Kucinich presents platform
More coverage of the Seattle rally and speech, from the campus newspaper where the events were held, the UW Daily (link is currently broken even on the website itself)
Kucinich presents platform
Matt Lutton / The Daily
Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, led a rally in promotion of his presidential candidacy in Red Square Friday.
Labor groups such as the Tacoma Longshoremen and the American Service Committee, as well faculty from Shoreline Community College and the UW Chapter of Students for Kucinich all gave speeches in support of Kucinich's campaign.
"Our country needs a change, we need new ideas, Kucinich has those new ideas," said Leigh Ann Johnson, recent UW graduate, holding a sign stating, "We can change the world, we can elect Dennis Kucinich."
Though Kucinich's speech did not begin until 3 p.m., the College Republicans began the festivities, protesting the inconsistency of Kucinich's abortion stance, his plans to cut defense spending and socialized health care.
With shouts of 'Four more years!' the College Republicans held signs stating 'Save the lives of serial killers, vote The Kooch' (Kucinich's self-imposed nickname) and 'Post 9-11, who needs national defense anyway'?
Later, addressing them, Kucinich said, "Four more years of war? OK, now we're even." Kucinich is the only candidate who has openly expressed opposition to the War on Iraq.
At 4 p.m. in the Kane Hall Auditorium, Kucinich gave a formal speech and held a forum for questions and answers. His platform includes succession from North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization, free higher education, and the establishment of a department of peace.
Kucinich entered the political arena in 1977 when he was elected mayor of Cleveland at age 31, the youngest person ever elected to lead a major American city.
After a 15-year absence, Kucinich was elected to Congress in 1996 as Ohio's representative.
Spending the majority of his tenure working on labor and civil legislation, Kucinich has been rallying support recently against the U.S. Patriot Act.
"I call for a new direction for America, one that will mean the end of fear and the beginning of hope," said Kucinich.
Kucinich later likened America's current struggle for peace to the 1960s, and the Patriot Act to apartheid.
On Saturday, Kucinich met with union representatives from International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Service Employees International Union, as well as several other local chapters. His next stops include California and New York.
"We are conditioned to believe we don't make a difference," Kucinich said in closing, "but you are the ripples of hope moving forward in this tide of humanity that sweep away oppression and resistance."
Subscribe to this blog's feed