Dennis Kucinich

excerpts from the Iowa Daily Report

February 2003

 “Representatives Dennis KUCINICH of Ohio and Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois led the way in discourteous reaction by Democrats to President Bush’s State of the Union address…Seated next to each other, KUCINICH and Jackson spent much of the speech whispering and exchanging notes, hardly ever rising or applauding the president.” (Columnist Robert Novak, Chicago Sun-Times, 2/2) 

After HILLARY criticized GWB (see above item) and the Kennedy amendment passed the Senate, Human Events sent Assistant Editor David Freddoso to interview several congressional Democrats – including KUCINICH. Human Events: “When it comes to screening and fingerprinting foreign visitors, is the administration being overzealous?” KUCINICH: “Okay, just visualize this: Give me your tired, your free, your huddled masses…your fingerprints!” (Human Events, 2/3)

KUCINICH, who was known as Cleveland’s “boy mayor” in the 1970s, told a recent news conference that he has been “hearing from people all over the country who are asking for my voice to be added into the debate. I’m listening very closely to those voices.”  Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the three-term Congressman has “become a national voice for civil liberties and peace,” according to AP. KUCINICH plans to spend five days soon in Iowa. (AP, 2/5)

KUCINICH was among six congressmen – including Jesse Jackson, Jr. of Illinois and Middle East tourist James McDermott of Washington – who filed suit in Boston seeking to prevent GWB from going to war against Iraq without congressional approval. In addition to the six Democrats who joined in the suit, several U. S. soldiers and parents of military personnel joined in the suit, which contends that only Congress has the power to go to war under the Constitution.” (UPI, 2/13)

Associated Press reported that Iowa AFL-CIO president Mark Smith was “bombarded with candidates’ requests” to address the (2/17) annual legislative conference in Altoona. Smith said: “When presidential candidates heard that there were going to be 100-plus union members, they said ‘Oh, can we address it?” I was going to allow that. But pretty soon, you’ve got four of them, and you screw up your whole conference.” LIEBERMAN, EDWARDS, DEAN and KUCINICH were expected to attend the event, which was scheduled to be shown live on C-SPAN. KERRY (who’s recovering from surgery), GEPHARDT and SHARPTON also inquired about attending. (AP Washington, 2/15)

KUCINICH’s “opposition to the war in Iraq puts him in competition for votes with [former] Vermont Gov. Howard DEAN, civil rights activist Al SHARPTON of New York and former Sen. Carol MOSELEY-BRAUN of Illinois, all of whom have criticized the president’s handling of Iraq. Former Sen. Gary HART of Colorado also could get in the race and compete for liberal activists’ support…SHARPTON, KUCINICH and MOSELEY-BRAUN are all widely viewed as symbolic candidates.” – Des Moines Register report prior to the initial Kucinich five-day Iowa visit. (Thomas Beaumont, The Des Moines Register, 2/15)

“On February 17th, Congressman Dennis KUCINICH returns to Iowa. This time as a potential candidate for President of the United States. Congressman KUCINICH is planning a five-day visit in which he will be making at least one joint appearance with the announced/presumed candidates for president. He is also planning an appearance before the Iowa Federation of Labor on Monday night, the 17th. After these five days in Iowa, I believe we’ll have a candidate for president in Congressman Dennis KUCINICH, As DJK told Wolf Blitzer when asked about a candidacy: “stay tuned”…… (Statement posted on “Draft Kucinich for President 2004” website, operating as an “Unconnected Committee” as defined by the FEC – www.draftkucinich.com)

Under the headline, “KUCINICH candidacy hailed in Iowa…The Ohio congressman says he will push for a national health-care plan if he is elected president,” The Des Moines Register reported that KUCINICH told about 75 party members that he would be a candidate for the 2004 nomination. The Register report said: “KUCINICH, an outspoken critic of President Bush’s policy on Iraq, promoted a domestic agenda that included stiffer environmental regulations, retirement security for seniors and health-care coverage for everyone.” (Thomas Beaumont, Cedar Rapids dateline, The Des Moines Register, 2/17)

Four Dems appeared before more than 150 Iowa labor union activists at the Iowa Federation of Labor’s annual legislative conference in Altoona. “U. S. Sens. John EDWARDS of North Carolina and Joseph LIEBERMAN told…labor activists that their support for a resolution backing a possible U. S. -led war in Iraq is not subject to political pressure…But, U. S. Rep. Dennis KUCINICH of Ohio and former Vermont Gov. Howard DEAN denounced the Bush administration’s policy toward the pending crisis over United Nations weapons inspections as unilateral and damaging to relations with allies.” (Thomas Beaumont, The Des Moines Register, 2/18)

 “Handicapping presidential runs is never a simple undertaking. But we feel safe in saying that Ohio Rep. Dennis KUCINICH and former Illinois Sen. Carol MOSELEY-BRAUN, both of whom took the first steps this week toward candidates for the 2004 Democratic nomination, are entering the race as long shots…Mr. KUCINICH bills himself as the “candidate for peace” and a proponent of federally guaranteed health care and a livable wage for all…Mrs. MOSELEY-BRAUN entry presents a much different alternative to Democrats. Less ideological, the former senator is expected to focus on the party’s core constituents, counting on her appeal to women and African American voters as well as Democratic antiwar activists…It’s still early, and the Democratic field is large and growing. But could it be that Mrs. MOSELEY-BRAUN and Mr. KUCINICH are answering their own – rather than their party’s – call?” (“Two More Democrats,” Editorial, Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com, 2/19)

  It would appear that KUCINICH found a somewhat positive response to his “candidate for peace” message in Fairfield – home of Maharishi University of Management, formerly known as Maharishi International University, which was formerly known as Parsons College. According to a Fairfield Daily Ledger report by Staff Writers Matt Mullenneaux and Erik Gable, KUCINICH drew a “crowd of 300” as he “spoke against Bush’s position on Iraq and called for America to ‘reclaim its rightful role as the peacemaker of the world.’” The Ledger staff writers also reported, “At one point, the candidate held up the United State flag next to the lectern. ‘There are idealists all over the country who need a chance to remember the ideals this flag represents,’ KUCINICH said.” The event was expected to attract Jefferson County Democrats along with members of the Natural Law Party, which has considerable support in the Fairfield-Maharishi community. (Matt Mullenneaux and Erik Gable, Fairfield Daily Ledger, www.zwire.com, 2/20)“WASHINGTON – Dennis J. KUCINICH for president? Carol MOSELEY-BRAUN? Al SHARPTON? Howard DEAN and Gary HART, for that matter? On paper, anyway, none of these presidential hopefuls stirs visions of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR or even Bill Clinton. Yet each has either jumped into the race for the 2004 Democratic nomination and is poised on the brink – this season’s versions of Gary Bauer, Steve Forbes, Alan Keyes and all the other forgettables of previous presidential years.” (Jules Witcover, The Baltimore Sun, www.sunspot.net, 2/21)

Is something missing here – like a prospective Dem presidential candidate most Democrats have a favorable impression of as their nominee?  The latest CNN-TIME poll indicates that less that half of the nation’s leading Democrats (49%) have a favorable view of LIEBERMAN, who also – and ironically -- ranks as their top presidential prospect. The CNN-TIME poll, according to an Associated Press report, indicated that LIEBERMAN topped the Dems with 16% while GEPHARDT had 13%. Others: KERRY at 8%, EDWARDS and SHARPTON at 7%, MOSELEY-BRAUN at 4%, DEAN and GRAHAM at 3% and KUCINICH 2%. But, the CNN-TIME poll of 529 Democrats or those who lean Democrat (margin of error: +/- 4%) indicated that HILLARY was viewed favorably by 72% while LIEBERMAN got a 49% favorable and GEPHARDT was at 41% favorable. (CNN/TIME/AP, CNN-TIME survey, www.cnn.com, www.time.com, 2/21)

“But just how far the Cleveland congressman plans to stray from his long-held anti-abortion record remains unclear. In an extensive interview on the subject, KUCINICH refused to say how he would vote on various anti-abortion measures that he has supported in the past. ‘I’m not going to comment on any vote that I may cast in the future,’ KUCINICH said, adding that he would ‘take the same thoughtful approach,’ as he did in the last Congress.” (Elizabeth Auster, The Cleveland Plain-Dealer, www.cleveland.com, 2/24)

 “…KUCINICH is about as likely to be elected president as Janet Reno is to become the next Miss Venezuela.” – James Taranto (“Best of the Web Today,” OpinionJournal.com.2/24)

“Rep. Dennis J. KUCINICH, who last week abandoned his pro-life position on abortion just in time to run for president, squirmed to explain himself yesterday. Tom Russert, host of NBC’s ‘Meet the Press,’ asked the Ohio Democrat: ‘If you were to change so quickly on the issue of abortion, a moral issue, why shouldn’t people question whether you may change your views on Iraq for political expediency?’ Mr. KUCINICH replied: ‘Well, first of all, Tim, I didn’t change on a dime. Last year, in the last Congress, there were votes where I expressed my concern about the direction that this debate has been going.’ Mr. KUCINICH said his current stance ‘reflected years of thinking.’” (Greg Pierce, Inside Politics, The Washington Times, 2/24)

 From “Best of the Web Today” by James Taranto: “The time has come for us to end the sanctions against Iraq, because these sanctions punish the people of Iraq for having Saddam Hussein as their leader. These sanctions have been instrumental in causing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of children.” – KUCINICH, The Progressive, November 2002…”Saddam Hussein should be removed from power…I think the way that you do it is to continue use of sanctions which thwart his efforts to grow.” – KUCINICH, “Meet the Press,” 2/23/03. (James Taranto, Best of the Web Today, OpinionJournal.com, 2/24)

“Ames, Iowa- Who does he think he is? One local pol though the would-be presidential candidate was an upstart state senator. A veteran reporter leafed through a congressional almanac for biographical details on the new guy. And a rank-and-file Democrat – a lady dressed in read, taken by his soaring rhetoric – admitted she had never heard the name KUCINICH before he showed up here last week.” (Tom Diemer, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, www.cleveland.com, 2/24)

From Elizabeth Auster of the Cleveland Plain Dealer Washington Bureau report: “Molly Smith, executive director of Cleveland Right to Life, called KUCINICH’s move ‘a betrayal. We believe that the integrity of congressman KUCINICH is not at stake.’ Abortion-rights groups are being more cautious…’I’m taking him at his word that he’s pro-choice,’ said Kate Michelman, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America. ‘But that obviously will have to translate into action in the House.’” Twice in the past three years, NARAL gave KUCINICH a rating of zero. (Elizabeth Auster, The Cleveland Plain Dealer, www.cleveland.com, 2/24)

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