DK is a vegitairian... How does that stand with you?

[CalebHayes]

I am too... I was just curious. Do you even care?

I think it says something about a person.

[Forkboy]

1. I dont care either way

[karlschneider]

6. I don't care either way as well. I'm a steak lover and have veg friends.

It isn't a political issue with me.

[Forkboy]

16. same here

I have no beef (yes,pun intended :spank: ) with either side.

[K-W]

2. Dietary habits are the last thing in the world I would ever judge someone

on, pro or con. Theres many reasons for vegitarianism, has he ever explained his? Is it nutritionally, ethicallt, or enviromentally motivated?

[Melodybe]

8. I'm a vegetarian and I like Kucinich, but what people eat is their own

business and I don't think that it reflects that much about a person. I am vegetarian b/c my hippi parents raised me that way and meat reminds me of funky gum (too much chewing). Do I care if people eat meat? Not really, it is natural. In fact may antropologists say that early primates' meaty diet enabled them to develope larger brains. In DK's case at least we know that he will never get mad cow, so that is good.

[woofless]

37. I heard him say a week or two ago

that he had done it to impress a girlfriend who was vegan and found that it made him feel much better physically and mentally so he stuck with it. Cannot remember who the interview was with, sorry.

[K-W]

39. then it is even less of a big deal.

Everyone has various eating habits because it feels good etc.

If he isnt arguing it as an ethical issue or that it is an actual health issue, I see this as a complete non issue as far as elecability is concerned.

[redqueen]

88. I think you may be remembering that wrong.

I'll believe the 'did it to impress a girlfriend' bit when I see proof.

[Kathleen04]

100. I saw that interview, but

it wasn't so much that he 'did it to impress a girlfriend' as he decided to give it a try because his girlfriend was vegan...and then he stuck with it.

[Kathleen04]

99. I saw that too..

it was that guy on C-Span..Steve something, I think.

[BurtWorm]

3. I think it says something positive about Kucinich.

It won't get him the nomination, let alone the election, but so what? It's nice to see a meditating vegetarian who uses phrases like "nonviolence as an organizing principle" running for president.

[K-W]

5. What do meditating and vegetarianism have to do with anything?

I dont think either one has anything to do with how well someone would perform as the president or as a nominee.

[BurtWorm]

12. They have to do with how well the US is doing as a mature society.

I'm waiting for the day when an uncloseted atheist can run.

[K-W]

14. So vegitarianism and meditation are more mature?

I am insulted by your post. I am never meditated and I eat meat all the time. I dont think that electing me president would be a sign of an immature society because of those things. I think the two things are rather extraneus. What someone chooses to eat, and what someone does to relax and focus are not in any way important.

Having a president who was those things would show that they are more socially acceptable in the country... but that doesnt really mean much.

[BurtWorm]

21. Not immature, just having a reading comprehension problem, apparently.

You're reading an insult into something that is not an insult. I am not a vegetarian. I do not meditate. I am not a pacifist. But I am glad a meditating pacifist vegetarian can run for president. It's a sign of the maturity of the democracy can that it can tolerate some degree of diversity among the candidates in terms of lifestyle. Women, Jews, Catholics and African American candidates are still radical novelties. An openly gay candidate probably can't run for president yet. An openly atheist candidate definitely can't. These are signs that the democracy is not fully mature.

Please don't be offended because you think I'm saying anyone who is male, gentile, protestant and/or white is immature. That is not what I'm saying.

[K-W]

24. I strongly disagree with you.

There is no relationship between a presidents relaxation and dietary habits and the maturity of the society. Please present exactly how you make this connection before you insult my reading skills.

You are claiming that somehow those things in a president signifies a mature society. My question for you is how so?

[BurtWorm]

28. If an African-American can't be taken seriously as a candidate

because he or she is African-American, the democracy is not fully mature. Do you disagree with this statement? The same holds true for anyother kind of candidate who is disqualified on the basis that he or she is not of "the type" to be president, i.e., of the type that virtually all American presidents have been: white, male, Anglo-Saxon protestants. Is this really a controversial viewpoint for DU?

[K-W]

32. Are you honestly comparing being black with being a vegitarian?

Think about what you are saying. You are comparing a race with a dietary choice. No one was ever disqualified from anything because of being a vegitarian.

You are comparing ethnicity, religion and gender with what someone chooses to eat. American presidents have been white, male, protestants. Those are important things. Someone who has not been one of this things has and does have many obstacles ahead of them. There is a reason no one lists omnivore along with white, male and protestant. Because it doesnt matter that much and it isnt an issue of anything near the importance of race, gender and creed. In fact I can come up with several things of more importance that you didnt list.

[BurtWorm]

34. I'm not equating, but, yes, I am comparing.

Americans tend to be shy of presidential candidates who are alien to the "ideal" or who have alien ideas, and vegetarianism, non-Christian spirituality (or open lack of religion) and pacificism are, sad to say, still relatively alien ideas among the candidates. Of course lifestyle choices like vegetarianism are not the same as race or gender. But do you think Karl Rove would be able to resist making some mischief out of a hypothetical Democratic nominee's choice not to eat meat? Like, maybe, out in Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas and Iowa, where people's livelihoods depend on a culture of meat-eating? It's much safer to make an idea seem un-American than a skin color or religious background. I tend to give the American people a lot of credit for their tolerance. But only 40% of them actually get fired up enough to vote in presidential elections, and at least half of them, it seems, aren't being rational when they mark their ballots.

[K-W]

36. Every president has quirks,

Every president is in many ways a deviation from the statistical norm. Im sure many of our presidents have had weird quircks in both the areas of diet and relaxation.

Vegetarianism is not religion, it is not pacifism. Those are both very important issues relevant to society. Religion is extremely divisive and pacifism as a political philosophy is both debated and relevent to governance, something that definately cant be said about vegetarianism.

If Kucinich advocated vegitarianism, then it would be perfectly reasonable for people who's livelyhoods depend on meat protection to consider it a problem. It would potentially hurt thier livelyhoods. But him just being a vegitarian wouldnt.

Karl Rove might try to make something of it. So what? It still wont be anything in the same universe as Race, gender, creed or pacifism. There is no equity, there is no comparison. By your logic we should be proud of electing a president with a different haircut.

[BurtWorm]

41. A: Kucinich is not going to be nominated, let alone elected

so I will not be able to enjoy the great pride of seeing my country elect a Vegan this year. :cry:

B: Name another presidential candidate of a major party in recent memory who was an open Vegan vegetarian. It's possible that the reason there haven't been any has nothing whatsoever to do with the slim liability Veganism may or may not present to a candidate running for president in the United States. On the other hand, it's possible that it does.

C: You have no argument with me about the seriousness of vegetarianism as a "difference" on the level of race, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, etc.

D: That said, it is still a difference. This is an omnivorous culture, by and large. A carnivorous culture, even. Being Vegan is a small difference, compared to race, but it is a difference. Ask any Vegan.

E: Veganism is a more significant difference from "ordinary" dietary vegetarianism because it is a political choice not to participate in the culture that produces food from the suffering of other living beings.

F: I stand by my original point: it's a sign of the democracy's maturity that a Vegan, in particular, is able to stage a credible run for president because it is a sign that the democracy can tolerate ideas alien to the "mainstream" in their candidates. It's not a major point, because it's not a major sign. It is a sign, nevertheless.

[K-W]

47. This is getting silly.

B: Name another presidential candidate of a major party in recent memory who was an open coconut ice cream lover. You are arguing that the reason that no vegan has been elected is because america is biased against vegans. The problem with your argument is that nothing calls for such an explenation. Vegans make up a small portion of the current population and the further in time you go back, the less vegans there are in the population.

If you want me to take you in the slightest bit serious, get me some numbers. Find out what percentage of the population that qualifies to run for president (the precetages are higher in younger people who couldnt even run for president if they wanted to.) Now go back and find out how many thier were 4,8,12,16 years ago. I bet you will find that as you go back that small percentage turns into basically nothing.

The fact is that statistically it would be rather impressive if we got a vegan president. So the fact that one has not been elected is not cause to think there is bias in the process. The reason race/creed/gender etc matter is that about half the population is female and large percentage are of other races or other religions, yet the proportions in major elected office dont match. Thus there is a bias.

But since there is no statistical surprise to their not having been a vegan president or any major debate nationally over vegitarianism or veganism, there is absolutely no reason to speculate that veganism is even a political issue at all. Yet you are ready to place it on the same level as race and religion?

C: Then follow your own logic. If they arent the same they arent the same. There is an infinate spectrum of ways a candidate can be different from the average american. Most of them dont matter at all politically, some of them do. You have provided no reason at all to class veganism as something that significantly effects electability.

D: Yes it is a difference. There are lots of differences. Why are you comparing it with things grossly different than it, and not things more similar in scale, like haircut or something. By providing only examples on the extreme of deviance, you are implying that veganism is on a scale at least similar to those things.

E: Erm, no it doesnt. Maybe for you it does, but not for everyone. Most vegans arent fighting a culture war. They just chose not to eat animal products for some reason or another and they are generally ok with others using them. I have many vegan friends, and from other things on this thread it seems Kucinich is not fighting the coulture of animal products.

Yes, if Kucinich was arguing that Veganism was an ethical issue and that non-vegans were wrong ethically, he certainly might make it an issue. But if that was the case, than Kucinich would not be eliciting bias, he would be insulting the way of life of most of America. That is not like being black. It is an opinion like any other, and when you tell alot of people they are part of an immoral culture, they have every right to not like you for it.

But luckily that does not seem to be Kucinich's stance, thus his veganism is not the major issue you make it out to be.

F: Your original point has gone without any backing whatsoever. You have yet to justify your extreme claim that vegans are politically repressed.

Many presidents have had ideas and lifestyles that differ from the mainstream. Buy some biographies and see all the quirks and interesting ideas of our presidents. This has been the case since washington and has nothing to do with maturity. Until you can show some evidence that vegans are at a disadvantage in our system, you cant claim that electing one would show a societies maturity over such a bias.

[BurtWorm]

75. This is silly because you are arguing against a strawman

and I am encouraging you. You are reading way, way too much into my words.

B: I have not used the phrase "bias" in talking about Veganism. That's your word. I have merely called it a difference. It's a more significant difference than haircuts because it is not just about personal style or taste but about political relationships between humans and animals.

I'm not going to ask you to take me seriously because you have some agenda you're not being clear about that's causing you to misread my words. My evidence for that: Above you assert that I am "ready to place (Veganism) on the same level as race and religion" despite my repeated clear statements that it is NOT on the same level as race and religion.

We seem to be talking at cross-purposes. You want to be having an argument with someone who thinks Veganism is more significant than I do. You don't seem to want to be thinking of subtleties, but this is a subtle, not terribly significant point I'm making about mainstream culture vs. alternative cultures. If you can't accept that Veganism is an alternative culture and it's somewhat remarkable that a "mainstream" candidate for president is Vegan, then we can't have a constructive dialogue over this, because I see grays where you seem to want to see only blacks and whites. Race and religion are nice big differences, but other, smaller cultural differences are also interesting to me. This is not the earthshaking revelation for me that you seem to want it to be for me so you can argue with "me" (or your strawman of me) about how foolish "my" point of view is.

C: "You have provided no reason at all to class veganism as something that significantly effects electability." Let's be clear about what "significantly" means. If it affects electability at all, in my book, that is significant. I make absolutely no claims about how greatly it affects electability, however, just that because it is a political choice where most haircuts are not, it is more likely to affect an election. How likely, I don't know. (If haircuts clarify matters for you, I think the political choice to shave the word "Peace" into one's turqoise-dyed buzzcut might also effect a person's electability, and I would be equally proud of our great democracy if such a haircut felt free to run for president as a Democrat!)

D: I'm not implying anything. You are inferring like crazy. ;)

E: "(H)is veganism is not the major issue you make it out to be"!
Erm(!), I am not making his Veganism into a major issue. I seem to recall that it was because you were offended over my compliment of Kucinich's Veganism that we're having this peculiar argument in the first place.

F: Killer proof that you're desperately seeking an argument with a strawman: "You have yet to justify your extreme claim that vegans are politically repressed."!! Where have I used the term "politically repressed?" Where have I argued that? I've merely said that alien ideas like Veganism are unusual in American presidential politics, probably because Americans who vote tend not to be very open to alien ideas (like Veganism) in their presidential candidates--and candidates and their handlers are very sensitive to what they think Americans are tolerant of, I might add. I have stated repeatedly--and evidently must state again, hoping I can bang an ear for subtlety into your head--that I do not believe Veganism is the central issue in American politics that race, religion and gender are. But it is the kind of difference about a candidate that is a kind of sign that I find interesting to think about. Some people need all their signs big to find them interesting. Small signs interest me as well. (I wonder if you'd have been as interested in having this "argument" if I really had made some claim about haircuts... Maybe Veganism is a bigger sign than even I thought?)

[Terwilliger]

4. Dennis is a vegan

I think I read somewhere that he became a vegan later in life.

[DuctapeFatwa]

7. it tells me he's part of the secret vegetarian plan for world domination

It is my understanding that he has praised people who feed vegetables to their children.

Indoctrination begins early.

There are reports that some of his supporters have even pureed vegetables and given them to infants too young to walk!

[CalebHayes]

13. LOL... nice post

[Tinoire]

20. One of these days

You're going to go too far and make me pee from laughing!

[blondeatlast]

55. I was in a cult and didn't even know it!

Sneaky bastards--they must be stopped!

[MrPrax]

9. so what...

But Dennis can spell Vegetarian?

Is this the new Freep meme?

[morgan2]

10. his biggest flaw in my mind

Not only will it rub a lot of people the wrong way, I personally think being a vegan is idiotic. Animals eat other animals; its natural.

[Tinoire]

19. Why would it rub people the wrong way?

Are vegans lepers or something?

I'm the biggest carnivore out there- I like my steaks bloody bleeding, bleu as the French call it, rare is already over-cooked. Hell, Steak Tartare is one of my favorites.

And yet Dennis' veganism doesn't phase me one bit.

[JohnKleeb]

27. Ive cut back on the beef honest but Ive always loved my meat

Dennis being a vegan, I could care less.

[morgan2]

29. yes vegans are lepers and I am santa claus.

Why would it rub people the wrong way? Thats an obvious answer and if you can't see that you need to wake up. You don't think that his opposition would drop hints that Dennis as a Vegan is going to discourage the consumption of meat? Obviously I don't think that to be true, but that doesn't matter at all. People aren't accepting of foriegn ideas especially when all they hear are short media sound bytes.

[Forkboy]

30. I wish I knew what the hell you're talking about

[blondeatlast]

57. Ditto. If you work it out, please explain it to me.

[Tinoire]

33. I have to disagree

I've lived all over the US and never heard anyone complain about anyone else's eating habits or consider being a vegetarian a "foreign idea". Grocery stores all over the country sell vegetarian food even in the heart of Texas.

opposition would drop hints that Dennis as a Vegan is going to discourage the consumption of meat

I don't think so. Even if they were so silly as to think it would matter to most people, that tactic would backfire on them what with mad cow and all.

Not sure what you want me to wake up about- I've been quite awake for decades but thanks for the concern :)

[CivilRightsNow]

94. Hrmmm...

Did you recently injest some meat from Winco in Oregon, Washington or California?

Maybe that would help me understand what your brain is spitting out a little bit more.

I'm a vegetarian that eats no milk products and I feel the best physically that I ever have in my entire life. Screw meat, as a society, we have evolved to a point that makes eating meat a non-nessecity.

Ill take my food suffering, disease and hormone free, thankyouverymuch.

[Forkboy]

35. All of this begs the question

did you eat Morgan1?

[blondeatlast]

58. HA!

[blondeatlast]

56. He's hardly outspoken about the subject.

I doubt anyone will even care, nor should they.

[JasonDeter]

11. Since mad cow disease I became a vegitarian.

No more beef for me. Just chicken and turkey and fish.

[Forkboy]

17. errr

that's not vegetarian.

[fujiyama]

76. not quite vegetarian..

but it does mean semi vegetarian.

[Forkboy]

101. That's like being a semi virgin

:)

[Tinoire]

23. Ok Jason

Who are you voting for? I really, really want to know!

Lol

You're pulling our legs right?

[JasonDeter]

43. Hey chicken or turkey or fish salad!! Thats veggie.

I grew up on 2 inch med rare t-bones and believe me I silently weeped when I made up my mind to give up beef.

[blondeatlast]

60. Uh, no, vegetarian means you eat NO animal flesh, regardless from

where it came. Eggs and milk and milk by-products are ok.

Vegan means you eat no animal products whatsoever.

I have friends that fall into all categories; my husband is vegetarian as he was raised in the Hindu faith (he is, indeed, Indian).

What you are is a non-beef eater.

[bicentennial_baby]

77. No sorry

Veg means no flesh, be it cow, pig, chicken, turkey, fish.

[CalebHayes]

31. There are much better reasons too become a vegetarian.

Read "Diet for a new America".

[blondeatlast]

59. That isn't vegetarian, you've just sworn off red meat.

[0007]

61. Chicken is pretty bad, and turkey isn't that great.

[Nailzberg]

15. Doesn't sway me one bit, but I liked his response in the debates yesterday

When they tried to assert that he couldn't handle a Mad Cow crisis because he was a vegan. Who gives a rats ass what he eats? Like that's gonna make him care less about meat eating Americans? What kinda bull-crap question was that?

[Q3JR4]

18. Doesn't matter to me,

at least we know the one American who should be on the job will be there and not dying from some mad cow related illness.

:bounce:

[101 Proof]

22. Doesn't bother me one bit.

:)

[JohnKleeb]

25. could careless *bites in to burrito*

[Fleshdancer]

26. It's his body, his decision!

:)

[Serenity-NOW]

38. The horror!!

Okay I read the Secret Life of Plants and frankly anyone that could advocate murdering innocent cabbage and potatoes over plunging spikes into the skulls of walking animal just can't be all there. EAT NOTHING!!

But don't trip out on what others eat. Talk about grasping at straws.

[REP]

40. Don't Care

I really don't like Kucinich at all, but his dietary habits are about the only position of his with which I have no quarrel. His body, his choice.

[FDRrocks]

42. Very good thing..he is a Vegan!

It stand for peace, towards all living things.

[CalebHayes]

44. Yes, very much so!

[Gore1FL]

46. towards all living things?

What do you call plants?

[Gore1FL]

45. it is neither deal maker or breaker

unless he is an "in your face" vegetarian that wants to force that lifestyle on me, it doesn't matter.

Hitler was a vegetarian, and that did not make him a good person.

Kucinich is a good person, but it isn't because he is a vegetarian.

[Mairead]

48. I'm a veg (not a vegan, but a veg) so I think he's fine

Of course, I think he's fine for other reasons...his being a veg is just frosting on the cake.

[Piperay]

49. Being a vegetarian myself

it really impresses me, I think it may hurt DK among some groups though. I have actually been called a "commie" by some idiots just because I don't eat meat, those types are real quick to stick the "weirdo" label on a person. :argh:x(

[0007]

62. Not as much as in the old days.

Been a vegetarian for 55 years and for many years use to say nothing.

My family called me a "Health Nut" as that was the style back then. I don't care what people eat or who they worship. As long as they leave me a lone.

The first thing folks ask when they find out that I'm vegetarian. How come ya don't eat meat? It is beyond their fucking mind that we all have choices and have that right! I never ask them, how come ya don't like carrots and is it a religious thingy not to eat spinach. And, tell me all about meditation if ya never meditated and never subjugated your thoughts. Makes as much sense, 'eh?

[laruemtt]

50. just curious - i've been

vegetarian since 1976. just respectfully curious as to what you think this says about me and the rest of us vegetarians?

[truthspeaker]

51. total non-issue

About as relevant to me as what brand of toothpaste he uses.

[blondeatlast]

52. Doesn't matter to me. I'm not, but he is one of myfavored candidates

so far.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

53. as a carnage consumer myself...Kucinich has my support

[BiggJawn]

54. I don't care if he susists on what he gets from oral sex...

Does the fact that he's a vegan "say something" about Dennis?
Yeah, it says he doesn't eat meat. Since he doesn't do ads for PETA or ALF, I figure it's a private thing with him.

Watch Rove use this to whip up the cattle-country voters for Chimpy....

[truthspeaker]

64. high sodium, high protein, zero carbs!

It's the Lewinsky diet!

[libview]

70. you mean he is gay????

I had no idea??

[truthspeaker]

74. no, i think the point was his diet is as irrelevant as his sex life

As far as I know he's straight, but that doesn't matter to me either.

[LWolf]

65. I wonder

about that.

As far as the post topic, I think Dennis answered it best himself in Sunday's debate.

But I see big trouble on the horizon for the beef industry. I keep my horses next to a huge expanse of land used to raise beef for a generation. When the old rancher died, his family sold it to developers. They plan to put 90,000 tract homes on the place. Development has been held up in court for 10 years, and the land was leased out to a guy running several hundred cattle. I ride over the area several times a week. Apparently the last appeal to development has been cleared, and they are ready to begin building. The lease is being revoked, and the cattle have to go. So the man with the cows has been bringing them down out of the hills to send them to auction; going to sell them all off, since he doesn't have another place to take them. Except that they aren't selling. All of a sudden, he can hardly give them away.

What can Bush promise the cattle industry to earn their votes? I don't know what he can say or do to fix the problem, but I've been thinking all along that the mad cow situation is another amazingly timely event that he would use to scare the masses into supporting him. Again.

[0007]

63. .....and the winner of the BurtWorm K-W debate is........

BurtWorm

[BurtWorm]

78. Gorsh!

Thank you! :toast:

[0007]

82. I seldom drink but I will have one with ya!

:toast:

[BurtWorm]

84. It's soy juice.

Enjoy!

[dusty64]

66. It is a plus for me, of

course I really like and respect him. Wish his campaign would catch on more.

[GreenPartyVoter]

67. I think it's great he wants to do that

and I respect him for it, but even if he was not I would still want him in the oval office. :)

[otohara]

68. Makes Me Think More of Him

Diet is very important

[libview]

69. I don't trust a man who doesn't like a good steak.

It's just not natural.

[zeemike]

71. Maybe he does like steak but chouses not to eat it.

That is how I am so it doesn’t seem imposable to me.
I am for anyone that is a vegetarian because they consume much less of our natural resources than meat eaters. They are good for the planet.

[K8-EEE]

83. Well That's A Real Liberal View

I hated that Cybil Sheperd ad campaign a few years back...."some people don't eat meat, but do you really TRUST them?" Creepy...

God anybody who ever visits a modern slaughterhouse, it'll make a vegetarian out of everyone, just facing the conditions and standards they have now which are basically, more money more more more money.

[Silverhair]

72. Yipes. Remember Duke's ACLU membership?

I can just see the Reps trying to use that somehow to charge that "Dean is an out of touch liberal snob."

Hey, don't flame me. It is his choice what he wants to eat, but in a tough election, everything is game. They will figure a way to use that. I can see the ad now, - Voice over while picture shows an angry Dean: "Dean says he isn't a liberal. Really? He (Insert list of liberal items.). He's doesn't even eat meat. How very trendy."

[sweetheart]

73. Great! He does not have CJD.

I'm more worried that the CJD has gotten to the others... :)

[fujiyama]

79. It says he doesn't eat meat...

That's all it says.

Everyone has their own dietery habbits. I myself have decided to stick to only poultry, and that too, only on a limited basis.

I think it's irrelevant what he eats. Then again, as Silverhair stated, in a close election, even such irrelevant topics may become relevant, in an electoral sense. This could possibly turn people off.

Vegetarianism doesn't make one a better person. After all Hitler was a vegetarian.

Still, I think a candidate's dietery habbits would be the last thing I would base a vote on.

[MISSDem]

80. I think that it says nothing good about him if he did it

"to impress a girl and kept it up because it made him feel better physically and mentally" unless the mentally part is knowing that he is no longer participating in the atrocities that are committed on defenseless animals in order to provide meat for human consumption. The list of abuses should make any person with any feelings question their partaking of the flesh of these animals. Just the thought of what they go through turns my stomach and the thought of eating them...can't go there. So it depends on why a person no longer eats meat as to whether it, IMHO, makes them someone I admire.

[K8-EEE]

81. It's Great -- IMO, A Plus.

Shows he thinks about things -- is not a mindless consumer or mindlessly pro-every biz, to the point of endangering the food supply which is where we are now, Beef A La Green Onions anyone?

[buddhamama]

85. i'm a vegetarian too

would i care if he wasn't, no.
but i won't deny that like him more for it.

[goodhue]

86. It's all gravy.

I'm a DK supporter because of his positions on public policy issues, but his diet is a pleasant plus to someone like me who was raised by mature meditating vegetarians. BTW, I'm a vegetarian who doesn't do dairy but does eat fish.

[Hep]

87. It's a healthy choice

I don't care what he eats as long as he doesn't care what I eat.

[OhioStateProgressive]

89. it's fairly irrelevant to me, but I respect it(nt)

[ThirdWheelLegend]

90. He is Vegan by the way..

He is a vegan by the way. Vegan means no animal products at all.

I also feel it is a small plus. I would still be 100% for Kucinich if he was a meat eater, but being a vegan makes me respect him a little bit more.

TWL

[corporatewhore]

91. its great!!! He wont get mad cow weve already had one presw/brain disease

[TexasSissy]

92. Meat eaters always seem perplexed by vegetarians.

I eat everything except beef, veal, pork....well, the only meat I eat I guess is poultry (and fish).

When I first found that out, my thought was: I wonder if he mixes his food properly to ensure he gets enough protein?

Otherwise, I don't think anything of it one way or the other.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

93. Well, we've had a president

(Nixon) whose favorite snack was cottage cheese with ketchup.

Veganism seems healthy and normal in contrast.

[Kathleen04]

97. Eww..

Cottage Cheese plus ketchup just sounds icky. And, would look even worse..pink-colored slop.

[Kathleen04]

95. It doesn't say much to me.

If he's vegan out of a concern for animals, I think it fits in with everything else that Kucinich is for..his idealism and progressive values. Or, he just wants to eat healthy, which is great too.

I'm a vegetarian also.

[Scott Lee]

96. Vicious carnivore here. I don't care what people eat, frankly.

As long as it's not me.

And for the record, politicizing ones food or sexual orientation is pretty lame. Those are issues of a personal nature.

[wyldwolf]

98. I'm fine with it... more baby back ribs for me!