Kucinich backers walk the walk
Near the middle of a 3,300–mile cross–country sojourn to promote Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich's run for president, supporters of the former Cleveland mayor strode through Burlington Monday.
"It's a peace walk inspired by Dennis Kucinich," said Jonathan Meier of the trek, which began Oct. 17 in Portland, Maine.
The recent Iowa State University graduate gathered other Kucinich supporters after hearing the candidate speak in Ames in January and set out for the West Coast "to raise awareness about Dennis Kucinich's presidential candidacy."
"The walk is intended to unite all progressive issues, politicians, Americans, humans, for the causes of global justice and peace," Meier states on a Web site dedicated to the walk.
The jaunt also is an effort to raise the visibility of Kucinich's campaign, mere weeks before the Jan. 19 Iowa caucuses, the 21–year–old Meier allowed. Touting plans to dismantle the North American Free Trade Agreement and a proposed Cabinet–level Department of Peace, Kucinich sits at or near the bottom of many nationwide polls.
A Zogby International poll shows Kucinich with 2 percent support among possible Iowa Democratic caucus–goers, far behind front–runner Howard Dean, who has 26 percent with less than three weeks before the caucuses, the nation's first presidential nomination contest.
Despite the less–than–staggering poll numbers, Tom Schmitz believes grassroots efforts and hidden pockets of support will push Kucinich toward the White House. Bearing a sign reading "From Maine to California," Schmitz said Kucinich "has integrity."
"He's the only politician I've ever seen who has it," he said. "This is to help Dennis Kucinich get elected president of the United States. And I think he will get elected."
Meier, with Schmitz and his son, Tak, 14, and Clara Wilson, 25, have traveled through 11 states since the walk began, with more than 600 volunteers offering food and/or a place to stay along the route. The group ate breakfast Monday at Perkins Restaurant before traveling by car to Kansas City, Mo., where they'll continue toward California today.
The walk has been fueled by the help of volunteers, pot–luck dinners and one–night stays with other Kucinich supporters. Tom Williamson, with his wife, Deborah, and daughter, Kirsten, 14, walked briefly Monday with the group down Roosevelt Avenue.
"I feel that (Kucinich) stands head and shoulders above the other Democrats in terms of his vision for peace," Williamson said. "Regardless of where he stands in the polls, there is very large grassroots support for him."
Dubbed Steps4Peace by its organizers, the walk represents an effort by all presidential candidates to increase efforts to make themselves and their campaign platforms visible before the Iowa caucuses. In the past week, television commercials touting the campaigns of Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt and North Carolina Sen. John Edwards have become more prevalent.
Candidates also will seek the support coming out of three approaching debates. One is Saturday and is sponsored by the Des Moines Register. National Public Radio and the WOI Radio Group will sponsor a two–hour radio debate Jan. 6. On Jan. 11 candidates will participate in the Brown–Black Presidential Forum. All three events will be in Des Moines.
History has shown that the winner or first runner–up in Iowa has gone on to win their respective party's nomination, and the prize is sought after by six of the eight Democratic contenders. Despite that, Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman and former Gen. Wesley Clark have announced plans to forego Iowa and focus their campaigns on New Hampshire's February primary election.
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