Following the campaign, September 18
From Karin Caifa:
IN IT TO WIN IT
Kucinich told an audience of registered voters living abroad that he is in the presidential race with the sole objective of winning the Oval Office. Responding to whether his role in the field is merely to be a “spoiler” (mainly to Howard Dean), Kucinich told those on the Democrats Abroad conference call Wednesday that notion is “laughable.” “How can anyone who tries to lead the effort to get the United States out of Iraq be a ‘spoiler’? Who am I a spoiler for? The forces of war?” Kucinich said. “Unlike Howard Dean, I actually have a real center to my politics.” He also emphasized that he is the “real” progressive in the race. Kucinich acknowledged that his poll numbers to date have been less than stellar, noting that his grassroots campaign “hasn’t registered yet in most of the polls. But it’s still early.” He added, “I’m offering the real alternative here. At the debates in Albuquerque and Baltimore I’ve been clear and concise and offered the best responses of anyone. People know what I stand for. There are so many ideas with so many people in the field (that) people are going to say, ‘I may as well go with someone whose view I believe in’ and my candidacy will surge and I think we’re prepared for that. ...Anybody could win this race. I’m no worse off than candidates like Jimmy Carter or Bill Clinton at this stage of the game. Anything can happen.” He defended his recently switched stance on abortion, saying that his switch to “right-to-choose” was made well before he considered a presidential bid. “This isn’t about an agenda or about politics. It’s about a woman’s role in society.” Regarding the economy, Kucinich advocated using NASA to develop the industries of the future. He says that a lot of the agency’s research is an “untapped resource” that could be better used in the private sector.
RETHINKING THE PATRIOT ACT
Kucinich said Wednesday that he’ll introduce what he calls “The Ben Franklin USA Patriot Act,” which would repeal all but minor provisions of the controversial measure. “It will return the U.S. to a place where we reinforce civil liberties and don’t use a national tragedy to take those constitutional rights away.” Kucinich has been a fierce opponent of the legislation since it was introduced, calling it “a real attack on the Bill of Rights.” This opposition has won him high marks and solid poll numbers within the Arab- and Muslim-American communities; a recent poll of Muslim-Americans had him trailing only Howard Dean.
‘SPINACH’ KUCINICH
Before the congressman joined the DNC Democrats Abroad conference call, the Mexico City contingency asked for the candidate’s first name and a pronouncer for his surname. “We’ve just been calling him ‘Mr. Spinach,’” the caller admitted.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
Gary Kucinich, a car salesman and younger brother of the candidate, has thrown his hat into the mayor’s race in Strongsville, Ohio. He’s a write-in candidate to succeed six-term mayor Walter Ehrnfelt, who died in May. The younger Kucinich previously served on the Cleveland City Council and ran for mayor in 1985. He lost to now-Sen. George Voinovich, who defeated Dennis Kucinich for mayor in 1978. Look to see both Kucinich brothers on the campaign trail.
TODAY ON THE TRAIL
Attending rally to save St. Michaels Hospital in Cleveland.
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