Kucinich Update: Nader, Labor, War and Peace

[wheresthemind]

From the National Campaign!

"NADER SAYS: Vote Kucinich in Primaries

Friday's Cleveland Plain Dealer reported:
Consumer activist Ralph Nader, still undecided about running again as a
third-party candidate, said yesterday that he is urging Democrats to
vote for Rep. Dennis Kucinich in the presidential primaries next
year...Unlike some of his rivals, Kucinich "says publicly what he
believes privately," Nader said at a breakfast meeting with reporters.
"At this point, I am urging Democrats to vote for him in the primary."

http://www.kucinich.us/#nader

IOWA LABOR LEADER: Kucinich is the Up-and-Comer

Sunday's Des Moines Register reported on remarks of Jan Corderman,
president of Iowa's influential AFSCME union:
"I think that probably the up-and-comer...is Dennis Kucinich." Kucinich
has "had a real presence here in Iowa recently" and has received an
enthusiastic reception, said Corderman, whose 13,000-member union is the
state's second largest. "Our folks are impressed with his position on
issues," she said. "He's definitely a man of the people. But he's also
one that people need to hear more about."

http://www.dmregister.com/news/stories/c4789004/21733179.html

KUCINICH STILL CHALLENGING IRAQ WAR
Continuing his leadership on Capitol Hill in questioning Bush
administration claims that led us to war, Rep. Kucinich will host a news
briefing Tuesday morning with former intelligence officers on the use
(or misuse) of intelligence before the war in Iraq. Joining Kucinich
will be Ray McGovern, a former CIA analyst of 27 years who prepared the
President's Daily Brief in the 1980s, and Andrew Wilkie, a senior
intelligence analyst at Australia's Office of National Assessments until
his resignation a week before the Iraq war in protest of the way
intelligence was used to justify Australia's support for the war.

KUCINICH FIGHTS FOR PEACE DIVIDEND
When Dennis Kucinich calls for more spending on healthcare, education
and environmental cleanup to be paid by cutting the bloated military
budget, he is often outnumbered on the campaign trail. (Howard Dean has
challenged Kucinich on that stand.) He is also typically outnumbered in
Congress, as Associated Press reported days ago:

Though the defense bill accounts for about one-sixth of federal
spending, it has generated little debate. After the attacks on Sept. 11,
2001, lawmakers have been reluctant to deny the Pentagon the equipment
it says it needs to defend the country. But Rep. Dennis Kucinich,
D-Ohio, an anti-war Democratic presidential candidate, said the bill
does little to make America safer. "The only thing this Congress will
take care of today are the profit-gouging defense contractors," he said.

--
FUNDRAISING WAY UP
Tomorrow, the Kucinich campaign will release its quarterly financial
report, showing the biggest percentage jump in fundraising of any
presidential campaign. We far exceeded expectations. Help us continue
this momentum by making a donation today:
https://www.kucinich.us/contribute.php

WHY OUR CAMPAIGN KEEPS GROWING
Is it because the New York Times is covering us fairly or fully? No. It's
because you keep circulating our email alerts to others on the Internet!"

[phishhead]

1. Fuck yeah!

I support Kucinich just as much as I support Dean.

As fucked up as the U.S. is, he's still unelectable :(

Its good that Nader is backing him, very good. But I'm not quite sure it will matter.

[found object]

7. yeah, I think Nader matters

His Greens are good for about 5% of the vote -- just enough to tip the scales in a tight race. And, along with Union backing, the Kerry/Dean camps may be in for a big surprise come the primaries. :-)

[phishhead]

8. Yeah, Nader matters

I didn't mean it to sound like he has no pull either way in this, because he does.

My point is that we don't even know for sure that he won't run. If he doesn't, and just backs Kucinich, great! :)

But if decides to run, I'm of the opinion he'll hurt our party more than help.

[CALRAIDER]

2. NADER SUCKS

I cant believe that Nader hasnt got the message already, he fucked everything up for us and gave Bush the presidency plain and simple. The More you pump up his ego and threaten to Have Kucinich run as a green the worse it is for us.

[JackieO]

3. ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Where and when did Dennis ever threaten to run as a Green?

He's a Democrat.

[CALRAIDER]

4. Read the Forums

First of all get your pronouns straight i never said HE (KUcinich) threatened to run i said YOU (forum writers). Ive read it at least a dozen times in different forum discussions. Anyhoo enough said.

[JackieO]

9. that's funny

I've never seen such threats. I think you're making it up, actually.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[wheresthemind]

12. Kucinich has said...

specifically that he would NOT run as a Green!

He is a great Democrat and he campaigned HARD for Gore.

[U4ikLefty]

6. Uh, excuse me but it was the SCOUTS the gave * the election

[mdmc]

11. Caltraitor

DK is a dem, and WILL NEVER run as a green.
Nader stands for what is right, not what is popular.
Democrats better plan for a three way race. The Greens have the right to run a candidate.
If winning is the most important thing to us, we should endorse Bush. If changing the country is the most important thing for us to do, we better plan on running and winning a three party race.

Dean is our best bet for doing that.

5. This is a great post.

Thanks wheresthemind


WILLIE NELSON ENDORSES KUCINICH
One of the most beloved figures in popular music and culture has endorsed the populist presidential candidate, Dennis Kucinich.

Statement from Willie Nelson: "I am endorsing Dennis Kucinich for President because he stands up for heartland Americans who are too often overlooked and unheard. He has done that his whole political career. Big corporations are well-represented in Washington, but Dennis Kucinich is a rare Congressman of conscience and bravery who fights for the unrepresented, much like the late Senator Paul Wellstone. Dennis champions individual privacy, safe food laws and family farmers. A Kucinich Administration will put the interests of America's family farmers, consumers and environment above the greed of industrial agribusiness.

I normally do not get too heavily involved in politics, but this is more about getting involved with America than with politics. I encourage people to learn more about Dennis Kucinich at his website and I will be doing all I can to raise his profile with voters. I plan to do concerts to benefit the campaign."



Feminists for Kucinich

Eight diverse feminist writers and organizers have initiated a statement in support of Kucinich, which will be widely circulated to attract new supporters.
The original signers are: BARBARA EHRENREICH, political essayist and author ("Nickel and Dimed"); ANGELA GILLIAM, professor and scholar of Black feminist anthropology and international feminism; YNESTRA KING, writer and activist on environmental, feminist, and disability issues; GAIL LERNER, organizer in the global women's movement and with U.N. agencies; GRACE PALEY, peace activist and author ("Enormous Changes at the Last Minute"); ROSALIND PETCHESKY, international feminist activist and political science professor; DIGNA SANCHEZ, Latina community activist in New York; MEREDITH TAX, novelist, essayist and international organizer of feminist writers.

Although the statement has just started to circulate, it has already attracted signatures from such prominent feminists as Blanche Weisen Cook, biographer of Eleanor Roosevelt; Marilyn French, author of "The Women's Room"; actor and singer Ronnie Gilbert; Jewish activist and poet Irena Klepfisz; and political scientist Zillah Eisenstein.

Below is a summary of the statement. Click here for the full statement, and to sign on.

FEMINISTS FOR KUCINICH
Rather than waiting to hear what all the Democratic candidates have to say, then jumping on the bandwagon of the least offensive, we decided to make our own list of priorities and see who agrees with us.

1) We want a candidate who will stop the war on the poor. 2) We want a candidate who stands for peace, respects international treaties and institutions such as the U.N. and the International Criminal Court, and tries to resolve problems through negotiation. 3) We want a candidate who will defend the separation of church and state, and the individual rights guaranteed us by the Constitution.

4) We want a candidate who opposes discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and who stands for women's reproductive rights and recognizes that these rights depend on universal health insurance. 5) We want a candidate who will address questions of global economic imbalance and stand up for the rights of immigrants. 6) We want a candidate who will challenge racism domestically and internationally.

Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate who not only agrees with all these points but has developed policies to support them: starting a cabinet-level Department of Peace; supporting unions and the right to organize; cutting the bloated military budget; restoring environmental regulations and launching a "Global Green Deal" to benefit developing countries; withdrawing from NAFTA and the WTO and challenging IMF/World Bank policies; repealing the "Patriot Act"; upholding Roe v. Wade; working for universal health insurance; and abolishing the racially and economically biased death penalty.

Because we feel that he comes closest to representing our priorities, we have decided to support Dennis Kucinich for President.

http://kucinich.us/index.htm

[mdmc]

13. Bernie Saunders likes Kucinich

Ben & Jerry like Kucinich
Willie and the Dead, and Phish like Kucinich.

All the left likes Kucinich.

I support Dean, but I wish DK would BLOW UP! If he had some legs under him, I would support him in a second.

[JackieO]

14. Support Dennis!

If you like him, support him! That's how candidates (especially one who is NOT taking Corporate $$$) get "legs". He's grassroots. So if you like what you hear, go for what you want. Talk to people. Send him money if you can. Help DK "BLOW UP"! :)