Kucinich, undeterred, vows to stay in race
Originally published in the Boston Globe
Kucinich, undeterred, vows to stay in race
By Kate McCann, Associated Press, 1/27/2004
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Democratic presidential longshot Dennis Kucinich said Tuesday his campaign has the money to carry beyond New Hampshire and he will not drop out of the race.
He said he has no intention of mimicking Dick Gephardt, who quit the race the night he came in fourth in the Iowa caucus.
"Dick Gephardt put all his eggs in a basket called Iowa," Kucinich said. "I have a lot of little eggs in little baskets all over."
Speaking to supporters about an hour after the polls closed, Kucinich didn't mention preliminary results putting him a distant sixth with 1 percent of the vote.
"We're going all the way to the convention where we're going to win the nomination," he said to cheers.
Kucinich said supporters are donating $20,000 to $30,000 every day through the Internet, and the campaign has raised about $5 million in 10 months.
Kucinich said his campaign is "building momentum very slowly," but he was encouraged by some of the high profile support he has received. He also dismissed notions that he would join a third party if he fails to win the Democratic nomination.
"You can feel the energy in this room," the grinning candidate said from the podium Tuesday night. "Don't you get the feeling that we're just at the beginning of something?"
Guitarist Tim Reynolds of the Dave Matthews Band campaigned with Kucinich and was to perform at a rally for him Tuesday. Kucinich also is backed by singer-songwriters Ani DiFranco and Willie Nelson.
Other Kucinich-backers include actors Ed Begley Jr., Linda Blair and Danny Glover.
Reynolds, who said he is a Democrat as long as Kucinich is running in that party, said Kucinich reflects a "complete paradigm shift to nonviolence as an operating principle."
Kucinich now heads south, where he plans to attend a debate in South Carolina.
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