Dem presidential candidate Kucinich to speak in Bucks
Originally published in the Morning Call
Dem presidential candidate Kucinich to speak in Bucks
Tenacious campaigner holding fund-raiser, visiting school Friday.
By Hal Marcovitz
Of The Morning Call
Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich, the only Democratic presidential candidate other than John Kerry actively campaigning in the primaries, plans to visit Bucks County on Friday.
Kucinich will speak at a fund-raiser at the Brick Hotel in Newtown, then address students at the nearby George School.
Kerry already has enough delegates for the Democratic nomination, but Christy Lewis, an organizer of the Kucinich campaign from Upper Black Eddy, said she wouldn't be surprised if the challenger polls 20 percent of the vote in Bucks County.
She said Kucinich appeals to Democrats who want to preserve the environment as well as people who question America's involvement in Iraq.
''He's the only candidate planning to get us out of Iraq,'' Lewis said Friday. ''Everybody else is saying it could take years. I don't want to be in Iraq for five or 10 years. Why can't we get the United Nations involved now and bring our troops home?''
Tickets for the 8:30 a.m. fund-raising breakfast are $30 each. Lewis said people should contact her at 610-982-5141 to obtain tickets.
Although Pennsylvania and a few other key states remain on the primary schedule, Kerry has sewn up the nomination with 2,377 delegates. A minimum of 2,162 delegates is required for the party's nomination. Kucinich has rarely finished out of the single digits in any state's primary or caucus. Currently, he has 27 delegates.
Lewis said Kucinich supporters refuse to give up.
''How can you say the guy who speaks the truth and doesn't waver on the issues is unelectable?'' she asked.
Lewis said the congressman's Bucks County campaign is modest, with fewer than 10 people actively working for the candidate. Still, she said Kucinich has the capability to attract a wider audience.
''He's a great speaker,'' she said. ''If we can get people to listen to him speak, they would find him inspiring.''
Bucks County Commissioner Sandra A. Miller, a candidate for Kerry delegate, said she would not expect many officials from the county Democratic organization to attend the fund-raiser or the speech at the George School.
''I can't believe there would be a big turnout of party people,'' she said. ''There hasn't been any networking from that organization to reach out to the party.''
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