Kucinich Still Wants To Influence Dems’ Platform
Originally published by WBBM
Kucinich Still Wants To Influence Dems’ Platform
Saturday, March 13, 2004, 6:30 p.m.
By Bob Roberts
WBBM Newsradio 780
Although John Kerry appears to have sewn up the Democratic presidential nomination, don't tell that to Dennis Kucinich, who is campaigning across Illinois until Tuesday's primary.
Kucinich tells voters he's not worried so much about attracting delegates as he is influencing the Democratic platform.
"While the nomination may be a foregone conclusion, what we stand for as a Democratic Party is not a foregone conclusion," Kucinich said.
In a highly-charged speech Saturday to the Rainbow-PUSH weekly forum, the Ohio congressman said he has "dragons to slay" and issues to present.
"I could have helped George Bush find those weapons of mass destruction," Kucinich said. "He could have just come to the neighborhoods of any city in America. We could have helped him find the weapons of mass destruction because poverty is a weapon of mass destruction."
Kucinich said joblessness, poor health care, poor schools and racism constitute similar "weapons."
He told a cheering crowd that not everyone understands those issues, even within his own party.
"John Kerry's going to need a lot of help," Kucinich said. "He may not be able to say the things that he needs to say, but we need to say the things that must be said."
Kucinich said that includes setting priorities and setting a directionfor the Democratic Party.
The five-term congressman and former Cleveland mayor expects to wield considerable influence in the Ohio delegation, and intends to use that as a platform at the convention and beyond on a series of issues, also including voting rights and what he terms "social and economic justice" matters.
He said he and he alone can keep the most liberal Democrats from defecting again to the candidacy of Ralph Nader, and said by doing so, he can achieve his ultimate goal, which is to return a Democrat to the White House.
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