Kucinich campaign hopes to move Kerry to the left

[Kanary]

http://www.bouldernews.com/bdc/city_news/article/0%2C1713%2CBDC_2422_2797482%2C00.html

Democratic long-shot visits Boulder in lead-up to caucus

"Iowa and New Hampshire decided the nomination, but Colorado has the chance to decide the direction of the Democratic Party," Kucinich told the crowd at a sold-out Vox Feminista stage performance at the Dairy Center for the Arts. "My candidacy is about providing a backbone for the Democratic party."

After speaking of his proposals for a Department of Peace, a nonprofit health-care system and equitable trade, Kucinich received a standing ovation from the crowd and a hug from Vox Feminista performer "Oak."

Patrick West, state coordinator for the Kucinich campaign, said Kerry will look to woo the political right if those on the left don't make themselves heard. "If we go to our caucus on April 13 and stand up for what we believe in ... we let them know that we are out there and they better start reaching out to us," West said.

"We need to embrace culturally creative people because they're the ones who are helping to create a new America — an America that's peaceful, creative and fun," Kucinich said. He said he didn't have a specific plan for how he would get his message out after the Democratic nomination is officially decided, but will continue pushing for peace and health-care reform. "Mine is a lifetime commitment," he said. "It wasn't just about this election."

[JI7]

1. Kerry doesn't really need to be moved to the left

as much as the voters do.

[Kanary]

2. Maybe it would be a Good Thing to have a "leader"?

That's what leaders do.

Kanary

[JI7]

3. he can lead after being elected

and there will still be differences in views among people. this is a democracy , not everyone will always agree with each other on everything. good people have differences. kucinich was anti choice for years unlike john kerry who was always prochoice. how did kucinich change his view on that issue ? was there a leader that got him to do it ? or was it by debating the issue with himself ?

i personally don't feel the need for a leader though. there are many people in america that see bush as a leader. or even judge moore and pat robertson.

[JohnKleeb]

4. it wasnt a leader that got Dennis to get enolve on choice

It was his daughter and the women that he knew.

[JI7]

7. yes, that's JUST IT

it's usually personal experiences that get people to see things the way they do. Clinton often talks about how he meets someone who is rich and would never need some of the things he proposed to help people, but the person tells clinton they will still be voting for clinton because those things do benefit their brother, sister, father, etc.

andrew sullivan is a gay man who supported conservatives and ignored their anti gay views because he agreed with them on other issues. but when bush pushed the anti gay amendment, that's what got him to stop supporting bush.

people aren't going to accept certain views just because kerry has them. but kerry can try to convince them that even with differences he is still a much better person to vote for than bush.

the environment, abortion rights, workers rights, affirmative action, veterans and active military pay and benefits, global aids,drug treament,death penalty,etc. all of these things and many more other issues are places john kerry is far superior than bush on.

[JohnKleeb]

16. youre right about Kerry

the death penalty? you could argue he is better than most democrats on that. He is very superior to Bush. Personal experience does help shed light. Another position of Dennis's I disagreed on with respect was the flag desecration, Kerry is strongly against an amendment for that, and I think thats good. I wish Dennis would change his view point on it. Hell they like each other, Ive heard that Dennis is a friend of Teresa and they are cosponsoring a bill together. rock on :).

[JI7]

21. yes

i disagree with dennis on the flag thing also. but i know he is still a good democrat and liberal. and yes, they are working in congress together.there is some bill they are trying to pass involving gay rights and immigration. and during most of the primary kucinich almost never attacked kerry. he brought up some disagreements only a few times and kerry responded by saying he respects dennis and his view on the issue even if he disagrees with him.

if kucinich thought kerry wasn't right on most of the issues and if he thought there was no difference between bush and kerry he would never support kerry. but kerry has a record to back up what he says. and kucinich said he will support kerry at the convention and after.

[Kanary]

5. You Kerry supporters keep wanting me to "believe" and "trust"

I have too much at stake to just keep hoping and "believing"

I need a president who's going to actually take a stand for PEOPLE, and speak it clearly.

We've had waaay too many years of hoping and praying and "believing", and look where it got us.

My "difference in view" is that I will not live through more cuts, yet you want me to forget about whether I survive or not, paste a smile on my face, and give it all for Kerry.

NOPE.

Kanary

[JI7]

6. don't vote for kerry if you don't want to

[ACK]

8. Kerry is a small tiny step in the correct direction

He is left of both Clinton and Lieberbush.

In some ways his record is less centrist than Dean.

He is left of the way the DLC ran Gore last time.

A healthcare plan has re-entered the political debate of this country.

He actually said we need to get off the demon oil.

Most DLC'ers would not even consider modifying NAFTA or saying no to the FTAA.

He is talking about stopping the tax breaks for the corporations shipping jobs overseas.

He is pro-choice.

He has a good voting record on the environment.

Is he perfect. Oh hell no.

Is he as left as Kuicinch or Nader. Oh heck no.

Is further to the left than the DLC would like? Yes. Is he a real yankee centrist liberal. Yes.

Does that make him a tiny imperfect step in the right direction?

Yes.

+

[Kanary]

9. Maybe you didn't hear me

Kerry has already said he will make more cuts.

More cuts, and I die.

Does that matter?

You see, even on a thread about Dennis, you've made it all a defense of Kerry, and pay NO attention to someone's not only LEGITIMATE, but *very* frightening concern.

THIS is why so many of us have come to the conclusion that we've already lost the Party.

When you can let me know that you actually have some concern for me, then we can talk. UNtil then, I'm solely for Dennis.

Now, back to Dennis........

Thank you.

Kanary

[ACK]

10. I hope that Dennis does move Kerry more to the left

That was not my point.

It was also not my point to belittle your situation.

My point was that Kerry is not as conservative as some people here make him out to be. My point is that next to Clinton or the way the DLC ran Gore last time Kerry is a small, tiny step in the right direction.

However, the whole point of the thread from the title is that Dennis Kuinich is attempting to move the Kerry campaign more to the left.

So in that sense it is as much about Kerry and his positions as is it is about Kuicinch and his attempt to change those platform positions.

+

[tinanator]

13. another point or two

ones that matter to nit pickers, surviving family members, and those who have suffered from deportations. IWR and the PATRIOT Act.
Those differentiate Kucinich from Kerry, but NOT Kerry from Bush.
Its the little things that count I guess. Keep the faith. That and $1.90 buys a cup of coffee nowadays.

[Kanary]

17. Quite concise and accurate

We "nitpickers" are just silly to actually want to stay alive, I guess.

Kanary

[ACK]

19. I did not call you silly.

I already said I was not trying to belittle your situation.

I said I hope that Kuicinch moves Kerry to the left.

All I was trying to say is that I believe there is dime's worth of difference between Kerry and Bush. That, at the very least, he was left of Clinton and that shows not much but at least a bit of progress.

+

[JohnKleeb]

20. I hope Kucinich moves him to the left too

I would very much like Kucinich to have been the nominee however compared to what we could have, like Lieberman, I really feel Kerry is a good nominee, now some will disagree with me.

[Kanary]

15. And *MY* point

is that I'm just as dead if I die because of a Democrat as I am if I die because of a Republican.

This is NOT an intellectual debate for me... this is my life.

Can you have any idea at all just how discouraging, and frightening!, it is to speak so clearly about my personal situation, and have it only be a political tug-of-war?????

Kanary

[JI7]

11. yeah, he said he will cut funding for nuclear weapons

and cut government contracting and leases to corporations. he said he will RAISE taxes on the rich to pay for programs for those who needed in areas of education, health care, and other programs people need. and you can support dennis all you want. i have no problem with you voting for him. i know many kerry supporters who voted for dennis kucinich especially after kerry had enough delegates to becoem the presumed nominee.

[Kanary]

12. He spoke directly about cuts to social programs

It would be nice if Dems had some concern for people like me, who are really frightened.

Do you understand at all that kind of scare????

but, most of you seem to just want to put us down some more.

Kanary

[JI7]

14. he was talking about

his own programs which are not even out there yet. he said there will be some time before he can start to fully fund and start the programs he himself has. these programs do no exist right now. you have to get the economy going if youw ant to fully fund things rather than jus ttalk about wanting to do things.

[JohnKleeb]

18. actually its about Kerry and Kucinich

Kucinich says his role on the campaign trail which I strongly support is to move Kerry to the left. Has Kerry said "cuts" or cuts in certain programs in specific. We all suffer from programs by the Bushes, friends of mine will have a hard time getting a decent college education because Bush is raising the tuition, and Kerry is for lowering that. I hope the cuts Kerry means are in defense.

[Kanary]

22. sorry about your college education

*I'm* talking about staying alive.

Kanary

[JohnKleeb]

24. btw Ive always felt that Dennis had the best position on it, college ed

Thanks though, hope you can stay alive, I think Kerry's tenure as president will help more than it will hurt. Also I am not sure if Kerry is for raising the SS age, remember Dennis's and Dean's little debate on it, that was a problem I once had with Dean, the fact he once wanted to raise the age to 70. Kerry wasnt involved in that talk so I dont know his view on it.

[JI7]

23. Kerry said no cuts in education

he has other programs of his own he wants to implement and based on the budget and debt problems, he saw it will take some time before he can start them and fully fund them. he said education is one of the areas he will not cut.

much of his cuts involves waste in defense , agriculture department, corporate welfare etc. and of course he will raise taxes on the rich.

[JohnKleeb]

25. I trust Kerry

I think he will cut from DoD too.

[jsw_81]

26. Kucinich is giving Kerry advice?

That's the funniest thing I've read all day!

[tinanator]

30. what took the Kucinich haters so long to arrive?

busy week? Is it irony or intent that you cost Kerry votes every time you mouth off?

[Kanary]

33. Isn't it also interesting that Kucinich haters

will never be erased, no matter how virulent, or how many times alerted....

Irony, indeed

Kanary

[jsw_81]

35. The elf costs our party votes every time he opens his mouth

I wish he would face reality and quite the race already.

[blondeatlast]

31. Not funny; Kerry needs to appeal to the pragmatic far left of the party

(like me). I'm one DK supporter who doesn't feel she has to hold her nose to vote for Kerry; I'm quite comfortable in that.

I think Kerry will move left AFTER the election; his 20 years in Congress gives me hope for that. But he has to do a bit of a dance right now.

I've worked in campaigns for nealy 30 years and I know that we simply can't depend on the left wing for enough support to get buSHIT out of office. Dennis can bring the two sides together at the convention, and he will.

Wait and see--this will be the convention of my lifetime. The Dems will never emerge as united as they will after this convention.

There is far too much at stake.

[JohnKleeb]

34. thats my opinion too BAL

[AntiCoup2K4]

32. Much better that Kerry gets advice from a decent man like Dennis Kucinich.

..than from traitorous shitbags like Will Marshall.

[G_j]

27. It makes good sense

when all the other forces are pulling from the other direction.

[okieinpain]

28. dk needs to take a hint. nobody like his platform so stop pushing

it off on other folks.

[sangha]

29. What I want to know

is how we get Kerry to do the hokey-pokey

Cuz that's what it's all about!!