Democrat Urges No ‘Buzzwords’

WASHINGTON — Democratic chief Paul Kirk declared today that the party’s 1988 platform should not be “a litany of social, cultural or ideological litmus-test buzzwords,” suggesting that such issues as abortion and the proposed Equal Rights Amendment might be dropped.

Kirk said a brief, positive platform could help end the “voodoo politics” of Democratic candidates--particularly those in the South--who run away from or against the party in state and local races. “Our 1988 platform should reflect the timeless truths and unifying principles which make us proud of our political heritage and on which we base our assumptions and our aspirations for the future,” Kirk said.