Kucinich ends two-day blitz in Austin
Democratic presidential hopeful rails against war
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Kucinich's two-day tour through Austin, which started Friday, included a videotaped forum Saturday at which he took questions from Central Texas youths and an evening fund-raising concert with Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt and other musicians at the Austin Music Hall downtown. The concert was a sellout; Kucinich spokeswoman Deda Divine said 1,600 tickets were sold. Kucinich is among several Democratic presidential candidates to come calling in Austin for the 2004 race.
Libertarian presidential candidate Michael Badnarik, who opposes the Patriot Act because it gives the government greater authority to obtain information on U.S. citizens and who favors eliminating the Internal Revenue Service, also spoke briefly during the rally.
Kucinich said the United States should soon withdraw its troops and give control of Iraq's oil to the United Nations, which should help Iraq create a constitution. To restore the world's faltering faith in the United States, U.S. officials must denounce any interest in privatizing Iraq's economy, he said.
"And then we need to do a few more things," Kucinich said. "The U.S. must rebuild what we blew up in Iraq. We have a moral responsibility in this regard."
Kucinich said the United States will continue misspending its money the longer troops stay in Iraq and that the dollars should be used instead for programs to improve education and health care at home...cont'd http://www.statesman.com/metrostate/content/auto/epaper/editions/sunday/metro_state_f37fab56a54c7143008f.html