Kucinich rouses party faithful at Maui rally
Originally published in the Maui News
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Monday, November 01, 2004 1:37 PM
Kucinich rouses party faithful at Maui rally
By MELISSA TANJI, Staff Writer
KAHULUI – U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio fiercely pumped up a crowd of several hundred people at the Maui Democratic Party rally Sunday at the Kahului Shopping Center.
On Maui Saturday night and Sunday to stump for Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry, Kucinich called on Democrats to get out the vote on Election Day to help decide what could be another historically narrow presidential race.
“You are here at a pivotal moment of American history,” Kucinich said. “This is indeed Maui’s moment and Hawaii’s moment.
“You have the power in your own hands. . . . Never before has one vote mattered (more).”
The former Democratic presidential candidate, who campaigned on the Valley Isle in October 2003 and in February on his own behalf, won the most delegates and votes on Maui during the Feb. 24 caucuses, although Kerry won the overall delegate count statewide.
Maui Democrats hoped Kucinich’s popularity on Maui could turn into votes for Kerry here.
“We’ve been trying to get Kucinich here from the primaries,” said Maui County Democratic Party Chairman James “Kimo” Apana.
“I think the outer islands will go Kerry, Oahu is a tossup,” Apana said while the rally went on at the Kahului Shopping Center.
Astrid Watanabe of Haiku, an avid supporter of Kucinich who was wearing a Kucinich T-shirt, said: “People will do a lot for him.”
She said that Kucinich has brought out the “new agers” from Haiku and Huelo to come out to the polls.
“They came out to vote for him,” said Watanabe, a 69-year-old farmer and cat sanctuary caregiver.
Kucinich was one of several national Democratic Party leaders to make appearances in Hawaii in an effort to hand Kerry the state’s four Electoral College votes.
For President Bush, Republican Vice President Dick Cheney was scheduled to speak at the Hawai’i State Convention Center on Oahu late Sunday night.
Former Vice President Al Gore and Kerry’s daughter Alexandra attended a Democratic rally on Oahu on Friday.
She campaigned on behalf of her father through Sunday.
Maui County Republicans will rally today.
Gov. Linda Lingle will be on a “Rolling to Victory” tour of the state, which will include appearances at rallies at 10:30 a.m. at Maui Mall and 11:30 a.m. at the Lahaina Cannery Mall.
In his remarks to Democrats, Kucinich returned to his anti-war platform and advocated protecting the islands’ natural beauty.
“War is not inevitable. Peace is inevitable,” he said to supporters who roared with approval, waved American flags and gave him a standing ovation.
Kucinich also made other attacks on members of the Bush administration.
“They want to wreck Social Security. They want to wreck Medicare,” Kucinich said, adding some Americans drive over the border to Canada to get medicine because U.S. prices are too high.
Kucinich wasn’t the only one to attack the Republicans.
Apana said he was pleased with the turnout at the rally, which brought out “old-time Democrats,” “progressive Democrats” and converted independents and even some Republicans.
But the former Maui County mayor said he was not pleased by the way the Republicans handled this campaign season.
“This year’s election . . . is the dirtiest campaign I’ve ever seen the Republican Party do.”
Apana said the GOP has spread “half-truths” and alluded to legislative campaigns that have been marked by negative mailings.
He said although people are so busy, they should not only trust the “sound bites.”
When asked to respond, Maui County Republican Party Chairman John Henry defended GOP fliers on Maui, saying they accurately reported votes taken by Democratic members of the Legislature.
He said Apana’s claims of this being the “dirtiest campaign” were exaggerations.
Henry said he was amazed by Kucinich’s statements about Social Security and Medicare.
“I couldn’t imagine anybody Democrat or Republican (who) would want to wreck Social Security,” he said.
Henry said Bush is “doing what he can” to keep Social Security solvent.
Ann Garcia, 76, of Pukalani said she thought Kucinich’s speech was “terrific.”
Describing herself as a “straight Democrat all the way,” Garcia said “it’s about time we put Bush someplace in the water.”
Garcia said she has four nephews fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan and is sad to see so many soldiers dying there.
“You no like even look (at the) paper,” she said about the war.
Kihei resident Lee Altenberg took time to personally talk to Kucinich before his speech.
Altenberg, 47, said “Maui understands his message.”
“I appreciate him telling us to have courage,” Altenberg said.
“I’m going to vote for Kerry and awaken from the nightmare of the Bush presidency.”
Rose Cooper, 77, of Kahului said she’s a strong Democrat and her niece is Democratic state Sen. Lorraine Inouye of Hilo.
Cooper said it’s time for a change.
“Even if you are mad, forget about it,” she said. “We have to (have) some new life,” she said.
Cooper said she already voted, but was a little shy to share who she voted for. Finally, she whispered, “Kerry.”
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