Democrat Group to Push Iacocca for President

WASHINGTON —  A group of Democratic Party activists today formed a committee to draft Chrysler Corp. Chairman Lee Iacocca for the party’s presidential nomination in 1988.

Iacocca has said in the past he was not interested in running.

State Rep. Richard Fitzpatrick of Battle Creek, Mich., chairman of the draft committee, said its purpose is to change Iacocca’s mind based on an outpouring of support for him.

“We feel that it is going to take real votes in real primaries in real large numbers to make an Iacocca candidacy a reality,” Fitzpatrick told a news conference.

“We are aware of the fact that Mr. Iacocca would probably prefer for us to cease and desist in this effort,” he said. “But we firmly believe that Lee Iacocca is the man of the hour for America.”