Kucinich Makes Wisconsin a Key Stop
Originally published in Newsday
Kucinich Makes Wisconsin a Key Stop
By JR ROSS
Associated Press Writer
October 13, 2003, 10:42 PM EDT
MADISON, Wis. -- Presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich came to Wisconsin short on two things -- name recognition and money.
The question is: Will a visit to one of the swing states in next year's election give him a boost in a crowded Democratic primary?
Kucinich made Madison one of his stops Monday on a tour officially kicking off his campaign for the presidency. He spoke at a rally for supporters on a day that also included stops in his native Ohio, Michigan, New Hampshire and Iowa.
About 250 people gathered at a corporate hangar near the Dane County Regional Airport for the Madison rally.
Kucinich delivered an anti-war speech criticizing what he called the United States' illegal attack on Iraq and bashing the Bush administration for requesting $87 billion for what he described as an indefinite occupation of that country.
He said later that he came to the state's capital city because he believes the liberal-leaning college town would be receptive to his message.
"Madison understands when political trends are about to start. Madison understands when political movements are about to start," he said.
As Kucinich wrapped up his remarks, a light rain began to fall. Joined by actress Mimi Kennedy of television's "Dharma & Greg" show, Kucinich participated in a Native American dance led by a member of the local tribes of Wisconsin.
Though Kucinich has campaigned for the past eight months, he trails badly in national polls and in fund-raising.
He raised $1.7 million during a three-month period ending June 30 and hopes to show an additional $1.5 million in donations when campaign finance reports are filed Wednesday. By comparison, Democratic front-runner Howard Dean is expected to raise almost $15 million for the three-month period that ended June 30.
Kucinich also hasn't shown a broad base of financial support in Wisconsin. Figures compiled by Political Money Line showed he raised just $5,250 from 10 Wisconsin contributors during the three-month period that ended June 30. John Kerry led all Democrats with $29,400 from 27 Wisconsin contributors.
Ed Miller, a University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point political science professor, said it's been surprising that Kucinich has stayed in the race as long as he has despite his low profile.
He said Kucinich may be hoping his anti-war message plays well in a state that had one of the largest turnouts for Green Party candidate Ralph Nader in the 2000 election. But he said the problem for Kucinich is that candidates with higher profiles are hitting on many of the same themes, effectively drowning him out.
"I don't know how long it's going to last," Miller said of Kucinich's candidacy. "He's got to get publicity, and he's got to get money and I think he's trying for both."
Joe Heim, a political science professor at UW-La Crosse, said Kucinich may be hoping that his maverick reputation and liberal background will play well with some Wisconsin voters. Still, he said the state doesn't have a reputation for bucking the national polls and going with a dark horse candidate.
"He obviously thinks Wisconsin is somewhat fertile ground for him," Heim said.
State GOP chairman Rick Graber said it will be difficult at best for Kucinich to win support here.
He said Kucinich is a little-known congressman considered on the more liberal side of his party's ideologue trying to court voters in one of the more evenly divided states in the country.
Graber also said Kucinich's record won't resonate with Wisconsinites. Elected in 1977 as mayor of Cleveland, the city became the first since the Great Depression to go into default just two years after he took office.
"I would hope not," Graber said when asked if Kucinich would appeal to Wisconsin voters. "This is the guy who presided over the bankruptcy of Cleveland, Ohio, when he was mayor." [ed. note: nice GOP smear there]
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