Democrats make pitch to unions-Kucinich stands out at AFL-CIO event

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.msnbc.com/news/948704.asp?0na=x2309431-

The leaders of organized labor played host Tuesday night to a nine-candidate free-for-all among the Democratic presidential contenders. Long-shot contender Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio stood out from the crowd, delivering a rousing performance, challenging former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean on why he wasn’t willing to cut the defense budget and demanding that Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri tell the audience whether he’d revoke the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and pull the United States out of the World Trade Organization.

AFTER THE DEBATE Kucinich insisted that it wasn’t impractical to cancel NAFTA and pull out of the WTO. “No one here answered that question.... None of them would say it — not even Dick Gephardt who is trying to rely on support from labor to become the next president.”

Dean said after the debate, “I don’t think we should cancel the WTO or NAFTA, but I do think labor and environmental standards have to be part of that. And if nations we trade with aren’t willing to embrace International Labor Organization standards, then I don’t think we can trade with them. We certainly can’t have open-border trade with them.”

Gephardt declined to answer Kucinich’s challenge but made a strong appeal for union members’ support, declaring, “This administration has declared war on the middle class in this country.”

--snip--

Lieberman backer Rep. Bill Lipinski.... Distancing himself from candidates such as Gephardt and Dean who say they want to offer voters the sharpest possible contrast with Bush, Lipinski said, “You would be a fool to be against everything George Bush stands for. There are some things about George Bush that are very worthwhile.”
Lipinski said he and his constituents would object to a candidate who supported civil unions or same-sex marriages that gave gays and lesbians the same status as heterosexuals.

[jpgray]

1. Burn! Lieberman would prefer his stance be worded otherwise, I imagine (nt

[liberalnurse]

2. Who is Bill Lipinski?

Additionally, I think Kucinich was crude....rude....and lost credibility in my opinion.

[ilpostino]

3. Leftwing media whore?

This is interesting...I missed the CSPAN event, but have read enough about it to conclude that DK made a complete ass of himself. Yet this reporter says DK stood out from the crowd and delivered a rousing performance. So I need to know from our resident conspiracy buffs: is this that rare animal a leftwing media whore or is this more Machiavellian manipulation by Rove who's now so afraid of Dean that he wants DK to be the opp in 2004?

[RamboLiberal]

5. I was surprised to see an MSNBC piece declaring DK won

the debate. I thought DK was way over the top though I would've liked to have heard his closing - darn weather.

That was a poor format to try to gauge the candidates against each other and to declare a winner.

I thought they all held their own and had a lot of great points. I wish Dean would learn to state his talking points a bit differently each time - but then I probably read and hear his the most. That was something that drove me nuts during Gore's campaign. I like it when a candidate can speak off the cuff without using the sames points over and over.

Too bad Sharpton tarnished himself with the Brawley thing cause the guy does have some great points, but I think that issue diminishes any chance at national political office. Maybe he ought to give a shot at running for a House seat.

I think Lieberman is going down in flames fast.

On the Dems side this is turning in to a fun race.

[The Sushi Bandit]

4. Dennis was great

Passion, honesty, fearless!