Kucinich seeks support in Houston
Originally published in the Houston Chronicle
Kucinich seeks support here
Lagging in polls, candidate focuses on anti-war message
By ALAN BERNSTEIN
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich showcased his undiluted anti-war message Wednesday in a campaign romp through Houston.
The Ohio congressman called the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq an illegal and misguided action and said American troops should withdraw immediately and be replaced with forces led by the United Nations.
"It was wrong to go in there and it is wrong to stay in," he told the Houston Chronicle editorial board.
He said the presence of U.S. military forces is destabilizing Iraq rather than calming it for self-rule.
Later, in a spirited gathering of about 90 supporters and potential supporters at local Democratic Party headquarters, Kucinich said the U.S. was "bombing our brothers and sisters" when it killed Iraqi civilians.
"I want to see the money come back to this country, instead of spending it on bombs, so we can have health care for all," he said.
For local Democrats, the visit may have been a reminder that former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is not the only presidential contender making waves with opposition to President Bush's decision to attack Saddam Hussein's regime.
Kucinich drew distinctions between himself and other Democratic candidates, saying he is the only one among them who voted in Congress against the war and against the U.S. Patriot Act, which gave new powers to law enforcement and intelligence agencies following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Kucinich opposed the legislation as an infringement on civil liberties.
But Kucinich's appeal to anti-war and liberal voters has not been enough to place him at Dean's level in voter preference polls or fund raising.
The latest poll for next month's Iowa caucuses shows Dean in the lead with 26 percent and Kucinich, the former mayor of Cleveland, among a pack of four candidates drawing no more than 2 percent.
Kucinich told the newspaper's editorial board that he has to do better than expected in Iowa if he is to make a splash in the primaries that follow.
At the Harris County party office, Kucinich was introduced by former Houston controller and former U.S. Immigration and Naturalization director Leonel Castillo. He compared Kucinich to former President Carter, saying both were motivated by what is right rather than what is politically advantageous.
Kucinich said the United States should have worked with the United Nations to root out the terrorists responsible for Sept. 11 instead of going virtually alone into Afghanistan and Iraq.
"This idea that we can set ourselves apart from the world comes from the 19th century," he said.
Kucinich also said he wants to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement and end U.S. participation in the World Trade Organization. He said he would opt instead for agreements between the United States and individual nations that would guarantee decent wages and environmental protections.
He also promoted the idea of "Medicare For All," in which the U.S. government would pay for the health care of every resident, similar to the Canadian system.
The current health care system is rotting from greed because it relies on profit-bound insurance companies, he said. The nation could afford to provide health care for all by eliminating the profits and paperwork costs, he said.
Kucinich also called for a larger role for NASA in developing technology that can be harnessed by private industry for energy efficiency -- through alternative sources such as solar and wind power -- and other advancements.
Kucinich said he would cut the Pentagon's budget 15 percent without compromising the nation's ability to defend itself, decriminalize marijuana and eliminate the death penalty in federal court. He also advocated amnesty for illegal immigrants.
"No people are illegal," the congressman said.
Kucinich had no campaign fund-raising events on his Houston schedule. Singer Willie Nelson is scheduled to host a fund-raising event for Kucinich in Austin in January.
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