Kucinich to Endorse Kerry for President

[DrFunkenstein]

WASHINGTON - Democrat Dennis Kucinich, who has remained in the presidential race despite John Kerry's obvious lock on the party's nomination, will formally throw his support to the Massachusetts Democrat on Thursday.

Earlier Wednesday, a spokesman for Bush's re-election campaign chastised Kerry for saying in a CBS Evening News interview that his vote for a congressional resolution authorizing the war in Iraq but against $87 billion in supplemental funding for U.S. troops and the reconstruction was not a reversal in position.

Bush's campaign issued a news release with an excerpt of Kerry telling an interviewer in September 2003 that voting against the $87 billion funding request would be irresponsible and said the American people "will not trust the presidency of someone who wants to have it both ways on Iraq."

"John Kerry voted for the war, declared himself an anti-war candidate, said voting against the troops he sent to war would be 'irresponsible' and then voted against the troops," said Bush spokesman Steve Schmidt. "Even the most extreme makeover cannot turn his tortured positions into a record of leadership."

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=694&e=14&u=/ap/kerry

Who the hell wrote this article? Whoever they are, they're a friggin' moron. It'd be nice to hear something about, you know, Dennis Kucinich.

[Kanary]

1. Haven't seen that picture before...... thanks for posting it!

I agree, that writer needs to get a clue about WRITING......

Now, wouldn't it be really nice if some of those who kept ragging on Dennis for staying in the race would make a nice comment on this move?

Not holding my breath, just sayin'.......

Kanary

[Jim Sagle]

2. I'm not one of those who kept ragging on Dennis...

but I may have taken one or two cheap shots along the way. ;-)

But I think this was a very classy move by DK, coming just at the right time. It may help bring some Naderite maybes back into the fold.

[MoonRiver]

13. I've always thought Dennis was awesome.

I wish this country were ready for such a magnificent candidate. It's not, but I applaud him for standing up for democracy by endorsing the Democratic presidential nominee (presumptive), John Kerry! Let freedom ring!!!

Gooooo Kucinich!
Gooooo Kerry/Edwards!

[JI7]

3. he always said he was going to endorse Kerry before the convention

[DrFunkenstein]

4. There Are Zero - ZERO - Pictures Of Kucinich on The Newswires!

http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news/?p=kucinich&c=news_photos&n=20&ei=UTF-8

I had to take my image from a Yahoo image search.

[TexasSissy]

5. Better late than never, I guess.

[Kanary]

7. Congratulations on all your attempts to split the party

You're a real sport.

[TexasSissy]

12. Pot calling kettle black. Glad he's on board. But he should've dropped

out months ago, when it was painfully obvious he couldn't win the nomination and was merely drawing money and attention from the real parade.

Contrary to splitting, I am keeping tabs on who didn't join with the party as one to win this election, once it became apparent in early 2004 who the nominee was going to be.

I like Kucinich personally, but he fumbled his decisions lately.

[Hippo_Tron]

14. He continued to camapign to bring Greens back into the party

He conceded that he wasn't going to be the nominee and was going to support Kerry in the end but would continue to campaign to move the party to the left and get Greens and Progressives back in. I don't think he was exactly taking away attention from the real parade.

[no name no slogan]

15. He still had work to do, so why should he have quit?

He (and his supporters) have been working to get the party to take some bolder positions on the big issues of this year, like the Iraq occupation, healthcare, military spending, etc.

After the last platform committee meeting in Miami, his work was done (btw, DK supporters did have some success in "clarifying" Kerry's message-- as a representative from Kerry's campaign said), and he could officially endorse Kerry/Edwards-- which he also said he would do all along.

Even though the nomination may have been a foregone conclusion by March, Dennis knew that this year, the primaries and caucuses were about more than selecting a presidential candidate.

DK also knows that a lot of politics is just showing up, and so he stayed in the race, encouraging his supporters to show up to their meetings and conventions, and get elected as leaders in their party. Consequently, there are a number of Kucitizens who are now in positions of authority in their local and statewide Democratic parties, which means that it gets that much easier to get progressive candidates endorsed in two and four years from now.

Dennis wasn't just in the race for the nomination, he was in it for the soul of the party.

[Kanary]

16. I'm guessing....... Joe McCarthy was a hero of yours?

[LWolf]

9. And right on time is best of all.

Here's a toast to Dennis, for keeping his promise to his supporters, taking our issues all the way to the convention, and for keeping the faith with his party and the nominee. Just like he promised us all along.

:toast:

[NoPasaran]

6. Welcome aboard the train, Dennis!

I was sure all along that this would happen.

[LWolf]

8. Here ya go:

It's Dennis' statement, a more reliable source ;-)

http://www.kucinich.us/messages/072204-dennis.php

Unity is essential
July 22, 2004

For the past two and a half years, I have led a national effort for peace, for social and economic justice and health care for all. My campaign reached every state and territory. We participated in every primary and caucus. We pointed our party towards new directions. I am here to say that the next critical step we must take is to help elect John Kerry the next President of the United States.

Today I am happy to endorse the Kerry-Edwards ticket. And I look forward to helping to lead the way to elect John Kerry President and John Edwards Vice President of the United States.

With the same passion and commitment I demonstrated in my own campaign for President, I intend to reach out on behalf of the Kerry-Edwards ticket to unite our party with all those who may have felt left out. I will let them know that the time has come to unite in a common effort for change which is essential not only for America but for the world.

John Kerry can win because there is a place within the Democratic party for everyone, including those who may be thinking of supporting Ralph Nader. Most people know I have many of the same commitments Ralph has.

If there is room for me in the party and the Kerry-Edwards campaign, there is certainly room for Ralph and for his supporters.

Let's unite to create a new government, a new direction, a new opportunity, and new progress.

The tens of thousands of volunteers who helped our campaign across America will be enlisted to help the Kerry-Edwards ticket. Those delegates who pledged to me at the convention will be asked to join the Kerry- Edwards delegates in our sweep to victory. This convention will be a great celebration of John Kerry, John Edwards and our Democratic Party and its capacity to restore hope for all Americans.

The word is unity. My volunteers united at the Democratic Platform and we will unite now because we recognize that unity is essential to bring change in November. Unity is essential to repair America. Unity is essential to set America on a new path.

John Kerry is a good friend and a decent man. He has a lifelong commitment of honorable service to our nation as a soldier and as a Senator. He can be trusted with power. He will help heal America. He has outstanding intellectual gifts he will bring to the White House and to world affairs. I am proud to stand here to say I will do everything possible to make John Kerry the next President of the United States.

With your help and mine we will make sure he wins my home state of Ohio, the industrial Midwest and the White House.
Dennis Kucinich

[JohnKleeb]

10. Good, maybe he can help show some that supporting Kerry isnt bad after all

I bet he's pleased that his good friend Edwards is on the ticket, so maybe we'll see some of his influence through Edwards. Maybe Kucinich can play a big role in the north east Ohio Kerry campaign, Kerry gave a job in the DNC to another progressive Cleveland Democrat Stephanie Tubbs-Jones.

[Cuban_Liberal]

11. There was never a doubt in my mind that he would.

Way to go, Kooch!

:thumbsup: