Flashback: Personal story about what kind of asshole Dennis Kucinich is

[zulchzulu]

(POSTED FROM 2004)

In 2003, at the Fighting Bob Fest in Baraboo, Wisconsin, I was tabling there and next to me was a huge tabling effort of Kucinich fans.

They had bought a huge sign that probably cost $2000, bought lots of bumperstickers and buttons, printed lots of issue papers, had several TV sets playing Kucinich in speeches, had several dozen people at the table trying to get out the message and so on. They had spent perhaps $20,000 for an event that most might have spent perhaps a $100. Good people... thinking their candidate had the right intentions...

A friend of mine was a big Kucinich fan and had offered to pick up Kucinich at the Madison airport and drive the hour and a half to the event and then back again after the event was over.

So he picks up Kucinich and a staffer. Dennis barely acknowledged him. When they got to the car and started driving to the event, my friend tried to engage in basic, mannerly small talk and was told firmly to just drive. Much of the drive was dead silence. An occasional mobile phone call made by Kucinich and his assistant were usually confrontational and odd. He just drove.

Once they got to the event, Kucinich acted like a little ass telling him to be ready to drive him back to the Madison airport... like he was his private driver.

Meanwhile, Kucinich never bothered to visit the table of volunteers who were there. Many were distraught at how he seemed to be avoiding them.

Then, when Kucinich was done speaking (hours later), he came back to the car and told my friend to drive quickly back to Madison. Again, no talking... just drive.

Did Kucinich give my friend any money for gas for the trip? Fucking goddamn no.

Not a fucking dime.

Was my friend a Kucinich fan after that? Hell no.

It's no wonder the little shit never can get a decent campaign and gets less than 2% of the vote when he runs for national office. He's a little self-absorbed jackass. And yes, he keeps the money suckers give to him to pad his wallet.

You can like Kucinich if you want. That's like saying horseshit tastes good with enough horseradish.

So should anyone care about what Kucinich thinks about trying to act like he's some kind of important "voice" ready to vomit his opinion that the health care reform should go away for another twenty years because it doesn't pass his "filter"?

That's like saying that if there is pollen in the air, you better go in your basement and duct tape yourself in a fetal position and starve to death.

NOTE: this is just one story about Kucinich and how he treats people. You can see why he would have the bloviated gall to seek $150,000 in damages from companies involved with the Longworth House Office Building cafeteria for an olive pit that he chewed on in a veggie sandwich.

The guy is nuts.

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[doc03]

2. This will be fun

:popcorn:

[The Blue Flower]

3. Don't want to turn this into a DK Roast....

But I spent a lot of time with him during his campaign visits to WA state in 03-04 and can vouch for this king of rude behavior. Anytime someone would come up to him to discuss issues one on one, he'd either ignore them or give them a very, very cold shoulder. He had no interest in what anyone else had to say.

[opihimoimoi]

4. Because I didn't know about the dude....I was kinda neutral...Today...HE PISSED ME OFF

[Night Crawler]

5. I'm not suprised. When I worked on the Wellstone campaign

We would travel on that god awful F'ing Green Bus from stop to stop. Paul and Sheila would travel in the SUV or a limo with the A/C going while we would sweat our asses off. Sheila was the worst, bitching at us at the next stop if we didn't all look fresh as a daisy. Then Paul would shed the sport coat and roll up the sleeves and jump on stage for the next performance. Then it was back in the limo for them and back in the stinkin' green bus for us.

They asked me to help drive that F'ing piece of shit to DC for his swearing in and I looked the little bastard in the eye and told him to go screw himself.

I hate all politicians.

[DURHAM D]

6. sure you did

[Duppers]

18. I certainly agree with you.

Some times it's difficult to know whom to trust posting here, but I have a real problem with anyone bashing him.

Besides, why is he posting on DU IF he hates ALL politicians?! That must include Dr. Howard Dean too!!!

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[LiberalFighter]

7. Should had taken a longer route.on the way back.

Maybe he did take a longer route on the way back considering it took an hour and a half. I usually don't take 12 so maybe it takes longer but Janesville to Baraboo usually takes about 90 minutes on I-90.

[dsc]

9. a peronal perspective for balance

In 1992, Kucinich campaigned in the Democratic primary for the Congressional district at the very northeast corner of the state (currently held by LaTourette). I met him at the what was then the Hill's plaza in Ashtabula and we had a good 15 minute or so discussion on the issues. He was personable and patient. We bonded a bit over knowledge of Latin (his much more than mine). But what really impressed me was several weeks later he campaigned at the Moose lodge where my dad was a member and when he found out my dad's name he remembered me even though I wasn't there. That was impressive. I still didn't vote for him as I had promised my vote to the eventual winner of the primary and the district Eric Fingerhut. I wonder if Kucinich would have held that seat in the 1994 election instead of losing it.

[Very_Boring_Name]

10. Thank you for this. After reading some of his other posts, I've concluded the OP can't be trusted

I'm no fan of DK, but I highly doubt the story of the OP actually happened.

[karynnj]

13. I see no reason to question it, as the poster has spoken often of his

efforts in the 2004 primaries and posted some incredibly good video that he shot.

Anyone can post anything, but though it is possible that someone could post consistent things for over 6 years - and be making all of it up - it is not that likely. It is too much work and there is no leader/interest, who would benefit from the creation of this persona and the various narratives that he/she has written.

Rather than challenging the veracity, it might be simpler to think it was not necessarily characteristic - and to look to alternative accounts saying the opposite (like one in this thread). I can imagine that campaigning is incredibly demanding and any candidate will have a bad day - and many who meet him/her on that date will have negative stories. Given what they are attempting to do - sell themselves as leaders and to get and keep supporters - I would bet that the majority of encounters people have with ANY candidate are positive. (Consider how little could make you happy - a hand shake, a smile, a wave etc)

Here, what is strange from DK's part is so little would have changed the story. Had he greeted the driver thanking him for being there then apologizing that he had a series of calls that he needed to make, so he wouldn't have been good company AND if he took even 5 minutes to walk over to the table, have a group photo taken (good for PR anyway) and made excuses about needing to leave - everyone would have been happier. Note - that all of these are simply treating people with respect - yet all would become stories that he really was nice.

[vaberella]

20. That's far from true. This post I don't agree with.

But this poster is definitely a dependable poster for sure. And as I stated in my post on this thread---one persons reaction to a situation can be different from another. And that can be said about treatment depending on the day and time---which changes a person. So no one response is better than the other--in regards to personal experience. And hardly suggests that an OP is being dishonest.

[RichGirl]

16. I've never met him so can't say one way or another....

But your experience was 10 years before the OPs Oh what a difference 10 years can make. I've worked with many budding politicians and when they are starting out, they are the nicest people in the world.

As to Kuchinich....I thought it was really wierd that he sued over that olive pit. It was like 100K or something.

[GoCubsGo]

11. I kind of have mixed feelings about the guy.

But, I DO think it's weird that someone would carry around a used tea bag in his pocket, and keep re-using it. (Saw that on "The Daily Show" a few years ago...) It sounds like he's a skinflint. But, his heart is usually in the right place, although not this time, IMO.

[Name removed]

12. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Godhumor]

14. Rec to bring it to 10--I remember the original post on this...

Dennis is all about Dennis.

[RichGirl]

15. Moral of the story...don't make anyone your hero.

One of the reasons I support Obama and rarely criticize him is because I always knew he was just a mere mortal and couldn't walk on water. I knew that the presidency was limiting and he wouldn't be able to wave a magic progressive want and "wham" everything is roses! I supported him because he was intelligent, caring and I trusted him...and still do. I appreciate all his efforts and accomplishments in the face of more criticism and hatred that any other man has ever had to endure...not to mention, flat out opposition from the other side..

So when I hear progressive talking...we need Kuchinich, Howard Dean...blah, blah, blah. Mere mortals who will disappoint them.

[jab105]

17. I met him at Take Back America and had the opposite experience

He had done a radio interview after giving his speech, we came up, spoke to him, he gave me a big hug...he was warm and caring and wonderful...

[vaberella]

19. Personal experience is always different for each person.

While one situation was read one way another person would read it differently. Sorry, I don't support this post. I'm not a DK fan and this move puts me on is bad side, even more than I have been before. But, but I won't participate in these sorts of games which don't mean much and can't be really substantiated.