For Kucinich volunteers, it's the message (Because its real not a soap)

[Flabbergasted]

For Kucinich volunteers, it's the message

Sunday, February 25, 2007Sabrina EatonPlain Dealer Bureau

Washington -- Dennis Kucinich registers at a meager 2 percent in early Democratic presidential polls, but the anti-war congressman from Cleveland hopes to change that in a hurry.

His secret weapon?

While Howard Dean had "Dean- iacs" who fueled the surprise surge of his 2004 presidential campaign, Kucinich claims a cadre of 100,000 volunteers around the country who are eager to open their wallets and spread his message. Call them Kucinistas, if you will.

Lots of them are anti-war activists. There's a large contingent of former Ralph Nader-ites. Many say they don't particularly care if Kucinich wins: They're out to make a point.

"It's kind of quixotic, but I'm happy to be on board," says Richmond, Va., actor Scott Wichmann, who believes Kucinich's early, steadfast opposition to the Iraq war will win him votes. "If people say he's tilting at windmills, that's fine: I'll ride Sancho Panza next to him."

Kucinich's campaign has its highest number of supporters in California, the fund-raising hub of his 2004 effort, says Evan Moody, a former intern in Kucinich's congressional office who is orchestrating his nationwide volunteer effort.

More than an eighth of the $8.2 million that Kucinich raised from individuals in 2004 came from California, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.

Kucinich's highest per-capita volunteer numbers are in liberal Hawaii, the early primary state of New Hampshire, and nearby Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut, Moody says.

Since Kucinich announced his 2008 run in December, 20,000 people have signed up as volunteers on the Internet or at events Kucinich attended, Moody says. The 80,000 other names on his list carried over from Kucinich's prior congressional and presidential runs. Moody says he already had weeded out names from the earlier lists that were not deemed "potentially useful."

"An increase in the number of peace activists around the country has really helped the campaign," adds Marcos Rubinstein, who handles field operations for Kucinich in Dubuque, Iowa. "Now, people are coming out of the woodwork and saying, 'I support your guy.' "

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