Reply #42: Well I see a fundamental difference...

[ljm2002]

...between the primary race and the general election.

In the primaries, people should always vote their conscience IMO, except in unusual circumstances where not to do so means a very undesirable candidate will go forward.

In the generals, people should always vote their party, except in circumstances where their conscience simply does not allow it.

So calling Kucinich a spoiler like Nader is all wrong. Nader was a 3rd party candidate, in the general election. I don't object to 3rd party candidates, however, Nader also did things like attack Democratic candidates who were already weak, thus ensuring more Republican wins. He also took funding from Republican sources. This is why I became disillusioned with him, more than the fact that he continued on with his 3rd party run. I wish we had more parties in general anyway.

But back to your issue. You call Kucinich a spoiler for staying in the race when he "can't win". But he can win a bloc of delegates and use that to influence the platform. He can serve to push to dialog to the left, from its rightward drift over the last 20 years. He can be a voice for those of us who really are disenchanted with business as usual, who really do think that universal single payer health care is the only sane policy on health care, who really do think that "getting out of Iraq" means just that: remove all of our military personnel and do it now.

And Dennis Kucinich is not bound by whatever decisions are made by other candidates. Each candidate must decide for him or herself when to call it quits. I don't blame Biden or Dodd, and I don't blame Kucinich. In fact I don't want the field narrowed down that far, that fast. I prefer a few different voices still being heard.