Dennis Kucinich would make the best president

[mudesi]

Whether or not he'd win is another thing. But of all the candidates I saw tonight, he's the only one that would truly do the most good for America than any of the other ones, based strictly on his stance on the issues.

[umtalal]

1. I agree n/t

[Dawgs]

2. I think he showed why he can't get above 10% support.

[libnnc]

37. Because people can't handle hearing the truth?

[lovuian]

94. And thats the real reason Kucinich is there to say the Truth

and we all get to witness those who deny it

You have to ask your concious are you for the Truth or not

Truth won out because Kucinich spoke it out of all the other candidates there

[rinsd]

103. That's actually a big part of the problem with Kucinich supporters.

Politics is about winning people over not putting down the voting public because they're not behind you.

[cyclezealot]

105. I see your point , but.

What about recent polls that show 55% of the people don't care about issues/ it's character. And character is just a lot of bs, portrayed by high paid public relations people who sell soap. and how can one argue with a population that has been nutured on b.s.' example - how can your support government programs when that same government brought you Iraq, as an example.
Some of us are just too bothered by issues to bother.
So, you can imagine how Dennis Kucinich supporters feel towards such nerds. WHo think issues unimportant, when that is all we care about. Sorry. On issues such as Single Payer health . Sorry all other options are sell outs. Cowards refusing to take on the lobbyists. Not on the right side of this issue, then they deserve our criticism.
If I want some sell out to Hartford money, I'd vote REpublican.

[krkaufman]

125. Or Green.

And thus here we are. Politics is also a practical matter, and Americans need to sometimes look for the base hit or sacrifice -- rather than swinging for the home run.

[LWolf]

160. Not quite. Politics is about winning, not truth.

The trouble with Kucinich supporters and many independent, non-voting, and 3rd-party voters is that they don't consider an office gained without truth to be "winning."

The problem with people like that is that they just won't get in line and march obediently to the drum of party or campaign propaganda like loyal creatures.

[PreacherCasey]

3. Yes Sir.

[Desertrose]

4. Amen!

I think he's coming off much better this time.....

He would make a very different president- which is just what we need.

[flobee1]

5. Do any of the other 7

have multiple bills in the pipeline to solve the problems?

I heard a lot of
"I would" and
"I will"
But only one said
"I Have"



he even went so far as to name the bill number!

[Greyhound]

54. There's the major reason I support him, right there.

With the exception of Gravel, who's been out of politics for a long time, every one of the candidates is in a position to make the changes they claim to want, but none of them have, in fact most of them have taken steps to make things even worse.

I hope there are many other people that didn't even know his name noticed that too.

[krkaufman]

126. With a one-vote caucus margin in the Senate ...

... and with that one vote being Joe Lovethewarman ... NO ONE is in a position to force an end to the war. If Lieberman were to switch caucuses, all oversight and accountability would again be effectively lost.

Dems do need to play this smart, force the Republicans to support Bush's vetoes and demonstrate their disconnect from mainstream America, in order to smash the Republicans -- once and for all -- in the 2008 elections, to gain solid, controlling majorities from which to govern.

[tblue]

114. Good point. He walks the walk, that's for sure.

[Nederland]

123. He only proposed a bill

It will never pass.

And that, in a nutshell, it Dennis Kucinich's problem. He's a nice guy with a bunch of good ideas, but is completely lacking the charisma and leadership ability to implement them. That is why, IMHO, he would make a terrible president. A good president leads and gets the people to follow him/her. Whenever Dennis "leads", nobody follows him, as demonstrated by his single digit polls.

[krkaufman]

127. He does sort of come across as a George Bush-style lone ranger ...

... but without the political muscle/machine behind him. I agree with both Kuch. and Gravel, but don't see them having the slightest chance of winning a general election in today's political and media environment. However, I pray to dogs that they'll stick with the race as long as they can, 'cause their messages needs to be heard by the American people in order to help shift the conventional wisdom more in line with popular opinion.

[lonestarnot]

6. Yes he would.

Represents the people!

[Selatius]

7. On the issues, I think Kucinich wins, but he's not electable in our system.

But a man who people would rather have "a beer at a bar" with became president. His name is George W. Bush. Funny how our system works.

[Seabiscuit]

80. I for one would rather have a beer at the bar in the first Star Wars movie with my

favorite alien critter, Dennis Kucinich.

[Stevepol]

101. Bush didn't win either election.

[tblue]

115. True. But why was he considered electable at all?

[H2O Man]

8. I think he did

very well tonight.

[partylessinOhio]

9. Dennis Kucinich is too good for wingnut America.

He is the kind of President we need but too many want war not peace.

It is a sorry state of affairs.

[bdamomma]

15. I think he would be good as a President, he cares about the

issues, and the American people. But apparently there are some people who are more concerned about the packaging than what is in the package.

He doesn't have the big corporations behind him, and the press doesn't give him any play. Sorry state of affairs is right.

[peace frog]

73. Too true

and so it has been in recent elections. Sad in any event, tragic under the present circumstances.

[TahitiNut]

122. Absolutely every attack on Kucinich I've seen on DU sounds totally like it comes from ...

... the corporatist right wing. Every DU thread that maps DUers on the Political Compass places 80-90% of DUers to the left/libertarian near side of Kucinich ... which indicates that the vast majority of DUers agree MOST CLOSELY with Kucinich's stance on the issues. The 10-20% to the right/authoritarian side of him, and those who hide their positions, seem to account for the vast majority of attacks on Kucinich.

There is almost nothing more politically detestable to me than those who lack the courage of what they claim are their firm convictions - unless it's those who'd adopt a Quisling/Vichy approach.

It's bad enough to deal with the double-dealing and corruption of the profoundly corrupt neoconservative cabal without dealing with the appeasers and political saboteurs flying false flags.

It's absolutely NO ACCIDENT that the widening gap between the affluent and the impoverished has increased over the last 25-30 years under BOTH parties and that poitical support for working people in THIS COUNTRY has consistently declined. There's been no notable progress on civil rights for the past 30 years. The size of the prison poopulation has increased EVERY YEAR for the past 25-30 years.

[LWolf]

156. Can I recommend this thread?

It deserves some time on the front page.

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Joe Fields]

10. I would agree with this premise: If...

he could get rubber stamp approval for his policies, the way that Bush had rubber stamp approval for his, then Kucinich would be a great president.

But being realistic, I truly do not believe that he would be very effective. He is too uncompromising. He would run into way too much opposition by politicians from both sides of the aisle, who are too attatched to outside special interests.

[flobee1]

12. who are too attatched to outside special interests

thats the underlying problem

I also think thats why he's only raised a fraction of the cash that the others have

[Joe Fields]

61. Quite unfortunate. Of all of the candidates, I respect and admire him the most.

[TahitiNut]

27. I think that's a bad rap. Dennis has done well in Congress and "plays well with the other children"

The notion that he "runs with scissors" is poltical fiction, imho. He's almost Jesuitical in "doing the right thing." I think we could use more of that, not less.

[Freddie Stubbs]

52. He does not work well with others

What has he done since Democrats have won control of Congress? He has introduced a bill to withdraw from Iraq immediately. Two months after this bill has been introduced, it only has two cosponsors:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.01234:

He also has introduced legislation to impeach Dick Cheney. Yet he failed to convince even one single Democrat to cosponsor this resolution:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.res.00333:

[Moochy]

71. Aggravated centrist dems...

At least theres a pyrric victory in that. :P

But in all seriousness, do you think that the congress should operate in a hyper partisan way? Should all of the bills introduced by all democrats be approved by the official party position?
Sounds very parliamentary and partisan. Plays well with others does not mean that there is no dissent in the big tent.

[Freddie Stubbs]

77. He has shown an inability to get anything done in Congress

The Congressional Progressive Caucus has 72 members, yet not one will support his impeachment effort. Even if he can't get a majority of the party to support, one would think that a competent congressman would be able to get a few cosponsors.

[cyclezealot]

106. Disgusting.

Reason to be behind DK. For shame. The Democrats are such a spineless lot.

[Greyhound]

55. They said exactly the same thing about Raygun, but he fooled them,

he took his arguments directly to the people and made the politiwhores fear for their jobs. Remember that Democrats controlled the legislature for most of his terms.

[Joe Fields]

74. True, if Denis could build popular support, by stating his cases directly

to the people, he could become a very successful leader, IMO.

[Nederland]

134. Exactly

Dennis is no Ronald Reagan.

[MonkeyFunk]

11. Perhaps

if Presidents could rule by fiat, but they can't.

Being President involves diplomacy, negotiation, compromise. It means working with people in both parties to make progress.

Kucinich really has no record of doing that. Liking someone's ideas is fine, but it doesn't automatically mean that person would make a good President.

[warren pease]

18. No disrespect intended, but...

Are you being sarcastic and I'm just too thick to get it? Or have you been in a coma for the past six years? Did you somehow miss government by fiat, as practiced every single day by our Codpiece in Chief? As to diplomacy, negotiation and compromise, as well as working with people from both parties, little lord shithead must have missed that part in his classes at Yale. Or too drunk to remember.

I'm not saying this is good government, btw, just that a single-minded, stubborn president with a majority in both chambers -- and I think DK could only get elected as part of a huge Democratic landslide, which would result in control of both chambers -- can pretty much tell everybody else to go to hell. And that's exactly what signing statements are, a great big fuck you to the American people and their non-GOP representatives.

So I guess I could handle a left wing "unitary executive" for awhile. Long enough to void all the regime's repressive legislation, to restore a little honor to the country, to wipe up the ugly stain they've left behind, to get rid of the religiously insane lawyers masquerading as impartial DoJ prosecutors, and to finally listen to a president who can get through a couple of sentences without tripping over his alcohol-besotted tongue. All this and single-payer health care, too.

What's not to like.


wp

[MonkeyFunk]

19. So you want a Democrat

to rule like Bush does? You think it's been good for the country?


Bush will be known as one of the worst Presidents in US history, precisely because of his governing style.

[warren pease]

33. No, not precisely because of his governing style..

but because he and the wingnut coup he fronts for stand for programs and policies that finally made even the narcotized American public puke. I'm certainly not interested in a czar, either left or right. But I am interested in reversing any and all traces of Bushism immediately -- yesterday would be preferable.

FDR was a pretty iron-fisted president, and all he did was set up the first honestly progressive federal programs this country had ever seen -- earning him the hatred of wingnuts throughout the world and launching an attack by corporate interests and their wingnut flunkies that continues today, and has pretty well been won by the dark side.

He did it in part because the natives were getting restless and the American elites were concerned their revenue streams would be reduced if people actually acted on the radical idea that America is about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But the results are what counted, and people actually had hope and believed they might just get through that miserable time.

So yeah, a strong executive with his party running congress, and with a set of priorities that resonate with the majority of the public (and don't forget that more than 70 percent say they want single-payer universal health care), would be exactly what's needed to get rid of all vestiges of these reactionaries and fear mongers.

In every single case, no exceptions, they chose the worst possible option out of a wide range of available choices. There isn't a single part of this country's social infrastructure that hasn't been shredded beyond recognition. This must be fixed, and soon. Impeachment would at least put the brakes on some of their excesses, but assuming they'll actually give up the white house in 2009 -- which I think is somewhat iffy given that fascists never, ever relinquish power peacefully -- their legacy needs to be erased before some third-level DoJ fundie decides the Military Commissions Act might be a load of fun to try out -- just for laughs.


wp



Edited because I'm just too stooopid to recognize a lousy sentence first time around.

[timtom]

51. How about this?

How about a temporary rule like FDR did?

By Kucinich.

It's time to clean house.

[RaleighNCDUer]

130. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

"Bush will be known as one of the worst Presidents in US history, precisely because of his governing style."

You really think it's his STYLE that's the problem?

IT'S THE FUCKING POLICIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's the corruption, the lies, the cronyism, the disregard of the constitution. You really think ANY LW dem is going to do that?

[MonkeyFunk]

157. oh please

by "style" I also mean his dumbass policies - his "style" is to implement stupid policies because he feels he can do whatever he wants, regardless of the rightness or constitutionality of his beliefs.

Plus, he's a dolt, so that doesn't help.

[dansolo]

86. That didn't work for Carter

As admirable as Carter is, and was, the same problems that he had would be magnified if Dennis somehow became president. Remember, Carter had a Democratic Congress, but that didn't help him. Dennis hasn't demonstrated that he is able to get other elected officials to follow him. As a result, he will have to be much more assertive, which will only further alienate Congress, like Bush does. That doesn't paint a very promising picture.

Kucinich may be the darling of the left, but I don't forget his previous anti-abortion and pro-flag burning amendment positions. Before he decided to run for president in 2004, his positions were very authoritarian.

[warren pease]

98. Yeah, that's a good point

Particularly since the current crop of Democrats in both chambers just can't be relied upon to support anything truly progressive. Unfortunately, most are wholly owned subsidiaries of the same businesses that fund the GOP, so it's hardly surprising that they espouse the same corporate values, while working to undermine anything besides feel-good, band-aid approaches to serious and complex social malfunctions. And these malfunctions are steadily destroying this country, polarizing rich and poor, bankrupting the treasury, genocide justified by the phony war on terror, increasing mortality and chronic disability because of this idiotic for-profit medical system, the slow strangulation of public education by chronic underfunding...

The answers to these problems, if there are any, don't fit on a bumper sticker and can't be addressed by pandering to corporate interests. And of all the contenders, only Kucinich acknowledges that the US is badly broken and needs a major overhaul rather than a minor tuneup. All the blather from the rest of them about the wonderfulness of the American people and their entrepreneurial spirit and never say die and our leadership in the world and root root root for the home team, blah, blah, blah... that doesn't do shit except get some people to sit down, shut up and settle for more of the same.

And because of these crippling, systemic problems, I'll take my chances with a strong-willed Kucinich presidency and a Democratic majority in both House and Senate. Aside from the pressing need to end the Iraq occupation and eliminate all traces of Bushism, which pollutes even the most remote corners of federal government, three issues -- judicial appointments, black box voting machines and domestic repression -- are too important to fall into the hands of the GOP or a moderate (which is to say, DLC) Democrat. I have zero confidence that the media-approved candidates, with the possible exception of Edwards, will appoint progressive judges, eliminate electronic voting machines, nullify the patriot act and military commissions act, and reinstate first, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth amendment guarantees.

And re his flag-burning and anti-choice positions, I would hope he's changed his views. I can't imagine Dennis Kucinich advocating an anti flag-burning amendment, although weirder things have happened in politics. Same with anti-choice. However, if he agrees to abide by Roe v Wade despite personal beliefs, I'm fine with that. Same with that fascist amendment. That's simply not going to resonate with his natural constituency, so I doubt that's going to be a key DK objective. Honestly, I could live with such an amendment, wingnut wet dream though it is, because the upside to a Kucinich presidency for progressives is so high.

I consider preserving Roe non-negotiable, and if he actually maintained his anti-choice position and appointed federal judges accordingly, I and millions of other progressives will have been taken for yet another ride by yet another lying politician. Not that they're a particularly trustworthy species, but that action taken by an outspoken progressive would probably end my days as a voter. That would be a betrayal of progressive principles so dishonorable that I doubt I would ever trust a politician again, no matter their stated position on the issues.


And the usual long-winded civics essay mercifully ends. Now wake up and read somebody who can say all the above in three sentences and make it funny too.


wp

[Wetzelbill]

13. I am amazed nobody has gone berserk on this thread yet

Could this be a kinder gentler DU this time around?

Yes, but DK is the man. No doubt. :)

[bdamomma]

14. one thing that stood out is when not one of the other

candidates would be ready to co sponsor Dennis's impeachment articles, that says it right there. This is all about them, and the 2008 election, do they think if they should up to Cheney would screw their chances of being President? I don't think so, seems like no one wants to take Cheney on.

[B Calm]

20. I hate to say it, but they looked like chicken shits when asked

if they would co sponsor Dennis's impeachment of Cheney!

[TahitiNut]

28. Agreed 100% ... BUT ... they're Senators.

Senators hold the TRIAL on impeachment - they're not supposed to be prosecutors (or defenders, either!).

That, however, is an exceedingly thin leaf to hide behind at this point.

[RaleighNCDUer]

135. Only some of them.

Richardson and Edwards and even Gravel did not - though, of course, all they COULD do is offer philosophical support - it is up to the Dems in congress to support him. The Senators could NOT offer support because, as you said, they would be judging if it came before them.

It ws a loaded question which could only come out badly for either DK or for everyone else.

Still, I would have thought Gravel might have spoken up...

[MonkeyFunk]

158. None of the other

candidates are in the House of Representatives - how could they co-sponsor the impeachment bill? :shrug:

[SnoopDog]

16. His web site is OVERLOADED...!

We would be so lucky to have a man like Kucinich be president...

[lonestarnot]

47. Yes!

[Canuckistanian]

17. Yes, he would.

But he'll never win the bathing suit contest, metaphorically speaking.

[mmonk]

21. Yeah, could you imagine going from international beligerent

to the kind of country it would be under his leadership?

[Beam Me Up]

22. Be still my beating heart! n/t

[sellitman]

23. Dennis was the best choice last time out too.

The only one close was Dean.

[stuntcat]

24. he's my favorite

always since I first heard him

[spooked]

25. YES...Totally AGREE!

Loved what he said about wanting the United States to be good again, and to be great again...

[Neoma]

26. I agree.

[Colobo]

29. Nope. Too naive.

[libnnc]

35. Could you expound on that a little?

How is he naive?

[AnOhioan]

50. He won't expand on his post...

easier for the Dennis haters to leave a hit and run post than anything else.

[Greyhound]

56. Yes, but consider he probably used up his entire vocabulary in the initial reply.

All them wordy things make head hurt.
:rofl:

[robinlynne]

30. absolutely.

[Individualist]

31. Hear, hear!

DK will get my vote.

[goodhue]

32. you bet

He'd win if we voted for him

[bdamomma]

36. he would probably win if everyone was willing to support him

and vote for someone who has their interests at heart.

[lonestarnot]

48. Now there is the stickler, convincing fucking people NOT to vote AGAINST their own interests!

:shrug:

[bdamomma]

53. and it seems people do vote against their own interests

[nedbal]

34. SUPPORT HIM WITH A DONATION FRON THE D U LINK

http://www.actblue.com/page/du-presidential

[DURHAM D]

38. Can't support him - he didn't answer the question on choice.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, women ... Blah, blah, blah...

Perhaps it has something to do with his religious upbringing. You know, women need to ask their Preist...

[libnnc]

39. I thought he said they should be safe, rare and legal

that Roe should be upheld.

Did I not hear him say that?

[DURHAM D]

41. Sorry - he did not respond clearly to the question about

selection of supreme court appointment and litmus test. Kucinich was against choice for most of his political career - think he has shifted but that is not enough for me combined with the fact he is Roman Catholic and five of those types just took a chunk out of choice.

In other words, older men who were raised and are catholic don't know what they don't know. After last week I just don't trust them.

[libnnc]

42. He wasn't given the opportunity to answer that

question about "best Supreme" Williams ran out of time and jumped to the next question

[AnOhioan]

40. That would have been Obama

He is the one who borught up the clergy in his resposne to the abortion question

[DURHAM D]

43. Go back and listen to Kucinich's response once you realize

that he has a history of not being pro-choice.

[AnOhioan]

49. I do not need to relisten

to his statement. I beleive he had a genuine change of heart on the issue. Today he stands firmly in the prochoice camp. I, myself used to a conservative Dem, now a believe otherwise. People can can, and do change opinions all the time.

Fact is, Dennis did not reference the clergy in his answer, no mater how much you state otherwise.

[RaleighNCDUer]

138. He is a progressive, which means he is capable of learning.

I think he has made some profound changes in the past several years.

[blues90]

44. Yes he would

He is the only one to attend the rallies and the only one who is not completely full of shit .

He represents the people and most likely would not be led and manipulated by the all mighty dollar .

[wildbilln864]

45. Damn right!

I agree! :hi:

[Individualist]

46. K&R

[mike_c]

57. absolutely-- no other dem candidates come close to DK....

eom

[salib]

58. He IS electable.

He just needs to win the primary, then he has Howard Dean and the entire Democratic apparatus to help him win. We want a President who is Democratic, and WHOEVER wins the primary will win the White House. Here is our chance to make it happen.

When he gets there, then we can all scratch our heads and bemoan the fact that he can only get some of his agenda through Congress, but he can ACT Presidentially. There is so much that he can begin the process of undoing and improving simply through presidential order, diplomacy, leadership, etc.

Let's worry about what is possible at that point. However, this is a pivotal time. We have one of our best opportunities RIGHT NOW.

Defeatism is NOT an option.

Work for him in the primaries NOW. Work for whoever wins afterward in the election THEN.

[soulcore]

59. He has my vote, 100%.

He is the ONLY candidate that understand the way the world is evolving, and how we need to move to diplomacy, cooperation and interconnectedness to solve our problems.

We have to end war, as a species, if we have any hope to survive.

Sure, the corporations want perpetual war, but if peace, true peace, isn't an idea The People can get behind I don't know what is.

[johncoby2]

60. President of what?

Sorry, he is a side show, a needed sideshow, but Presidential material?

No.

[TwilightGardener]

62. Why, President of Peace-itania! Where gumdrops and lollipops

fall from the heavens...Ok, you can see where I'm going with this--LOL!

[soulcore]

68. So you prefer war then? n/t

[TwilightGardener]

69. No, I prefer a responsible, phased exit strategy from Iraq, I prefer

a clear-eyed and assertive (NOT aggressive) foreign policy, and I prefer a strong national defense to help deter our enemies, NOT launch pre-emptive war. I lean to the right of this forum, admittedly.

[johncoby2]

82. That ISNT leaning right!

That isnt leaning at all. I completely agree with you, as most Americans, I would think.

[TwilightGardener]

85. Thanks! I suppose

my views aren't that right-leaning in the general public, just on DU!

[Ron Green]

84. When you say "our enemies" without quotes and with a straight face,

you're on a different page from me. We've got plenty of "leadership" that talks about "enemies" and "security" and "our way of life" as if there's no other way to look at life on earth except through the lens of imperialism and war. When we start electing leaders who see beyond this deadly and dead-end business as usual, we'll start to make some progress as citizens and human beings, not just as consumers and investors.

This is why Dennis Kucinich, or someone who says what he says, MUST be the model for future leadership. The tired old "enemies" based thinking isn't going to work any more.

[TwilightGardener]

88. Just because the GOPers emphasize our enemies and blather

endlessly about terrorism DOESN'T mean they aren't genuine threats--the challenge is to seek facts and reality versus fearmongering and public manipulation. If Democrats aren't able to present an ability to recognize true threats and deal with them effectively, then we will lose in '08--that simple.

[RaleighNCDUer]

139. I'd like a responsible phased exit strategy, too,

starting next week and ending three months from now.

Get the fuck out. It's the only way.

[socretes73]

63. I AM Voting My Conscience

and my consceince says to vote for Dennis Kuchinich!!

[goodhue]

64. no doubt

and he could win the general if he were the nominee

[goodhue]

152. .

[Auggie]

65. Yep. Nobody owns him.

[Virginia Dare]

66. Agreed, maybe in our next lifetimes...n/t

[Nightjock]

67. Did impeaching cheaney come up

last night? If so, what did the others say about it?

[goodhue]

72. They were asked to raise there hands if they supported Cheney impeachment

And none did except for Dennis, who then pulled out his pocket constitution and spoke very well for a short man.

[tblue]

118. Are you kidding me? I missed the debate, but this is ridiculous. WTH is wrong with them??? nt

[Rosemary2205]

70. I think he belongs in Congress

I do think he has the best ideas. And I like the fact he keeps running for president so it gets his idea out into the national arena. But Kucinich has yet to show he can build the broad support and coalitions necessary to get his ideas into law. He got so little respect from Joe Biden on his anti-war stance getting tossed into the same pot with Mike Gravel (gavel?) -- "you two can have your happy talk". And not one person even twitched when asked if they support Kucinich's impeach Cheney initiative.

When Kucinich shows me he can get Congress behind him then I believe he's a viable president. Until then I think he is a very important voice in Congress.

[The Count]

75. Integrity points: DK and Gravel. If character matters....

But it doesn't. Even on Air America, lee what's his name is making fun of his looks...

[file83]

76. Yes, it's the unfortunate "Colmes Effect".

As smart and as qualified as Kucinich is, humans on an irrational level will tend to not vote for a small funny looking guy.

However, from the beginning (1999) I always thought Bush was a small funny looking (and dumb) guy. I never thought in 1000 years that people would vote for him. And technically, I guess the majority didn't, but what good is that going to do for Kucinich (he doesn't have a network of people to help him get appointed as president!)?

[The Count]

108. The Colmes effect (like say, the teflon effect) are all manufactured

if DK would get a 10th of the praises and recognition that W does 9or did during HIS campaign), he'd be in front of the line quite fast.
I think the fundraising is an exercise in futility - ultimately it's the media (with or without DNC) who will pick our candidate. As always.
I agree with the personal impression of W - he looked to me like a smarmy bastard from day 1, back in 2000 - when I barely paid attention to politics.

[tblue]

120. Me, too. * always gave me the creeps. Then I read 'Shrub,' and it was all over. I saw through

every lie he's uttered since.

[krkaufman]

129. God bless Molly. She did try to warn us. n/t

[The Count]

133. For me it was reading about "Jesus Day" in NYT. That did it!

Then I heard about Carla Fay, and saw his smug smirk about someone being executed at the debate - I knew who he was right then.

[krkaufman]

128. And it was our semi-hero Keith O who took the cheap shot at Sen. Gravel...

"Zell Miller has just endorsed Sen. Gravel."

Note, also that we effectively had right-of-center pundits interviewing the Democratic candidates and their representatives after last night's debate. Will the Republicans then be interviewed by left-of-center pundits after their debates? How about Joe Conason, David Brock, Christy Harvey doing the post-debate interviews for the Republican debate?

[cyclezealot]

142. yes. character does matter.

They listen to what voters wanted last November and act on those issues. Instead of selling out to those who shovel cash into their treasuries.

[donsu]

78. yes

nt

[treestar]

79. True, if only Americans could quit being so shallow and

elect someone who will just do the job as it is described in the Constitution.

[WiseButAngrySara]

81. I so agree! But see the polled debate votes. Kooch scored

a (-)7 ! :wtf:????
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x770159

[underseasurveyor]

83. If only the nay sayers

What ever their reason(s), would just say yes and vote for Dennis we COULD HAVE this great and wonderful man as our President.

If only :/sigh:

[Beelzebud]

87. Didn't you get the memo? Dennis is unelectable. He's "scary". He's "weird".

[soulcore]

89. Right, peace is just too radical a concept for some progressives. n/t

[The Count]

109. Electability= who MSM & their masters aprove of

[Jcrowley]

90. Kick and Rec n/t

[stray cat]

91. I'ld consider the republican nominee unless he was really extreme right

I question whether Dennis can bring about world peace by being nice.

[w4rma]

92. Republicans would slaughter him once in office. It would be one big shouting match.

And Repugs would filibuster everything he did, just because it would play well for their base to do so.

[lovuian]

93. I was apalled to see the candidates we have Kucinich is

the only one listening to the people and what they want
I still like Edwards too but again about the Impeachment of Cheney
I was appalled at what I saw

[lutefisk]

95. Kucinich made me feel proud to be a Democrat

I felt a bit ashamed of the others- so careful that they came across as cowards, even though I feel that for the most part they are decent people. I want Kucinich to stay in Congress. I want Gore for President.

[Orsino]

96. I believe it.

I want him on the ticket.

[TNOE]

97. I agree!!!

He just needs some BIG MONEY behind him. Maybe Sean Penn can draw in some big $$ for him. I'm too poor to help out much! But for his impeachment measure - HE IS THE MAN!

[judaspriestess]

99. I like Kucinich also

but unfortunately he suffers from Pual Tsongas syndrome. Paul Tsongas was alright in my book but becuase he wasn't "tough" enough looking, he did not get the proper support deserved. RIP

[poverlay]

100. I will vote my conscience this time and Kucinich is it... nt

[cooolandrew]

102. He certainly showed the highest integrity last night, love the pocket constitution nice touch. =)

[cyclezealot]

107. during his campaigns three years ago,

that was a standard touch.

[bpeale]

104. is the DK lovefest over yet?

frankly, i didn't see much out of him to be impressed with. and i damned sure wouldn't support a democrat who would criticize other democrats. that is just too much to ask. bad enough we have repubs doing it without tolerating it from our own. and that's why i don't think he will EVER be president.

[The Count]

110. Why should it be? Did he sell out? Equivocate? Act against his rhetoric?

Sorry if I'm a sucker for integrity .

[lonestarnot]

112. Nope, not until the primary is over.

[JAbuchan08]

111. I was leaning elsewhere before

specifically towards John Edwards, but it seems to me that "electability" concerns aside, Kucinich is the only truely principled candidate out their. Seeing as how "electability" concerns are a self-fulfilling prophecy I say nominate him. At this point it is a bigger risk to continue maintain the status quo than it is to try something new.

[tblue]

113. I believe he has the most comprehensive plan to put us on track the fastest & the most profoundly.

No more making nice with the war profiteers and the energy magnates and the Saudis who manipulate us, etc. and so on. If he is not elected, Dennis should be appointed head of either the Dept. of Peace or the Dept. of Energy. He really, clearly understands what America needs, and he's not afraid to say it.

[Kurts Girl]

121. Gore gives a compliment to Kucinich

This is a nice interview from Truthdig. Robert Scheer interviews Gore about the '08 election. I think we can all agree with Gore that Kucinich is a "good kid."
http://www.truthdig.com/interview/item/gore_vidal_on_campaign_08/

[Aristus]

116. We'd sure have a beautiful First Lady if he won: (Dial-up warning)

:wow:

[tblue]

117. She is a natural beauty. And I bet she has a brain, too. And morals!

[Swamp Rat]

119. Geaux Dennis Kucinich!!!

:kick:

[krkaufman]

124. Actually, former Senator Gravel made Dennis look tepid.

Here's to President Gravel. He's a ROCK!

[Truth2Tell]

131. I'm proud to support DK

even if I know he's destined to lose politically.

So Dennis gets nothing done? Sometimes speaking out gets more done than we can see directly. Congress is more than simply a deliberative body. It's one of the world's most important soapboxes. It is a platform from which to lead - not just with legislative victories - but also, and significantly - with the expression of ideas. We are sorely short of such leadership at present and I for one am happy to sacrifice a bit politically and legislatively in exchange for the leadership of principled ideas.

[GreenTea]

132. Kucinich should be supported. Those who say he's "non electable"

are going to give their vote to who the media has thrown in our faces for month's now, Obama & Hillary? The republicans are ecstatic that their republican media machine can control who the Dem nominee will be, moderates like Obama & Hillary...

That is our choice take it and shut the fuck up! The media knows what's best for Democrats Obama or Hillary...these candidates with the most money and can buy all the ads they want stay in the limelight, cruise along...and what corporation will they be kissing-ass to like the DLC does for it's money.

Dennis Kucinich has exactly FDR's progressive social values, ideology and agenda...In which that ideology made the strongest middle class the world has ever known...But Bush & the republicans corporations are destroying the middle-class daily, for lower paid non union workers, less benefits for more profits...In destroying unions the workers have no united voice, as does the huge rich corporations that can afford their lobbyist destroying every aspect of workers needs & rights...And these same republicans are methodically destroying the "New Deal" which all republicans despise, (yet many republicans collect Social Security) by bankrupting our country through war, the corporations making hundreds of billions stealing our tax dollars. They are destroying purposely government programs for the people, saying there's no money for those programs...War for profit!

So we are supposed not vote or support a FDR or JFK typr progressive, or Kucinich because the media, the republicans and the DLC don't want a liberal progressive candidate?

So you'll give your vote to Mr. or Ms. popularity instead?

[Nederland]

136. Not true

At this stage of the game people are still voting and expressing their hopes and dreams, not making pragmatic choices. It's not until much later in the process that people start making the inevitable compromises that are necessary as the field gets whittled down. Primaries are not the time that people "vote for the lesser of two evils."

[mudesi]

145. I don't think that's true at all

Recall what happened to Howard Dean after the "scream". I have no doubt that the media influenced the people to support the much less charismatic John Kerry.

[upi402]

149. ...and much more cooperative John Kerry

Dean is is a fighter!

[BlooInBloo]

137. of Micronesia maybe.

[provis99]

140. he wouldn't be good because he's "unelectable"?

sounds like DLC crap to me. Those group of neo-corporate clowns are so bound by the idea of electing an "electable" president that good policy gets shoved right down the toilet. I mean really, whats the point of having political power if you act like a jackass republican when you have it? What happens when the DLC runs things is you get triangulators like Bill Clinton (or Hillary) who think they're making brilliant moves by advocating Republicans' policies (NAFTA, welfare destruction, idiotic "wag the dog" style attacks on Bosnia, incompetent cabinet members like Tenet, and other examples of boobery in office). As long as the focus is on choosing "electable" democrats, I really don't give a rat's ass whether a Democrat or Republican wins, since the same crappy policies will spew from their pieholes.

Lets hope Democratic primary voters actually show some guts and choose a leader who won't compromise decent values and policies.

[Desertrose]

141. I agree. If we can get people....

to really support him here on DU...that would be a great help to get this man in office!!

DR

[Vox_Reason]

143. I've said it before and I'll say it again:

I'd crawl over broken glass to vote for Dennis Kucinich.

However, if Elizabeth Kucinich was there to greet me after I left the polling booth, I'd do it all over again just to grab another gander at her and remind her that I happily voted for her husband.

As someone of Irish ancestry who long ago came to terms with my own weakness for women with red hair, I can't name anyone public or private, main street or hollywood, who is more beautiful than Elizabeth Kucinich.

Go ahead, flame me mercilessly; I have no response. Dennis Kucinich's politics very closely mirror my own, I'm very proud of his performance yesterday, and I think his wife is one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen.

Flame away!! I can take it.

[The Doctor.]

144. I like him, I believe he is the most honest among the candidates.

His wife's quite the looker too.

[cboy4]

146. Love him!

:kick:

[Eric J in MN]

147. I voted for Kucinich in 2004 and he's the only presidential candidate...

...I've donated to so far this cycle:
http://kucinich.us/

[upi402]

148. YES! n/t

[boobooday]

150. I agree.

He is humane, he has principles, he is honest. He gives a shit.

I guess that's why he is mocked and ridiculed.

[man4allcats]

151. He has my support.

He's certainly the only one with any balls. Go, Dennis!


Impeach the Bastids!

[Wetzelbill]

153. If people actually want to vote on principle DK is the man

You'd be lying to yourself if you say you're voting for somebody else based on principle. Nobody has Dennis Kucinich's chops on progressive issues these last several years. Nobody. Now if you want to vote for somebody else based on electability or whatever, that's fine, we all pick candidates for various reasons. But not a single one out there tops DK's integrity. You might think he's wacky or whatever, but the point is, while everybody else talks about an issue, DK stands up and fights. Everybody else hems and haws about the war, but Dennis goes out and actually tries to stop it. He has the guts to do what others talk about, even if it seems unpopular or imprudent.

[NastyDiaper]

154. And his peace-globe shirt rules!

Seriously. F'n hit the clubs with that shit!

[LWolf]

155. That's an inconvenient truth

that Democrats are not prepared to confront and address.

He'd have as good a chance of winning the general election as anyone else if his own party united behind him. If a candidate's stance on the issues no longer matters, we can dispense with debates and campaigns; a simple internet vote on who looks and sounds "presidential," based, of course, on what the media chooses to report, will do. They don't need substance, as long as they look good and have corporate sponsors/managers behind them.

We might even dispense with the entire primary process, and just agree to allow the candidate with the most corporate sponsors and $$ to run in the general election.

[mdmc]

159. Best ever!

:kick: