Kucinich hoped to beat low expectations

[Freddie Stubbs]

RYAN J. FOLEY, Associated Press Writer Monday, January 19, 2004

(01-19) 20:04 PST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) --

Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich vowed to continue his campaign despite a distant, fifth-place finish Monday night in the Iowa caucuses.

"We picked up a few delegates, which is what I hoped to do," Kucinich told The Associated Press at a downtown Des Moines hotel where supporters were disappointed. "For some, this might be the end of their campaigns. For me, this is the beginning."

"I'm now in the fifth position -- and we'll keep moving up."

Kucinich said he was leaving first thing Tuesday morning for New Hampshire, where he hoped to continue his campaign.

more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/01/19/politics2304EST0687.DTL

[alexwcovington]

1. He does this by making a suicide pact with Edwards?

That didn't gain votes for Kucinich. He was skating on thin ice for me in the past week, and the announcement of this odd vote-swapping agreement was the last straw.

[mdmc]

2. Dean supporter here

That would back a Edwards / Kucinich ticket.

[alexwcovington]

3. Well of course I'd vote for them

I'd vote for the nominee period. But Kucinich effectively gave up his campaign for President yesterday, and I was going to vote for him as the nominee for President. But not if he's lining up with Edwards...

[Tinoire]

4. Never pegged you as a Kucinich supporter for some reason

A Kucinich / Edwards team-up would be fine with me thanks to some information AP shared with me yesterday.

I could vote for any of the top 4 contenders in Iowa, with varying amounts of passion of course but still, in the end...

It's all about the balance of their package. War votes bring you down on my list but so does saying you were the only anti-war candidate when we all know that wasn't true and capitalizing on the fact that you didn't have to vote. I think Iowa injected a little dose of reality into all of us. We needed it.

Also made me realize that I need to look at at Edwards as a whole because I dismissed him too early. He's the one candidate I know the least about because his supporters have been so quiet but he's got the AP seal of approval and that means something to me. So does Will Pitt's because I've seen Will in action & know where his heart his.

Still, it's Kucinich all the way!!

[goodhue]

5. This Will Go to Convention

Kucinich: This Will Go to Convention
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2004


Democratic Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich had been showing at 3 percent in the polls in Iowa, but topped 15 percent or more in many precincts in order to win 1.3 percent of the total delegates. Had he failed to top a surprising 15 percent, Kucinich would have finished with zero delegates as expected. The polls did little better at predicting the results for the other candidates in the Iowa caucuses, and tonight's results may have raised more questions than they answered about the final outcome of the Democratic nominating process.

"This is the beginning of the campaign," said Kucinich. "We've got 49 states left to go. The media had long ago predicted the winner of the entire process and even the loser of the general election, and tonight's caucuses have the pundits scratching their collective scalps in bewilderment. I moved from ninth place to fifth and won delegates despite the 15 percent threshold.

"The longtime poll leader dropped to third, which some pundits are erroneously crediting to Dr. Dean's status as an anti-war candidate. Dr. Dean did not consistently oppose the initial stages of this war and he has said that he will keep our troops in Iraq for years.

"As I climb higher in New Hampshire and each successive state, and as the situation in Iraq continues to worsen, Democratic support for peace will be reflected in my campaign's success. I predict a brokered convention in July. By the end of this month my campaign will have raised over $10 million, including matching funds, and I'm just getting started.

"As part of my strategy in the Iowa caucuses, I worked out an arrangement with Senator Edwards that may have allowed each of us to pick up a few more delegates. Our supporters, of course, ultimately chose their own courses of action. But none were left with their only strategic choice being leaving their caucus and going home. John and I are friends and I wish him the best. But we have 49 states left to go, and we're each on our own."

For more information: http://www.kucinich.us

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. The longer it takes for us to pick a nominee

The more Bush's chance of victory increases.