Actor Viggo Mortensen endorses Dennis Kucinich for President

[rjones2818]

Run time: 06:53 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvMl_Kie-is   Posted on YouTube: January 07, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: January 07, 2008 By DU Member: rjones2818 Views on DU: 3377

 

THESE are the times that try men's souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands by it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

From Thomas Paine's the Crisis: http://www.ushistory.org/paine/crisis/c-01.htm

Go Dennis! :woohoo:
http://dennis4president.com
Vote your conscicence, choose peace!

[Greeby]

1. What business does a man, an elf and a dwarf have in New Hampshire?

Sorry, couldn't resist. :evilgrin:
Kick for Da Kooch :kick:

[Kolesar]

2. Viggo who?

[ForeignSpectator]

3. Lord of the Rings, for example... check www.imdb.com n/t

[Kolesar]

4. Now Greeby's joke makes a lot of sense

:lol:

[Enrique]

5. here's dennis thanking him

[cornermouse]

6. Viggo Mortensen.

:loveya:

I think I'm going to have to watch Lord of the Rings tonight. :)

[Bishop Rook]

7. All I could think was...

"My brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day! ... This day we fight!"

Good on Viggo.

[idiocracyhell]

8. Flew the red-eye to stand up for Kucinich

Viggo Mortensen has my respect and admiration for leaving his celebrity comfort zone to stand up for Kucinich. I wish more celebrity's had his intelligence and sense of humanity. I loved what he said about America's lack of universal health care being an embarrassment abroad. I couldn't agree more. The powerful insurance companies will do all in their power to protect their health care profits that are in the billions The corporate powers need to shut Kucinich up, or undermine and ridicule him because he's the only real threat to their power and wealth. What ABC did in excluding Kucinich from the debate was such a blatant affront to every Americans sense of integrity. Hopefully it will backfire, and the moral and intelligent people of New Hampshire will vote for Kucinich despite MSM attempt to control our democracy.

Thanks Viggo for standing up for our greatest candidate! Kucinich and only Kucinich '08.

[Lorien]

9. Mortensen has a bit of perspective. He grew up in Argentina

and spent quite a few years living in Denmark (one of his parents comes from there), along with a few years in New Zealand. Americans are so insulated from the rest of the world that most seem completely unaware that there are other systems and other ways of living that benefit the people more than they do the powerful. Those of us who consider ourselves "citizens of the world" first can envision real charge with a bit more clarity than those who completely discount the rest of the planet as irrelevant, I suspect (I recently heard a colleague refer to Canada as "nothing more than America's hat". Personally, I'd rather have the health care system that the people living in that "hat" are receiving than our for profit system).

Although I'm glad when any American cares enough about what's happening in this country to speak out in any way that they can, Mortensen's endorsement stands in very sharp contrast to the glitz and hoopla that surrounded Oprah's endorsement of Obama. Granted, his celebrity pales in comparison to hers; but the MSM made far more fuss over Chuck Norris' backing of Huckabee! Part of it may be a conscious effort by the MSM to marginalize Kucinich and his message, but I also think Kucinich needs to work on conveying his message more strongly and working on a bit of showmanship. It's a pity that we're not evolved enough as a species to focus on the issues and the issues alone, but Obama's meteoric rise has certainly highlighted the fact to me that style can easily trump substance in American politics.

[Jemmons]

11. I live in Denmark and here we dont have to worry about huge

medical bills. Universal coverage paid over the tax bill makes for higher taxes, but as the system is more eficient and cheaper to run than the US comercialised system we probably pay less in the end. And every citizen (no exeptions) have acces.

[NorthCarolina]

13. In America we Cater to the Corporations

and to hell with "average" citizens. You live in a progressive society, and you can pretty much see that America has become regressive under control of our Corporate masters. The media has successfully implanted the impression in the feeble minds of our electorate that Truly Universal Health Care is IMPOSSIBLE and UNWORKABLE and requires a For-Profit middleman between you and your doctor, and all candidates that advocate for the people are simply made out to be kooks and turned invisible. The intentional dumbing down of America for purposes of unequivocal control of the masses is apparently a fantastic success.

[anamandujano]

24. "the issues and the issues alone"

"It's a pity that we're not evolved enough as a species to focus on the issues and the issues alone, but Obama's meteoric rise has certainly highlighted the fact to me that style can easily trump substance in American politics."

Too true, and we all know here that it's the corporate media that creates the focus, and marginalizes whoever or whatever presents a threat.

[idiocracyhell]

28. Celebrity glitz and health care

I have relatives living in Canada, and they never complain about their health care system. It has always seemed to me, a much more humane way for a society to provide it's health care to it's citizens regardless of their ability to pay. The GOP scream "socialized" medicine, and the "idiocracy" of the masses follow with the hysteria that we'll turn into a socialized nation if we provide universal health care. The rest of the Democrats have "universal health care" which just keeps the insurance industry in the middle reaping in more profits off the sick and dying. How immoral is that?! Kucinich is the only candidate with the moral courage to really take on the insurance industry and fight for single payer not-for-profit health care. No wonder he was left out of the Iowa debates since AARP was the sponsor.

I think you're right about Oprah's endorsement of Obama bringing much more celebrity glitz. I think if Kucinich has more celebrity supporters besides Sean Penn and Mortensen, they really need to create some noise behind him. That's what our society seems to sadly respond to, not just the issues. I wonder about those celebrity's endorsing the other candidates health care platforms. Are they really in the position to empathize with the struggle of the middle class drowning under our health care system? If they were, I believe they would be endorsing Kucinich. Yet I think in our culture, packaging and popularity is so important that if Obama has the celebrity glitz and smooth rhetoric, even celebrity's want to be on the winning team. It's truly sad that such shallow quality's like style and celebrity endorsement even have a place in our political sphere.

[Lorien]

32. Politicians like Kucinich will only attract a celebrity who honestly cares

about people and the planet, not just keeping themselves in the headlines. Penn and Mortensen, like The Dixie Chicks, Johnny Depp, Sheryl Crow, Martin Sheen, Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins, among a handful of others don't really give a flying fig if people boycott them or not over their political viewpoints. They believe that it's their duty as citizens to speak up for what they believe in, and they often end up being marginalized themselves by the MSM because of it-which in turn deters others from speaking out. The MSM has a love/ hate relationship with them, depending on who the MSM backs themselves. The celebrities are damned if they do and damned if they don't; while on one hand they may get a shred more press for their candidate (as Mortensen has in this case), on the other hand the MSM uses their appearances to FURTHER distract the publics attention away from the issues. The MSM excels at turning the message into a sound bite about the messenger, so once again the issues themselves get swept under the rug.

[idiocracyhell]

37. I see your point

I hadn't thought about the repercussions for celebrity's by MSM. I'm disgusted by the abuse of power they have over the masses. I no longer get my news from MSM, because I know it's filtered through whatever their objective is at the moment. I was enraged to see Wolf Blitzer marginalize Kucinich on the Clinton News Network. The question about the UFO to Kucinich in a Presidential debate was outrageous! To see Kucinich excluded from the ABC debate based on their propaganda made me furious! As an artist yourself, you know there's a lot of passion involve, we feel things deeply. So it makes sense that true artists that genuinely care about this country and planet, would become political activists. The abuse of power by the corporate elite over the people in our democracy should enliven rage and political activism in anyone that cares about our Constitution. I now realizes what a precarious position celebrity's are in by voicing their political views if it upsets the MSM agenda. When did our democracy get sold to corporate America?

[FREEWILL56]

10. Welcome to DU.

Now just to clarify it really wasn't just about the endorsement from a celebrity as Viggo basically said, although that is there too, but of the principle that he viewed what happened as not being right by a candidate. If one were to go just with the celebrity endorsement, well they all have them to one degree or another and wasn't the point being made by Viggo. And no Viggo isn't the only or most popular celeb. supporting DK for you wisecrackers out there.

[idiocracyhell]

29. Viggo isn't only celebrity endorsing Kucinich

Thanks for the welcome...:) I know Viggo was there to support Kucinich because of what ABC did by excluding him from the debates. I also know that our society responds to celebrity endorsement, and as far as I know only Sean Penn and Viggo Mortensen are the celebrity's endorsing Kucinich. If there are more celebs supporting Kucinich, I wish the would lend their celeb power to our greatest candidate. He needs all the help he can get with MSM blatant subterfuge of his campaign.

[fascisthunter]

12. Here's another Kick for My Guy (nt)

[stimbox]

14. Right on Viggo!!!

:applause:
:yourock:

[demnan]

15. Join the Kucinich camp

that's where all the really cute guys hang out.

[Cleita]

16. Loves me my Viggo!

I thought he was hot before BushCo ruined our collective lives, but he's so much hotter now that he has put his principles out front for all his fans to see. He looks a lot like my late husband did at his age. :loveya:

[RestoreGore]

17. Great endorsement

I love Viggo Mortensen. Good for Dennis Kucinich, and I too agree that this slight by ABC was totally undemocratic.

[Desertrose]

18. This is really wonderful. Always knew that Viggo had a real depth ...

unlike some of the other celebrities out there. Viggo cares...and is obviously quite intelligent.

He actually bought the horse in the movie Hidalgo after they were finished shooting. I was impressed by him before, but this was such a cool thing for him to do.

Thank you, Viggo. You totally rock!:thumbsup:

DR

[momster]

26. Bought the One in LOTR Too

The Brego-horse.

[RestoreGore]

19. I still don't understand why he told Iowan supporters to go for Obama on the second ballot

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0108/Kucinich_sorta_endorses_Obama.html

If he wants change as well, why would he tell his supporters in Iowa to support someone who has taken corporate money as opposed to someone who has not? And I'm not trying to be difficult here, I really don't understand that.

[Michael101]

22. Political Strategy...

It was a political strategy on Dennis Kucinich's part. He wanted to stop Hillary clinton in Iowa, but below you can read the e-mail I received by his campaign. Hope this helps you much.



In answer to your questions about why I didn't support former Senator John Edwards on the second ballot in Iowa: I have serious concerns about his connections to a Wall Street hedge fund, Fortress Investment Group. While attacking others for accepting campaign money from Washington lobbyists, he is up to his ears in money from Wall Street special interests.
He made half a million dollars in a single year for attending a few meetings for Fortress and has invested a substantial part of his own personal wealth in the hedge fund whose portfolios are responsible for sub-prime predatory lending practices, Medicare privatization, and an entire range of corporate sharp dealings that are driving the middle class into poverty.

While I indicated Senator Obama as a preferred second choice in Iowa, Progressives have fundamental disagreements with him and all of the other Presidential candidates on most of their major positions on the issues.

We must have the courage of our convictions to fully support and vote for what it is we really want. For once, we must realize our power, stop playing tactical games, and vote as a bloc - which, as you know, is what the religious right does and why they often win.

We Progressives are in the majority in this election. We will win only when we refuse to compromise and vote with integrity.

Dennis Kucinich

[slipslidingaway]

23. When asked this question Dennis has said he thinks Obama

is sincere. That may have been a way of saying he finds Obama more sincere than Edwards.

:shrug:

Also Edwards is 'saying' things that Dennis has done.

Dennis voted against corporate interests on the China Trade bill, he voted against the MIC with his IWR vote, and he voted for our civil liberties when he voted against the Patriot Act. These are just a few votes where Dennis stood up with his vote when Edwards did not.

[Michael101]

20. Yeah, Yeah!!

I hope that Dennis Kucinich picks up lots of votes in New Hampshire after what ABC did to him.

He is still a candidate and until he says he is not, they should let him debate.

He is the real CHANGE unlike all other candidates.

I believe that the New Hampshire people will not be closed minded and they will vote for the right candidate.

[slipslidingaway]

21. Viggo,"I’m Against Cheating, Greed, Cruelty, Racism, Imperialism

"I’m Against Cheating, Greed, Cruelty, Racism, Imperialism, Religious Fundamentalism, Treason, And The Seemingly Limitless Capacity For Hypocrisy Shown By Bush And His Administration”...


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/12/15/viggo-mortensen-im-a_n_12315.html

“I’m not anti-Bush; I’m anti-Bush behavior,” Mortensen told Progressive magazine. “In other words, I’m against cheating, greed, cruelty, racism, imperialism, religious fundamentalism, treason, and the seemingly limitless capacity for hypocrisy shown by Bush and his administration.”


Great for Dennis!

[roguevalley]

25. Viggo is a real man among the pretend. THat's why he is such

a good man. He lives his principles. That he's hot as the sun doesn't hurt. But then, smart men are hot.

[slipslidingaway]

30. ....

:thumbsup:

[lebkuchen]

27. Viggo is an actor, but also a poet and artist

I saw him in Copenhagen autographing his book of poetry about four years ago. His impromtu here shows how caring he is, and that's true artistry, unlike the phony charade Bush demonstrates everytime he's near an open mike.

[idiocracyhell]

31. Viggo's bio

I didn't know much about Viggo Mortensen other than he's an actor, so I looked up his bio and was impressed with this talented man. I think when you're a true artist, you really have the ability to empathize deep in your soul. Anyone that supports Kucinich understands the humanity of his campaign. As someone that writes poetry and appreciates the art, I have a new found respect for Viggo. What a caring and patriotic man he is to fly the red-eye to stand up for justice in this corrupted election process.

[Lorien]

33. Check out his small press:

http://www.percevalpress.com/index.html?-session=pp_sc:186E3F2202a3819CF3QYX253C77F

As an artist myself I'm more than a bit envious of his seemingly limitless energy and creativity. He puts out books of poetry, essays, photography, fine art, and produces Jazz CDs (composing and playing much of the music himself). How on earth he finds time to act in films is beyond me, let alone have time for political activism. I want some of whatever he's taking!

[idiocracyhell]

36. I agree

Whatever Viggo's taking needs to be shared with the rest of us sleep deprived artists! Thanks for the link....:) I'm also a musician, and was pleasantly surprised to find Viggo's a musician as well. Do you know what instruments he plays? I wish the celebrity's supporting Kucinich would hold a benefit to raise money for this great man. Maybe Viggo could supply the music. Kucinich really needs his celebs to rally behind him and create some noise, since this is sadly what our society responds to.

[Lorien]

38. I think that he's a pianist

I'm not entirely sure. I stumbled upon his Percival Press site for an odd reason; the guy I was seeing is told all the time that he looks just like him, so I went in search of photos for comparison and ended up on the site instead (and yeah, my friend does look like his slightly younger twin. Much as he appeared in "Walk on the moon"). I'm quite pleased to see that Mortenson would more than fit in on DU; he's into Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Truthout, Democracy Now, Joseph Campbell...a person I could certainly relate too! Except that I really CAN'T relate to the energy and the amazing output of art. It really does bother me; I'm an illustrator and a former animator for Disney. Hardly a Fine Artist, but I had always intended to do personal works on the side. Like you, I'm badly sleep deprived and that drains any energy for anything more than "survival art". It's truly depressing. :-( The sad thing also is that almost every former colleague of mine in the film industry is in the same boat we're in; too tired to do much on their own. I have one friend who works as a background painter for Warner Brothers who also is a guitarist in an alternative rock band...but she's the exception rather than the rule. I've never personally known an artist who could create paintings and photographs, publish poetry, produce CDs AND hold together a separate successful career. That takes some kinda magic...or serious drugs! (though I doubt that's the case).

Yeah, a benefit would be good if there are enough to participate. I wonder if Melissa Etherage or Sheryl Crow are supporting Kucinich? There are certainly a huge number of anti-war celebs-especially musicians-out there. It's always seemed to me that Kucinich himself doesn't go for things like celebrity benefits. I'm from Ohio myself originally, so I can kind of understand that...but I think it's time to face facts. Society responds to showmanship and to celebrity more than it does to better ideas. One has to work with what reality presents us with, as unfortunate as that is. He needs to use the system to be heard, as it seems like the only way the MSM will turn their lenses toward him. Means to and end and all that.

By the way-welcome to DU! :hi:

[idiocracyhell]

39. Thanks for the welcome...:

I love the Percival Press! It combines so many of the things I love. Beautiful art, inspiring poetry, political articles that are intelligent and insightful, and what I'm sure is beautiful music. I just watched "Eastern Promises" and was blown away by Viggo's performance. What an amazing actor he is! He should win an Oscar for that performance. Knowing he's into Chomsky, Zinn, and Joseph Campbell, shows his intelligence, social conscience, and spirituality. I have to say, he's my new celebrity crush. Clive Owen move over, Viggo's number one now! He's the Dennis Kucinich of the celebs. Everyone pales in comparison.

I'm impressed you're an illustrator and former animator for Disney. My eleven year old son became interested in animations last year. He uses "Stop Motion" I believe. When I watch him create animations, I'm always so amazed at the level of patience it takes. He's not the normal eleven year old. He's into programs like "MythBusters" while his friends get easily bored and want to watch cartoons. I understand about not having time to create. Where does Viggo find the time to create so much, and maintain a successful acting career? Maybe he's one of those guys that only needs four hours of sleep.

I know what you mean about Kucinich not going for celebrity benefits. it seems out of step with his genuine campaign, but I think he needs to play the celebrity game. It's what people are responding to. That's the only way I can wrap my head around people not voting for our greatest candidate. I know Willie Nelson is a Kucinich supporter. That would make for an interesting evening, listening to country then jazz at the same concert if Viggo and Willie played. I think Melissa Etherage is also a Kucinich supporter. He needs to create buzz with the masses, and that means more showmanship and celebrity endorsements. You say you're from Ohio. What is your take on what Kucinich did while mayor of Ohio? I've read many negative things written about him from the people in Ohio.

[Lorien]

34. Mortensen's statement:

Dennis Kucinich for President

When a television network has the power to decide which candidates are "worthy" of addressing the American people, it robs the American people of their most precious right to the free flow of information and dissenting points of view. I am an artist mostly known for acting in movies, but I am also a citizen and a voter who resents the control that big money, big media, and entrenched political interests have in deciding what I should see, what I should hear, and what I should be allowed to think. ABC and other media censoring Dennis Kucinich- and others legitimately running for the office of President of the United States- by not allowing them to be part of televised debates is, in my opinion, an outrageous manipulation of and disservice to the public, as well as a criminal misuse of public airwaves. If you agree, please make your objections known to ABC and other media outlets similarly restricting public speech and political information. Thank you,
Viggo Mortensen.


http://www.percevalpress.com/index.html?-session=pp_sc:186E3F2202a3819CF3QYX253C77F

[lovuian]

35. Aragorn Rocks

He is awesome