Here are some articles about Dennis Kucinich and his candidacy for U.S. President. If you are interested in learning more, please check out the official campaign website at [url=http://www.kucinich.us]www.kucinich.us[/url] or you can also check out some unofficial supporter websites at [url=http://www.imwithdennis.com]www.imwithdennis.com[/url] and [url=http://www.kucinich-oregon.us...]www.kucinich-oregon.us/blog/kucinichworldpeac e[/url]
Dennis Kucinich pitches unique platform
By Claire Compton
News Editor
Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich made an appearance at Virginia Tech on the eve of Virginia’s primary, making his case to be nominated to be the Democratic presidential candidate.
Kucinich may not have the same support nationwide as Edwards in the primary race, but the candidate drew a crowd of about 500 people when he spoke in Squires Colonial Hall last night.
Tech’s Young Democrats and Campus Greens sponsored the appearance, though many other groups participated and distributed flyers.
Members of the New River Valley Coalition for Animal Rights and the Environment supported Kucinich’s principles, which include the candidate’s personal belief in veganism.
“I definitely think everyone in NRV-CARE would love to see Kucinich as president,” said Amanda Sowers, a Tech alumna and member of NRV-CARE. “NRV-CARE definitely supports the fact that Kucinich is a vegan.”
Angela Barker, President of NRV-CARE and a junior biology major at Tech said she supports everything about Kucinich.
“He stands for all the right things,” she said.
Both Barker and Sowers said Kucinich’s veganism reflected well in other ways.
“He has a non-violent approach to life,” Barker said.
Kucinich spoke for a considerably longer time than Edwards, even engaging in a question and answer period. Kucinich maintained a positive outlook on the future of his campaign, despite numbers that may indicate otherwise.
“Our campaign is beginning to connect with people on the grassroots level,” Kucinich said.
Kucinich went into great detail about his plans for universal health care, foreign relations, and environmental policy. He portrayed the other democratic candidates as similar to Bush, especially in the context of the war in Iraq. “I don’t think the American people want to trade a Republican version of war with a Democratic version of war,” he said.
Kucinich decried the Patriot Act, the war in Iraq, the North American Free Trade Agreement, the World Trade Organization, and what he said were Bush’s destructive environmental policies.
“My first act in office will be to cancel NAFTA, cancel the WTO,” he said.
In the speech’s climactic moment, Kucinich stood with arms outstretched on either side, and said, “No strings, no strings, none,” as the audience stood and applauded.
Kucinich stressed his rejection of special interest groups he says influences too heavily other candidates.
“This no strings approach is very important because it gives Americans a government they can call their own,” he said.
Kucinich bantered with the crowd in the question and answer period, humoring his audience with answers to such questions as ‘what he would tell Tony Blair.’
“Tony, you’re a free man and you don’t have to pretend anymore,” he said. “I’m going to tell him there’s no more leash.”
Aaron Barr, a senior engineering science and mechanics major, said he enjoyed Kucinich’s speech, and applauded his platform.
“The Bush administration has done such damage,” he said.
“(Kucinich) has all the best ideas, I’m a big environmentalist, and he has the best (environmental) policy.”
Kucinich offered Tech students a unique platform last night, laced with influences from the politician’s own beliefs.
“They say never ask how laws and sausages are made,” Kucinich said, in an insight that may reveal the inspiration for both his political career and dietary regimen.
Before I go on to another article, I'd just like to add this brief message: are you aware that if a black hole were to come into existence between us and the constellation we'd see two capricornuses because of the gravitational effect of the black hole on the light waves coming from the stars. Just thought you'd like to know.
Speakers shape choice of undecided voter
By JOSHUA L. WEINSTEIN
Portland Press Herald Writer
Copyright © 2004 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.
Not even a week ago, Lena Weiner-Sorgman didn't think much of U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, the Ohio congressman who wants the Democratic Party's nomination for president.
"I can't even say his name," she said five days ago.
As for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, forget it.
"Too conservative," the 67-year-old longtime Democrat proclaimed.
So when she arrived at the Portland Democratic caucus Sunday afternoon, she had pretty much written off those two candidates. She sort of liked retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark, didn't mind Sen. John Edwards and felt some warmth toward Sen. John Kerry. The Rev. Al Sharpton had said all the right things as far as she was concerned, but she didn't think he could beat President Bush.
Even when she arrived at the caucus, though, she had no idea who would get her vote.
Then the speakers began.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed the 2,000 or so people in the Deering High School gymnasium on behalf of Kerry.
Weiner-Sorgman loves Kennedy. She grew up in Dorchester, Mass., and has always admired the family. And during the summer, she met Kerry at a restaurant. In fact, when Weiner-Sorgman, who has been disabled since birth, went over to shake his hand, she began to trip.
"He picked me up," she said. "We had a nice little conversation."
But hearing a surrogate - even one named RFK - isn't the same as hearing from the candidate. And the only two actual candidates to speak were Dean and Kucinich.
Much to Weiner-Sorgman's surprise, she liked what she heard.
She liked Dean's message of being an outsider, of moral leadership, and was rapt when he said: "You have the power in the next hour-and-a-half to take back . . . our country, so the flag of the United States no longer belongs to (Attorney General) John Ashcroft and (Vice President) Dick Cheney and Rush Limbaugh."
"He's good," she said. "I kind of like his tone of voice, and he's not screaming at us," she said.
Still, she didn't know who she'd vote for.
"I take a long time in the (voting) booth," she said.
Kate Roberts, a Maine social worker who spoke on behalf of John Edwards, lost Weiner-Sorgman - and her enthusiasm - early.
And then Kucinich took to the lectern.
"If he becomes president," Weiner-Sorgman said before the congressman spoke, "I'll invest in a new hairstyle for him."
Yet she listened.
Democratic politics always has been important to her family, and until a few years ago, she was reasonably active in party politics in Portland. In fact, plenty of people recognized her at the Portland caucus, called her by name and paid attention to her thoughts - even if she didn't know who she was going to vote for.
Somehow, Kucinich grabbed her attention.
He is a long shot who, before Maine's votes were counted Sunday, had not gotten more than 8 percent of the vote in any state and had two delegates compared to Kerry's 274.
But she liked what he had to say. Very much.
When he talked about the North American Free Trade Agreement, she found herself cheering.
"We haven't fixed NAFTA," Kucinich said. "But NAFTA . . ."
Sitting in a wheelchair in the gym, Weiner-Sorgman finished the congressman's sentence.
". . . fixed us!" she shouted.
When Kucinich delivered his line about weapons of mass destruction - "Poverty is a weapon of mass destruction! Poor health care is a weapon of mass destruction! Poor schools are weapons of mass destruction!" - she was cheering.
And when he left the room, walking inches from her, she nearly gushed.
"I could have touched the next president of the United States," she said.
And then she wondered why she hadn't heard more about Kucinich.
"How come the press has written him off?" she asked. "I'm very, very impressed."
So impressed she'd give him her vote?
"I don't know yet," she said.
It was between him and Dean.
Ultimately, Weiner-Sorgman joined 52 others in her precinct and voted for Kucinich.
"I just liked what he said," she explained.
Staff Writer Joshua L. Weinstein can be contacted at 791-6368 or at: jweinstein@pressherald.com
|
