"Swiftboating our own!"

[puebloknot]

We, the Americans (and a lot of us at DU) keep making reference to Dennis Kucinich as being "elfin," "gnome-like," "a short person - ha-ha-ha," and on and on.

My father was a bit shorter than Dennis Kucinich, but he hit the beaches of Normandy on June 7, 1944, and he marched all over Europe, and fought in the Battle of the Bulge. His stature was not a problem to this country.

Remember Pearl Harbor? I think it's safe to say that the majority of those pilots who destroyed our naval fleet were "small in stature." A man's physical stature does not stand in the way of his doing either good or evil!

I've met Dennis Kucinich. He is not "elfin." He is not a "gnome." He does *not* have a "problematical speaking voice." Much to the contrary, he's a compelling speaker, and his integrity simply pours out of him when he is speaking. He towers over me because I'm a woman of small stature, but he towers over six-footers, too, philosophically speaking.

We "swiftboat" our own on this forum when we continue to focus on the superficial things, rather than taking stock of the merit of what the man or woman stands for. We need to get serious about what we will and will not accept from our would-be leaders. Are we so lacking in character that the way Hillary's suit fit her in a certain television appearance, or John Edwards' expensive haircut, or how Dennis Kucinich, being so short and all, managed to attract that hot British chick is where our attention goes? And why do we not see that throwing a question about UFOs at Dennis is simply another example of the MSM attempting to manage our perceptions, on behalf of their corporate puppet masters?

Yes, Dennis Kucinich stands above the madding crowd with his intentions to bring sanity back to government. And he's a threat to established corporate power. Now we need to follow his example and become a force for change along with him.

We need to first, *remember*, and second, *remind* the current (that could change) leaders of the Democratic Party that they serve at the behest of We the Voters, and not the other way around. What is on the table is not theirs to decide unilaterally.

(Originally posted as a response in this thread:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2219919&mesg_id=2229823

[Kolesar]

1. I don't see making fun of Dennis here

I see a plethora of lugubrious malaise about a huge number of other Democrats, though.

I would note that his office handling of constituent contact is "not so good".

[puebloknot]

4. "...plethora of lugubrious malaise..."

You trying to fry my brain, or what? :)

I worked for the Kucinich campaign in 2004. There were many things that did not live up to my hopes for the campaign. There were people of a New Age bent who assumed that Dennis was the Second Coming. There were people who criticized Dennis for wearing a tuxedo when he married Elizabeth, because that looked too "rich" and too "elitist." There were people who were coattail hangers-on. Sometimes the most creative people, and those willing to volunteer, were replaced by paid operators -- and no one knew why. There was generalized chaos in that campaign. But what I remember most of all was Dennis' "Prayer for America." All the petty stuff goes away when you read or listen to that stellar speech.

And it is also good to remember that Dennis made a statement to the voters in 2004, on a miniscule budget. A lesser man would have thrown in the towel by now!

Imagine what Dennis could do for us and with us if we stopped saying he can't win, and actually supported the man -- with cash!

[H2O Man]

2. Gandhi on Socrates:

"Socrates, we are told, was the most truthful man of his time and yet his features are said to have been the ugliest in Greece. To my mind, he was beautiful because he was struggling after truth. ...Truth is the first thing to be sought for, and beauty and goodness will then be added to you." -- Gandhi

[puebloknot]

6. Beautiful. Thanks for that reminder! nt

[Lerkfish]

3. well, what supports your contention is that

the thread on dennis kucinich and the UFO sighting was not relegated to the dungeon.

[puebloknot]

7. Yes! Happy Day! :) nt

[annabanana]

5. Like Annette used to say:

"Beauty is as Beauty does."

[puebloknot]

8. I remember when I was nine, my mother talking about Eleanor Roosevelt.

Not being very politically aware back then (and neither was my mother), all I remember is her talking about how ugly the woman was. I had to grow up and do some reading to find out how that ugly woman impacted this country, and my life, through her "trickle-down" contribution to this country.