One of DK's many strengths....

[AnAmerican]

He is never too busy to talk with the people. You remember the people.....those mentioned in the "Government, for, by, and of" line?


"Abraham Lincoln once said, "If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his sincere friend." These wise words came to our minds after our encounter with Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, a presidential candidate.

We were rushing back to the page dorm to meet our 10 p.m. curfew when we spotted the congressman exiting an apartment building and dashing off in the direction of the congressional office complex.

We had been told repeatedly that pages were not to bother congressmen by asking them for autographs or photographs, but we took our chances and called out to him. He turned around and reached out his hand with a smile asking us our names. Upon spotting our page I.D badges, he asked us about our experiences in the program and sincerely listened as we chatted.

We came away from the experience as pages knowing that the House of Representatives is not a building, but rather a gathering of individual, diverse people who represent millions of Americans throughout the nation."

Full text at http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/US/pages_twins030810.html

[LWolf]

1. I saw that, too.

I've only met him once, but the time he took for each individual who spoke to him was obvious. And I've heard it from many others, as well.

I think that is part of his appeal. People like his platform; they love the way he leaves "people" in the equation.

[genius]

2. It's as if RFK were back and able to take office this time.

I have never seen any candidate so dedicated to the people and I've seen a lot of candidates. Just think of the opportunity we have to elect what will be the greatest president of all time. The real question is whether we can make a difference and help everyone in the country know about this great man.

[Desertrose]

3. Yes-I experienced the same thing

My impression ws that DK is never too busy to talk with you & acknowledge you....

:thumbsup:

peace
DR

[jdspatriot]

4. I love Kucinich, but I'm still supporting Dean - here's why

The Progressive Case for Dean
By Nico Pitney

I passionately supported the Greens in 2000 and 2002. I traveled 125 miles to see Dennis Kucinich speak when he came to Los Angeles in May, and had the pleasure of introducing him to a crowd of several hundred when he visited Santa Barbara recently. Kucinich is a guiding light in Congress and, of the nine Democratic presidential contenders, his views most closely mirror my own.

Yet I won't be voting for Kucinich in the Democratic primaries, nor will I vote Green in the general elections. My support will go to Howard Dean.

Yes, I've read the unfavorable commentaries on Howard Dean by writers whose opinions I greatly respect, like Norman Solomon and Alexander Cockburn. And yes, I know that I disagree with some critical components of Dean's platform. Progressives should be well aware that they're going to disagree on a range of issues with every individual who has a chance at being in the White House two years from now. Our choice is not between Howard Dean and the-even-better-candidate-who-has-a-shot-at-winning-the-Democratic-nomination-and-defeating-George-Bush; that other candidate doesn't exist. Neither Kucinich nor Al Sharpton nor Carol Moseley Braun nor any Green will be President. Progressives should incorporate these realities into their electoral strategy, however disappointing they may be.

In a recent column, Norman Solomon criticizes "liberal Democrats routinely sacrifice principles and idealism in the name of electoral strategy," and then argues that Greens are practicing the reverse strategy - "principled idealism" without a coherent electoral strategy. But in the same column he remarks, "Few present-day Green Party leaders seem willing to urge that Greens forego the blandishments of a presidential campaign. The increased attention - including media coverage - for the party is too compelling to pass up." If this latter analysis is accurate, the impetus to run a Green presidential candidate has come not from principled idealism but a rather inconsiderate self-indulgence.

In any case, the role of ideals in the voting booth is hazy. Voting Green isn't necessarily the most effective way to achieve Green policies. More importantly, supporting and voting for Democratic candidates is in no way a personal affirmation of the Democratic Party platform. It is, in part, a recognition of Duverger's Law - one of the few reliable "laws" in the social sciences - which states that American-style, winner-take-all, plurality voting systems produce political structures intractably dominated by two parties. Moreover, it is a recognition that the Democratic Party is simply one network among many (albeit an incredibly powerful one) through which those seeking fundamental political change in the United States can act. Progressives ought to engage the Democratic Party in the same way that we engage any powerful institution; we should creatively test the limits of reform and attempt to produce change that will assist us in our own wider struggles.

The goal of progressives in the coming months, then, should be to continue what we're doing now - organizing, developing alternative social, economic, and environmental programs, and working to raise the national profile of our allies in the public sphere - while supporting Howard Dean and helping him win the primary and general elections. We have to keep close in mind what our country and our world will look like if George W. Bush's administration captures another term and can carry out its agenda without being restrained by reelection considerations. In what will likely be the most divisive and bitterly contested presidential election in decades, let's not use our precious energy and resources on candidates with no chance of defeating Bush. Rather, let's make sure to elect a candidate who, like Dean, at least supports publicly financed elections, instant run-off voting, and a constitutional amendment declaring that political contributions are not free speech, so that we directly strike at the structural stultification of our electoral system that forces us to limit our choices in the first place.

More here: http://deandefense.org/archives/000596.html

[AnAmerican]

5. Dennis on campaign finance and voting

"I support measures such as comprehensive campaign finance reform and Clean Money public financing of the public's elections; ample free television time for candidates, coupled with the break-up of the media monopolies that restrict political debate; election day as a holiday; election day voter registration; enhanced voting rights enforcement; an end to the racially-biased disenfranchisement of felons who have served their time; full Congressional representation for residents of the District of Columbia; cross-party endorsement or "fusion"; an inclusive debate process that does not exclude credible 3rd-party candidates; and expansion of elections using full (proportional) representation, which assure more accurate and broader representation than winner-take-all elections.

I also support "Instant Runoff Voting." IRV offers a cost-effective way of insuring that the winning candidate is preferred by a majority of voters; it encourages voters to vote their wishes and not their fears; it promotes greater voter turnout and positive campaigning."

http://kucinich.us/issues/issue_campaignreform-irv.htm


"Public control of the political process requires public financing. The restoration of our American Democracy depends upon public financing. The Supreme Court, equating money with free speech, will not restrict the power of corporate interests to dominate government. The establishment of our democracy began with the Constitution. Let us renew the Constitution by amending it, requiring public financing to redeem from the perishable fires of corporate control an imperishable government of the people, by the people and for the people."

http://kucinich.us/issues/issue_campaignfin.htm



So you see Dennis is already seeking that which you single out Dean for seeking. And furthermore Dennis is more progressive on a number of other isuues. Why not vote for the whole enchilada, rather than a half?