"Kucinich Star of Debate" 1/11/04

[ThirdWheelLegend]

http://www.kucinich.us/statements.htm#DebateStar

"The evening's 'top applause line' went to Dennis Kucinich. When asked about Bush's plan to return to the moon, he replied: 'I've been wondering why the president would, while we're still in Iraq, talk about going to the moon and going to Mars. Maybe he's looking for the weapons of mass destruction still.'" (Washington Post, 1/12).

Kucinich, on the new Bush immigration policy: "You know, the Statue of Liberty, the poem at the base, didn't say, 'Give me your tired, your poor, and we'll fingerprint them, we will take their picture and then we will deport them after we're finished getting their work.'" (Des Moines Register, 1/12).

***********

We need someone with that has the passion and honesty and the progressive values to lead us away from corporatism, illegal wars, unfair trade, and 'Manufactured Constent'.

I am just not sure if we deserve this type of leader.

The candidate that is best on the issues is electable if you vote for him. GO DENNIS!

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

1. DK's done better than Dean at every debate so far

Honestly and objectively, Kucinich has been more telegenic, spoken more clearly, and received more cheers, applause and laughs than Dean during EVERY televised debate - and I watched them all.

Of course it's true - Dean was attacked more than Kucinich was by the other candidates, and he managed to hold his own, sometimes better than others. But regardless of your personal feelings about the candidates, Kucinich came off as more telegenic and better spoken than Dean consistently. All those speeches in Congress makes for a lot of practice you know...

[spychoactive]

2. we deserve it!

i too noticed the rousing applause he was recieving, and it only further serves to baffle me as to why he isn't higher in the polls...

my man Dennis Kucinich has the right ideas, and more and more kids are realizing this everyday

one love
spike

[redqueen]

3. Speaking of manufactured consent...

I've heard / read that Chomsky 'speaks well' of Kucinich, but I've never seen a quote or anything.

If anyone knows anything specific, I'd love to know what he said. I've looked but so far no luck.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

7. Chomsky doesn't endorse candidates..but speaks highly of DK.

Noam Chomsky doesn't endorse candidates, but he has given the most praise to Dennis Kucinich.

[Mairead]

9. I've heard only one comment, and that was right after DK declared

Chomsky was asked what he thought of the candidates and (this is paraphrased, but I think it's close) he said 'Well, Dennis Kucinich would represent a real change, but.... The others?' (shrugs).

More recently he's said something like 'If people are ever allowed to hear his policies, he could get major national support. But how are they ever going to hear?'

[cryofan]

11. Chomsky replied to my email regarding DK

you can read it here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=109&topic_id=3474

[Mairead]

16. Thanks for posting it -- it's great!

And great for DK:

I like what Kucinich stands for a lot, and if we had as much of a
democratic culture as, say, Brazil, where elections are more than just a game among rich investors, then I'd be supporting him for President. But we're far from that, and have a lot of work to do to get to that stage.

That sounds like a pretty clear endorsement, to me.

[eridani]

18. I got an email in response to my snailmail

12/20/03
Noam Chomsky
MIT Linguistics and Philosophy
77 Massachusetts Avenue Bldg E39-219
Cambridge, MA 02139

Dear Dr. Chomsky,

I am not sure of the original source, but one of my correspondents passed on to me your opinion that Dennis Kucinich could be elected president if the media allowed the public to hear his message, but that you didn't think that the media would do so.

Kucinich has always relied on face to face contact for his campaigns, using his own shoe leather and that of a corps of dedicated volunteers. Thousands of volunteers who have heard his message are working diligently to scale this process up to the level of a nationwide campaign.

In your writing and speaking, you have tended to promote forms of organizing outside the realm of electoral politics, but I think that this is one situation where an election campaign can have a major effect in countering the corporate/imperial direction in which our society is moving. No other candidate is such a clear and incorruptible voice against preemptive war and for rebuilding our own society.

Your endorsement would surely help us to overcome the trivialization of his campaign by our well-trained mediacracy. On more than one occasion you yourself have said

If you assume that there's no hope, you guarantee that there will be no hope. If you assume that there is an instinct for freedom, there are opportunities to change things, there's a chance for you to contribute to making a better world. That's your choice.

Please choose to lend your support to this campaign. Fear ends--hope begins. www.kucinich.us.

Sincerely,


To: eridani@s-----
From: Noam Chomsky <[e-mail]>
Subject: your letter


Appreciate your letter and sentiments about Dennis Kucinich, very much. I agree with them too. The problem for me is that there are conflicting commitments. I very much fear that if the radical statist reactionaries who now have a narrow grasp on power can extend their mandate, the future will be very grim. Dennis would really have a chance, if we could reconstruct a live, functioning, democratic culture, and what you are all doing in his campaign is contributing to that necessary end. But it will be a long struggle.

Noam Chomsky

[corporatewhore]

12. aint chomsky an anarchist meaning

he wont vote? I knnow there is a big "fuck the vote" campaign going on alot of my anarchist friends say they like kucinich but they cant vote for him on principle of choosing a leader

[Mairead]

17. Yes, he often terms himself (as I do) a 'libertarian socialist'

And he's said that he does vote, though most often in local elections where it makes a difference.

[LWolf]

19. I don't know about Chomsky, but

I do know that's a position taken by some anarchists...I have a son who claims to be one. He's never voted, to my endless frustration. We haven't talked candidates because he figures it's a waste of time, since he's not going to vote. He has paid enough attention to say things like, "Hey, mom, that little guy you like is talking on tv." And he actually sat and watched the last debate with me...progress.

[Paulie]

4. I did a poll in the office

Well, I wore my Kucinich button on my jacket today and people noticed it. 3 out of 4 didn't know of him. So not being to have his message heard is hurting. BUT, I linked all them, so we'll see what happens. Viral marketing of www.Kucinich.us

Dennis rocks. I really hope we get a good turnout for Iowa, it would really help. He's in it for the long haul, and if it comes down to 3 people, he will definately be one of the 3.

Time to send him another $50. :kick:

[no name no slogan]

5. I know many who've been to Iowa

and he has yard signs all over Des Moines. He's also got a lot of support outside DM, too.

I predict that he will finish in the top four in IA. Possibly even top three. People are making up their minds, and they're going DK.

[Qutzupalotl]

6. Dennis does well at every debate.

Good skills, good ideas, clarity of expression, great use of humor.

His positions are very close to mine. I hope he does pull an upset, frankly. I am not convinced he can beat Bush, but if he can and does, that will be a great day for America. And I say this as a Clark supporter.

[corporatewhore]

8. I thought we were going to mars for the cheap martian labor but...

maybe the wmds are there and bush will start an interplanetary war

[spychoactive]

10. wasn't that warner bros. character a martian?

"i'm going to blow up the earth!"

i forget his name...

watch out for the "Q-36 space modulator"

off topic i know...

DK-04

one love
spike

[corporatewhore]

14. Marvin the Martian

i think that bush is going to blow up the earth

[spychoactive]

15. thanks!

that would have bugged me all night!

one love
spike

[youngred]

13. as always, fantastic from Dennis

I'm very afraid for his candidacy though :-(