PotShot

Peres smells election threat from Israeli pot party
Reuters | NineMSN.com | March 20, 2006

Despite the ruling Kadima Party's strong lead ahead of this month's Israeli election, an unlikely rival is causing elder statesman Shimon Peres to fume.

Green Leaf is a fringe faction campaigning to legalise marijuana.Opinion polls suggest younger voters disillusioned with mainstream parties may give Green Leaf its first foothold in parliament in the March 28 vote.

"Green Leaf is our real and great foe in the elections," the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper on Sunday quoted Peres, 82, as telling Kadima supporters.

"They want to spread illusions. But we have no drugs and no illusions. We are a party with both feet on the ground."

Peres is number two on the Kadima list of candidates, after interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. The centrist Kadima is widely expected to take around 40 of parliament's 120 seats.

__________________

Carl Sagan Goodness Richard Dawkins Goodness