Kucinich & Sean Pean in Portland

http://www.kucinich.us/messages/superstarpower.php

Super Star Power

May 12, 2004

Congressman Dennis Kucinich looks on as activist / actor Sean Penn speaks out against the Iraq War to a surging crowd of Kucinich supporters outside Portland's historic Bagdad Theater Tuesday evening. Penn flew into Portland for a single evening to support Kucinich's bid for the Oregon May 18 primary.

The scene outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland's eclectic Sunnyside Neighborhood was electric. In anticipation of his arrival, supporters began waving Kucinich signs and shimmying in funky dance-step gyrations up and down sidewalks and across the intersections of S.E. Hawthorne Blvd and 37th St, which some Portland residents consider the center of the known universe. A steady stream of blatting horns from passing cars signaled ongoing support as the excitement mounted. Even a handful of Bush supporters seemed energized by the deep pulsing beat of a drum tape and the excited chant of "Dennis, Dennis" as people in second-story apartments sat in their windows with their heels drumming against outside walls.

Those who've never seen it might not know the Dennis van by sight, and those looking for flash and flair would be disappointed. The van slips beneath most radar screens by design and this evening was no exception: it quietly hauled the Congressman and the activist/actor around the block a full time to take in the crowds before stopping all-but unnoticed by the curb near the plethora of festive Kucinich signs in front of the Majority Visibility Project's Kucinich kiosk. But when the van's back door started to slide open the air sparked with excitement; there was no holding back the crowds as people spilled from the sidewalks into the streets. A wave of welcomers greeted Kucinich and Penn - someone was heard to quip "those guys look like a couple of rock stars" - and a pleasant pandemonium ensued. Portland's adopted son had come home.

Kucinich welcomed his supporters warmly but sadly: the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal and the gruesome murder of American civilian Nick Berg weighed heavily on everyone's minds. "There's such a heart-breaking brutality in everything that's going on," said Kucinich: "the more we hear, the worse and worse it gets. There's no other course to take - we just have to get a peace plan and an exit strategy. We've got to get out; we've got to bring our troops home."

Penn shared this sentiment, as reported by KATU TV News, Portland's ABC affiliate: "This is only consistent with the history of all wars," said Penn. "What is happening in all of those prisons is no surprise to those people who have paid any responsible attention to what's gone on in the history of the planet in wars. So this is something we can expect to get worse in a lot of the corners of the world."

After the Bagdad event Kucinich and Penn attended a party thrown for campaign volunteers, supporters and friends. Held in a private residence in Portland's stately Mt Tabor neighborhood, the gala was standing-room only with supporters spilling out of the house onto its gracious wrap-around porch and lawns. Hostess Nicole Carroll explained why she'd scrambled on less than 24-hours notice to pull together such an event: "Because it feels like such an incredible privilege to support the work that Dennis Kucinich does in the world. I have such gratitude that we have the opportunity to support this man of passion and conviction in the Oregon primary. I hope everyone understands how important it is to vote for Dennis and to send a message to Kerry and the DNC about why we Democrats have got to embrace a humanistic and progressive vision, get us out of Iraq and bring our troops home."

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http://www.kucinich.us/messages/superstarpower.php

praised Bush* for helping AIDS victims in Africa?

I'm not a big fan of Sean Penn's. His intentions seem to be good and noble, but he doesn't seem to know how to avoid being used as a stooge.

He's a strong critic of Bush. So what if he praised the idea of aid to Africa. We never sent the aid. Sean Penn stands up for what he believes in and is a real hero.