at 3 am, his thoughts shaking him "like an alarm clock". He wrote down his ideas. In January, they will be published as a book, The Bubble of American Supremacy, which argues for a collective approach to security, more foreign aid and constructive rather than military action abroad.

"It would be too immodest for a private person to set himself up against the president," he said.

"But it is, in fact" - he chuckled - "the Soros Doctrine."

Mr Soros will continue to recruit wealthy donors for his campaign. He raised $US115,000 for Democratic candidate Howard Dean, and backs John Kerry, Wesley Clark and Dick Gephardt.

The RNC is not the only group irked by Mr Soros. Even old friends have turned foe. Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, which promotes changes in campaign finance, has benefited from Soros grants over the years. Mr Soros has backed altering campaign finance, an aide said, donating close to $US18 million over the past seven years.

"There's some irony, given the supporting role he played in helping to end the soft money system," Mr Wertheimer said. "I'm sorry Mr Soros has decided to put so much money into a political effort to defeat a candidate. We will be watchdogging him closely."

A Soros aide said he welcomed the scrutiny. He had become as rich as he has, the aide said, because he had a preternatural instinct for a good deal.

Asked whether he would trade his $US7 billion fortune to unseat the President, Mr Soros opened his mouth. Then he closed it. He wrinkled his brow. The proposal hung in the air: Would he become poor to beat Mr Bush?

"If someone guaranteed it," he said.

The Washington Post



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