Kucinich should help Kerry out in Ohio!

In light of the most recent Ohio poll showing Kerry pull ahead of Bush, we as Democrats should try and capitalize on the momentum brewing in this battleground state.

A great way to accomplish this is to get good old Dennis K. campaigning out in Ohio for Kerry. He is greatly respected and well liked over there. He additionally is a great speaker and can convey a great message. I think he would be able to convince more people in favor of Kerry as a result of his efforts.

Any chance this could happen?

He would only hinder Kerry... Kerry can only win Ohio (which is dominated by the GOP) by appealing to moderates the very last thing Kucinich would do!

Kucinich would convince no body but the odd Nader voter to vote for Kerry in Ohio, he would convince far more that Kerry and the Democrats where crazy liberals who did not reflect their values or beliefs and lead them to come to the conclusion that Bush would be the "best of a bad" lot.

Kucinich should not try and destroy Kerry's chances in Ohio, he going to find it hard enough getting re-elected.

Why is Kucinich still running, this guy's vanity is getting kinda worrying

He represents a district which is heavily blue collar and full of Reagan Democrats. His stand on trade is much more popular with union members than Kerry's. He will also be helpful to Kerry with progressives in Ohio and those who might consider voting for Nader rather than Kerry.

Ohio is a rustbelt state that has been heavily hit by so-called "free trade" agreements. Dennis Kucinich has also fought hard and succeeded in keeping manufacturing jobs in Ohio since he's been in congress.

As a matter of fact, Dennis represents the quintessential "Reagan Democrat" district: socially conservative, but economically quite liberal. These people are more concerned about their jobs going overseas than they are about gay marriage and more concerned about their crumbling infrastructure than their investments (if they even have any).

Kucinich got 75% of the vote in his district last election, and has won handily ever since he beat an entrenched Republican opponent for the seat in 1996. As a matter of fact, he first won election to the Ohio Senate in 1994, in a year where Democrats all over the country were getting beaten (you DO remember 1994, right? Newt Gingrich's "Contract On America", the Dems losing both houses of the US congress-- thanks to the terrible "leadership" of the DLC).

Why is Kucinich still running, this guy's vanity is getting kinda worrying

Kucinich's "vanity"? Kucinich is one of the most "unvain" candidates running this year. Only he and Clark were DRAFTED to run for president by popular movements. Dennis is still in the race because he's raising issues that Kerry will not discuss: the flawed and unconstitutional USA PATRIOT act; NAFTA and the WTO and the control of big businesses over the worlds' economies, the quagmire that is Iraq, and the need for comprehensive health care for all.

Kucinich CANNOT hurt Kerry in Ohio, or elsewhere in the country. Only Kerry can do that.

and that BULLSHIT about centrism winning is about to play out as it always has, with a bunch of losers looking to blame somebody else.

we've become a minority party. "if given a choice between a republican and a democrat who acts like a republican, voters will vote for the republican." Harry S Truman
Its true, I think. Isnt it a noble concept, to win, embrace the ideals of the opponent, I am being sarcastic btw. The NDOL and DLC are what the problems our with our party, we have to be tough liberals.

otherwise, I don't see them working on issues or educating the electorate. They only come out when it's election time, and only then to make sure that we don't sound too "liberal".

It's pretty damn sad that the DLC/NDOL wing claim to be Democrats, but are more conservative than Richard Nixon was in 1972. Hell, even Nixon's probably spinning in his grave right now, seeing what has happened to the Repubs over the last 25 years.

Just because they may not see DK as president, he is still highly respected by most of the people in Northeast Ohio.

in his district, but I don't see him being a huge asset elsewhere in the state.

After all, this is a state where Gore's loss was larger than the Nader percentage. Nader didn't really even make a difference in the state.

Kerry 52%
Edwards 34%
Kucincich 9%
Dean 3%

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2004/primaries/pages/states/OH/

Finishing dead last in your own state among candidates still running isn't a very convincing sign of popularity.

Dennis busted his butt helping Gore out in Ohio in 2000, convincing many Nader voters to vote for the Democrats.

He'll do the same this fall, too, despite the "helpful" advice of the previous two posters (#1 & #2), who seem to think that Democratic party has no business taking its historical positions on the issues. :eyes:

Pretending that 1930's solutions will work in todays world give me a break... our historic principles must remain the same yes, but we must be worthy of the accolade that Adlai Stevenson placed up this party when he said we we're "the people's party" no the "imaginary people's party"... Kucinich represents a modern radical left, not the historic principles of this party...

While our polices will and should change, our principles should and shale remain the same... namely our belief that everybody has to work together and our belief in community...and in addition listening to those who are our natural base, namely ordinary working and middle class Americans, we must understand and appreciate their values and reflect their aspiartions... Kucinich does not!

And he will not help Kerry in Ohio any more than winning over a few isolated Naderites... Ohio will be won based upon who the many moderates in the state go for... and Kucinich will not only not help but will have a negative impact!

"namely our belief that everybody has to work together and our belief in community"
That sounds like it could be right off Kucinich's site.

...but his take on it is quite frankly "pie-in-the-sky" stuff, and I'm not sure that he really accurately reflects these views in his policy... no offence we both disagree... to be honest those words could have come of any Dems website (and a number of republicans) from John Breaux to Dennis himself... that’s what makes us all Dems, our commitment to those principles...

Go look at his policies:

* fair trade based on human rights, not the rights of corporations to make a buck by any means necessary, including slave labor.

* rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, which will not only create jobs, but will leave us with a lasting legacy to give to our children.

* reigning in the bloated Pentagon budget, and using the money to fund a free public education for every American, pre-k through college. Currently, the Pentagon cannot account for over $1 BILLION it's been given. It has failed to provide an accurate accounting of its budget REPEATEDLY. We have weapons systems under development that not only are not needed, but just plain DO NOT WORK. Cut the fat, and redirect the money toward educating our citizens.

* a single-payer, universal healthcare plan that will provide coverage for EVERY American, at a price that's much lower than the cost of our current system.

* an end to pre-emptive military attacks against other nations, unless our country is ACTUALLY being threatened. Building national security through PEACEFUL engagement, not by being the biggest bully on the block.

These issues have long been part of the Democratic Party's bread and butter, and are hardly what most people would call "fringe". Go see for yourself: www.kucinich.us. You may be suprised.

The things you've been parroting about Kucinich being "fringe" sound like the talking points that have been repeated by the Mighty Rightwing Wurlitzer® and the honchos at the DLC. Those who think Kucinich is truly on the left fringe just prove how far right we've let the conservatives steer the political debate in this country.

The swing voters, especially in Ohio, will be won on ECONOMIC issues. The fact that Kerry has a very liberal record on social morality issues, but a moderate record on economic issues does not help in a state like Ohio where Bush will use abortion and gay marriage to win blue collar voters. There are MANY moderate swing voters in the south and midwest waiting for someone to say what they already know: that NAFTA and the WTO are a crock of sh*t and are the biggest reason why we export good union jobs and replace them with low-wage jobs at wal-mart and mcdonalds.

If someone lost their job when the factory moved to Mexico and a Democratic candidate says they're going to do something about it, then that worker will not vote for Bush again, no matter how much they hate gay people. If we refuse to talk about economic issues like job loss due to "free" trade policies then we simply allow Bush to steal working class voters in the south and midwest with empty talk about values, abortion, and gay bashing.

I wish people would stop pretending that anyone who opposes the WTO is supporting protectionism. The WTO has little to do with bringing down the kind of trade barriers that existed in the 1930's. If Kerry beleives in protecting the environment, the right to organize, and improving the living conditions of people in the US, then he should also believe in those things for people in other nations. That means he must oppose the WTO. I don't see how anyone who still supports the WTO/NAFTA without at least some changes can call themselves a Democrat anymore. Its so obvious by now that those agreements don't do what they were supposed to do and violate everything the Democratic party is supposed to stand for.

None of the nine candidates that ran for the Democratic nomination and didn't get it are running other campaigns this summer/fall. Edwards, Gephardt and Graham, who all are retiring, come from important states that could conceivably go Democratic this year. Kucinich is running for re-election but probably will win it, so he, as the thread suggests, ought to be campaigning in Ohio, just as Clark should be campaigning in Arkansas. Imagine if each of these guys focused on bringing their home state into the Democratic column, or raising money from their state. I bet they could make a big difference.

This is not to say that they aren't. I'm sure that these guys are doing lots. I just hope they'll keep at it!

He is quite popular in Ohio CD-10 (his) and in CD-11.

but not well known in the rest of the state. He will win his own district with little effort but is of limited help outside northeastern OH.

Largely because he has never won a statewide office. Kucinich is a valuable asset to the democratic party but I simply don't think that he could help us very much in Ohio. Plus i don't think this is the time to put somebody unconventional on the ticket. I just don't think Ohio or the country is ready for Kucinich on a national ticket. Now, if Kuch wants a better shot next time around, I think he should run for US Senate either now or in 2006.

In the House you can speak your mind and say what you feel about the the plans of the right wingers..In the Senate so many Democrats are downright cowardly..Recent Negorpointe vote for Ambassador to Iraq is an example. Only US Senator, I think I respect is Feingold or Kennedy..Think Kennedy would have spoke against Negorpointe,had Kerry not silenced him.
In the House Kucinich successful rallies upwards of 100 House Democrats against bad trade and for real health care reform..He and Rep. Conyers routinely proposes A true National Health care plan. that would not happen in the Senate.
Recall Rep. Sanders once saying he does not want to be in the Senate.To have to show the proper respect due to senate 'decorum' for the likes of Inhofe or Chandliss..No thanks..Dennis do your job and help to mobilize America for the right causes.Can't do that in the Senate....

If DK campaigned for Kerry in his district especially, he could be of great help. I guess it would be after the convention, though.

kucinich said he has talked with kerry about some issues and he said he will be supporting kerry and plans to stop campaigning for himself before the convention.

for some reason it's not getting through to many people, which is truly unfortunate. We faced a similar situation in MN where we had a constitutional party officer swear that DK was only a spoiler and was going to run as a Green in the fall, so why bother supporting him.

And this after he did all he could to help Gore in Ohio in 2000 :eyes:

Since the nomination is not official yet, DK has every right to keep on campaigning, and keeping issues on the table that may well be ignored (single-payer universal health care, US out of Iraq, better balance between people and corporations, etc.). He is NOT attacking Kerry anymore and spends his time taking BushCo and the NeoCons to task for their crappy administration.

and attacking Bush . i'm glad they are talking with each other also. kucinich easily had the chance to run on the green party ticket and been on ballots in the november elections, but he didn't want that. he wanted to run as a democrat and help influence the party in any way he could and later support whoever was the nominee of the party.

pleed with him to continue the fight, as he has since Seattle when workers and protesters led the strike against the WTO.... It is not just about this election...Kerry has no workable plan for healthcare and this country will continue to loose jobs under a Kerry Administration..
For all that we lost lots of manufacturing jobs under Clinton. A country that just processes information is not a country, but a debtor waiting for debtors prison.
I do not see how Kucinich can do stump speeches for Kerry. I would be sort of disappointed if he did.. All we owe Democrats are our votes...We see how successful the centrist Democrats were in winning
the Congress in 2002.!.. Kerry will do no better. Unless, Bush self destructs. As we all hope for.
Then if Kerry does not bring about progressive change, expect Jeb to be president.
Maybe Kerry should choose Clark..At least Clark, has the cojones to recognize in illegal, corrupt, and self-destructive war.
Meanwhile, recall reading the article by William Greider in the Nation about Kerry going to Davos, Switz. boosting so called free trade and calling himself 'Davos man.'
. Hope Kerry gets educated in time.