why would kucinich tell his supporters to vote for obama ?!

[undercutter2006]

I read a couple of reports on how congressman Kucinich told his supporters to make Obama their second choice instead of Clinton during the Ohio round.

Why would Kucinich feel so strongly about Obama winning over Clinton? To me, personally, Obama and Clinton are very similar, they hold pretty interchangeable positions on the main economic, political, and foreign policy issues, and they are very vague about any specific proposals, they rather engage public on an emotional level and create some kind of feel-good atmosphere than get into the meat and potatoes of any specific issue, so they still seem to be very undefined to me, although still better than any of the republicans.

For the record, I support Edwards, for the simple reason that he is the only candidate who officially refuses to take campaign money from major corporations, he is hated by all the right people, and he still has a slim chance to win, so I will continue to support him with my vote and my money. And he was endorsed by Nader, that's a big plus too.

But why would Kucinich endorse Obama over Clinton? Is there something specific about Clinton's policies that made him do that? What makes Hillary worse than Barak in his eyes? Curious minds would like to know.

[skipos]

1. I see Hillary as way to the right of Obama and Edwards.

Though Edwards voting record is definitely to the right of hi 08 campaign.

The Kucinich/Obama deal doesn't surprise me.

[jackson_dem]

3. "way to the right". Based on what?

[Captain Hilts]

4. She's not. BO and HRC voted the same 90% of the time. nt

[undercutter2006]

14. well obama has the excuse that he is a recent senator

so he didn't get a chance to vote on the war, lol

[eleny]

2. He said that Edwards' association with a hedge fund troubled him

[undercutter2006]

15. hedge fund is a little too arcane

i don't like currency manipuation as much as the next person, but you gotta come up with a slogan that an average individual can relate to, nome same

[GreenArrow]

16. how bout he's a two-faced phony?

Most people ought to be able to get their heads wrapped around that.

[undercutter2006]

17. lol

just lol

you really do have to dumb it down

most people are trying to figure out if senator clinton cries too much or if senator obama is black enough, so i guess your response fits right in

[fenriswolf]

5. i agree with you

i am a kucinich supporter who would rather vote for edwards then obama, this is what i think

kucinich is triangulating trying to give obama more support since hill is the one front running and edwards is the one whos platform is most like him. so he gave them to obama to upset hill and hopes that will help push edwards out of the running.

[shoopnyc]

6. He was SO UGLY to Thom Hartmann...

...i would NEVER vote for him after that performance. He was DISGUSTING.

[wildbilln864]

8. Obviously I missed something...

what happened? :shrug:

[mac2]

10. Who was disgusting?

To Thom Hartmann.

Thom keeps having Bernie Sanders on his program. Bernie won't impeach even though Vermonters and the country want it. Nor get out of Iraq.

[Xipe Totec]

7. With all due respect to the congressman

my second choice is Edwards, not Obama.

Strictly based on policy affinity.

No disrespect to either Senator Clinton, or Senator Obama.

[DesertRat]

9. Here's Dennis' explanation

Dear Supporter,

For the record:

New Hampshire is the first state where we are aggressively campaigning. Due to the Party lockout in Iowa, we chose to focus on New Hampshire.
I am the only person running for President who voted against the war, against funding the war 100% of the time, against the Patriot Act, and who stands for a universal single-payer not-for-profit healthcare system. Nevertheless I was excluded from Saturday night's ABC Presidential debate, or four tone monologue as it was.
In answer to your questions about why I didn't support former Senator John Edwards on the second ballot in Iowa: I have serious concerns about his connections to a Wall Street hedge fund, Fortress Investment Group. While attacking others for accepting campaign money from Washington lobbyists, he is up to his ears in money from Wall Street special interests.
He made half a million dollars in a single year for attending a few meetings for Fortress and has invested a substantial part of his own personal wealth in the hedge fund whose portfolios are responsible for sub-prime predatory lending practices, Medicare privatization, and an entire range of corporate sharp dealings that are driving the middle class into poverty.

While I indicated Senator Obama as a preferred second choice in Iowa, Progressives have fundamental disagreements with him and all of the other Presidential candidates on most of their major positions on the issues.

We must have the courage of our convictions to fully support and vote for what it is we really want. For once, we must realize our power, stop playing tactical games, and vote as a bloc - which, as you know, is what the religious right does and why they often win.

We Progressives are in the majority in this election. We will win only when we refuse to compromise and vote with integrity.

Dennis Kucinich

[undercutter2006]

11. god damn it makes it so hard to support anyone

I really do understand where these candidates are coming from - if you don't take donations from big business - you have no money to advertise your political point of view - and you are toast, so every politician has to make some kind of compromises with corporatios in order to make money and in order to win. and plenty of politicians, even mccain of all the people, are making efforts to change that system.

so it's really hard to decide between edwards (who is endorsed by by nader) and obama (who is endorsed by kucinich), but after all that's said and done I am going with John Edwards. He's got his faults but he is the best liberal candidate we got right now.

[Omega3]

12. I like the Kuchster .....

in fact, I'm aligned with him politically quite a bit but I'm voting for Edwards because I really think he's actually closest to DK and like JE anyway.

[DesertRat]

13. Here's another reason

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2692567