Crowd wowed by frankness of Kucinich
Originally published in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Crowd wowed by frankness from also-ran
By RAQUEL RUTLEDGE
rrutledge@j...
Posted: Feb. 15, 2004
Like a character in a Broadway play, Dennis Kucinich delivered his lines
in Sunday's debate with confidence and conviction. He waved his arms,
pointed his fingers and punched the right words.
Election 2004
Trouble was, his lines were few. The leading roles were taken. The Ohio
congressman would play a minor part.
The panelists directed most of the questions at front-runners John Kerry
and John Edwards. Howard Dean lapped up much of the remaining time, with
longshot candidates Al Sharpton and Kucinich clawing for leftovers.
Although Kucinich didn't get to speak until about 10 minutes into the
debate, his answer to a question about negative campaigning drew the
first applause of the night.
"If the debate ends up being about the president's service record, you
know, we should be worried about the National Guardsmen and Guardswomen
who are in Iraq right now who shouldn't be there.
"We should be worried about bringing them home, not worrying about what
the president did or didn't do 30 years ago. We have to be concerned
about what he's doing now. He sent those men and women there on a lie,
and we have to bring them home."
The crowd cheered.
Kucinich later said his first act in office would be to repeal NAFTA.
"That's specific action that will regain real power for the American
workers and for workers everywhere and to give the American people the
ability to buy American-made goods."
He continued to pitch himself as a "president of peace."
"I think this administration knew full well that Iraq had nothing to do
with 9-11, with al-Qaida's role in 9-11, with the anthrax attack on the
country, that Iraq had neither the capability nor the intention of
attacking the United States, that Iraq was not trying to get uranium
from Niger, and that in fact Iraq did not have weapons of mass
destruction," he said.
"The president lied to the American people."
Asked why President Bush would do that, Kucinich said, "I can't speak
for the president, but I can speak as the next president of the United
States."
The crowd laughed.
Kucinich said after the debate that he was "fine" with his limited stage
time.
"I can't be discouraged. I'm undaunted," he said. "You've got to
understand the way I'm made: I'm unsinkable."
Subscribe to this blog's feed