Following the campaign, January 10
After a nearly month-long hiatus, Karin Caifa is back. C'mon, what kind of embedded reporter doesn't cover the Willie Nelson concert! It's not like nothing was happening during the last month.
D.C. debate
On two hours sleep and looking it, Kucinich took part in Friday morning’s D.C. Presidential Primary debate at George Washington University and airing on WTOP Radio. Despite the half-inch or so of snow that fell on the District 60 or so D.C., Maryland and Virginia supporters (the same core I’m used to seeing at most mid-Atlantic events) showed up outside with signs and all to greet the candidate, who looked weary after flying in from New Hampshire.
Kucinich’s strategist Steve Cobble later described the event, which featured Kucinich, Carol Moseley Braun and Al Sharpton, as “a lovefest,” with no sharp jabs or swings flying between the candidates present. In fact, the candidate taking the most heat wasn’t even there - Howard Dean, the fourth major candidate on the primary ballot was criticized sharply by Sharpton for his absence. (Kucinich said simply of Dean’s absence, “I would say you’d have to ask Dr. Dean about that.”)
The debate was less an attempt to change people’s minds about primary votes (looking at the large number of Kucinich buttons and t-shirts, most present were already convinced) than it was to grab attention for D.C.’s long-fought battle to get statehood and these three candidates said exactly what D.C. residents wanted to hear.
“D.C. residents are the only Americans who pay federal income taxes but are denied representation in the House of Representatives. I stand here very strongly in favor of D.C. statehood and making sure that D.C. can have two members in the Senate and one member of the House and that D.C. is accorded the full privileges of statehood,” Kucinich said. “D.C. represents all the hopes and dreams but also all of the challenges of urban America. I can’t think of any more powerful cause than for our party to adopt the cause of statehood for D.C.”
At a post-debate lunch attended by 40 supporters and community leaders at Mimi’s in Dupont Circle, Kucinich said he plans to introduce legislation that would create those 3 congressional seats when Congress returns.
Kucinich, who says he remained on the ballot in D.C. because “I live here, I work here, I’ve been known to eat here,” denied that he had been approached by the DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe and asked to boycott Tuesday’s primary.
Things were tame between the three. A round of the candidates asking questions of each other consisted of Kucinich and Moseley Braun lobbing softballs at each other; Kucinich asked the former ambassador if she’d advocate a universal single-payer health care system (Duh.) while Moseley Braun countered by asking if Kucinich thinks homeland security can be maintained while making cuts in the Pentagon budget (Double duh.)
Moseley Braun came to Kucinich’s defense after questioner Mark Plotkin asked why Kucinich hadn’t mentioned the issue of D.C. statehood in nationally televised debates or forums, saying that both she and Kucinich have done more for the issue than most other candidates.
Sharpton, when asked who would chair the DNC should he win the nomination, cracked he’d choose Kucinich, to which the congressman replied, “Wait a second. I thought you said I was going to be your running mate.” Can you imagine THAT administration?
Second to the number of Kucinich supporters in Friday’s audience was the mobilization of supporters of perennial jailbird candidate Lyndon LaRouche, three of whom disrupted the debate and had to be escorted out of the hall. While perennial protestor Sharpton and Moseley Braun spoke up and reprimanded the protestors, Kucinich remained quiet.
And what D.C. political event would be complete without Faith Dane and her bugle? The end of a round of questioning elicited a trumpet riff from the 80-year-old former showgirl and perennial candidate who’s run for mayor in the District six times and touts a long-standing friendship with actor Marlon Brando. Questioner Mark Plotkin acknowledged her presence, though she’s not one of the 11 candidates who’ll appear on the ballot on Tuesday.
First place in the D.C. primary is all but guaranteed to Howard Dean, despite his absence today and between now and Tuesday. Many of the political folks I talked to Friday expect Sharpton to capitalize on the city’s large African-American population to finish second, but if Kucinich doesn’t finish higher than third it could seriously put a dent in his already-lacking perceived viability. Though Sharpton has campaigned hard in the District, Kucinich is a sitting member of Congress and has the advantage of more fundraising dollars and more ads in D.C. (print ads started running in early December.) A 2nd place finish could give Kucinich a much- needed boost going into Iowa. Conversely, a fourth place finish could really wreck the campaign morale-wise and in voter confidence, of which there is little to being with. And all those supporter who showed up for Kucinich? About 1/3 don’t live in the District, rather suburban Maryland and Virginia.
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