Why do people keep saying he's unelectable?

[redqueen]

Does anyone remember what Jimmy Carters numbers were about now in the primaries when he was running?

Honestly, this article fairly gushes over Kucinich, but the author still has to reinforce the 'has no chance' meme... his opinion is $$$ related.

I can't for the life of me figure it out.

We all know we need real change. We all know people are sick of bush. We all know that Americans support his policies.

I've asked more than a few times for corraboration on whether or not Kucinich was indeed the only speaker to get a standing ovation at the JJ dinner. I heard that but can't confirm it so far.

I agree with Studs Terkel that Kucinich would make bush look like what he really IS in a debate. Up against bush, he'd be the STRONGEST candidate. Not based on polls, or money... but CONTENT of the man's CHARACTER.

Sorry but I'm really frustrated due to the lack of scrutiny given to the fact that Dean's rise in the mainstream media, which started in May, occurred during a time when he had been campaiging for 15 months, compared to Kucinich at 3 months... yet they were neck and neck in the CNN, USA Today, and Gallop polls... why this attention to Dean's 'astonishing' success when it took 15 months of campaigning to get, while Kucinich got within the margin of error in 3 months?!

Anyway... it's a good article. Have a look.

And for the love of humanity... if you support Kucinch, please don't believe the hype, ok? He is very electable, and would be the best president of our lifetimes.

Thanks... rant over. :)

[xultar]

1. I like Kucinich, he's my # 2. You're right he could be the best Pres

in our life time and Clark, Gephardt, Kerry and Dean could also.

I'm trying to be real here though I don't think he'll make it for a couple of reasons. His appeal isn't broad enough and his campaign isn't aggressive enough about getting his message out.

[JohnKleeb]

4. Thank you for your words, we dont think its gonna be easy

but to quote Shaw, and I believe RFK later used this, "Some men see things as they are and say, 'Why?' I dream of things that never were and say, 'Why not?'"
Robert F. Kennedy, after George Bernard Shaw
Thats one of my mottos. That quote could explain what being a Kucitizen is all about, some people ask why and we see what could be and say why not. Its a great quote I think.

[Maple]

2. C'mon

Single vegetarian with weird unworkable ideas and no background knowledge.

In the middle of the current situation, you want a hippie in there?

Unelectable.

[MrSoundAndVision]

5. Thanks for the

the well-informed input, I'll really think about that.

[redqueen]

6. You call them weird and unworkable.

That doesn't make it so.

And he's not a hippie. What is it with right wing talking points in here?!

Sorry, but I'm going with Studs & Howard Zinn. Electable. Not just electable. But the most electable.

[MrSoundAndVision]

10. Right Winger

read my mind RQ. Can spot that incorrect, twisted, saturated-with-unlanguage explaination in the blink of an eye.

[Maple]

13. They ARE weird and unworkable

but if you want to lose your vote...that's your problem.

PS...disagreeing with people is disagreeing....it is not inherently right wing. Get a grip.

[MrSoundAndVision]

17. Ok maple tree you get a second chance....

What about them, specifically, is unworkable? And be as specific as possible, i.e., Kucinich is a hippie is not policy or issue specific. Come on. I'm a convincer.

[Maple]

19. You can't disconnect

from NAFTA and the WTO without producing an American Depression that will make the 'dirty 30's' look like a walk in the park.

So unless you all want to be unemployed and hungry...forget the hippy dippy ideas and be practical.

This is the 21st century...and it's a globalized world.

Adapt...or go under.

Them's the choices.

[MrSoundAndVision]

21. Well

I'm not of the disposition to believe that it is acceptable for WalMart to contract slave labor in order to sell you a piece of shit fan that breaks in 3 months. Slave labor is EVIL, always was and always will be. And you accepting that this is a "globalized" world and not stopping for one second to think about who makes your yuppi clothes for NOTHING is unacceptable. You need to be educated I think.

Say! Did you hear that a California court ruled that it is acceptable that Unocal (US energy giant) paid the Burmese government to build it's gas pipeline, then the Burmese government forced the rural villagers to build it for free, raping women who refused, killing men who refused? Did you hear about that Maple Leaf?

You just don't know what "globalization" means, because the media has defined it for you!

[MrSoundAndVision]

23. Peace

is unworkable? Employment is unworkable? Health is unworkable? These are RIGHTS Maple Tree!

What do you do for a living? Ever worked for Wal Mart?

[redqueen]

20. No, that's called an opinion.

You're stating it as a fact.

I'm not saying that disagreeing is right wing.

I'm saying that disparaging things by labeling them ... as you did with your 'hippie' coment... is a right wing tactic. And it is.

[shanti]

28. exactly like jerry brown

bless his heart. i voted for him in every election he was in, but he was definitely, like kucinich, unelectable.

[MrSoundAndVision]

3. The Worst kind of Kucinich supporter is

the supporter who says they agree with nearly everything his platform is about, that he is a true representative of the people, and then turn right around and won't support him because the media says he is unelectable.

These people need to realize something:

YOU ARE A KUCINICH SUPPORTER! TIME TO ACT LIKE ONE!

And I try to tell them, support Dean, fine, march with the crowd, whatever, but when you're in the box vote your conscience, not the media's.

And about the JJ dinner, you can watch it at http://www.kucinichwatch.com, it just got posted there today.

[redqueen]

9. Oh bless you, MSAV!

:D

And I like your line... I'm taking it! The next person that says that nonsense to me gets that feedback. Except I'll make a little modification. "You already are a Kucinich supporter, you just aren't being true to your self."

[MrSoundAndVision]

15. Thanks

just the latest from a highly-inspired Kucitizen. We had a meeting in Louisville last night, 80 people! And Dennis called us to say that he will need our state too on his way to the White House. Poor guy was having dinner with his daughter at 8:45 in Washington, and still called us.

At the end, the organizer asked for donations, and then some silly girl told the crowd just to go online and do it! I was like, "Gimme one of those donation envelopes, come on peopl!" but only a couple donated. Silly. But it went really well. I spoke in front of them and my voice didn't crack, so I guess it went well.

[soothsayer]

7. conspiracy theory sez he is not part of the illuminati

Neither he nor Edwards are illuminati, so the powers that be won't allow them to win, or so goes the story.

[Myra]

8. I agree he's one of the best candidates

Maybe the best, and I won't give up on him.

I assume the dismissal of him is due to
a few things (besides the obvious media whore
factor): amount of money collected to purchase
the presidency, he standing in rigged polls and
primaries and such, and the fact that he's not
a tall white guy with a white mane. I know he's
white; but he's not white enough.

I know, all of the above reasons are BS.
But you asked for input, and I think it's true.

I guess the only things we can do are:

-Donate to his campaign (which I'll do).
-Help spread the word (as you're doing).
-Volunteer for his campaign/meet-ups, if we can.

Any other ideas?

He's actually the candidate I have the fewest issues
with, and who states his policies the most clearly.

[redqueen]

11. Can't argue with those plans...

Other than add... vote for him! :D

[Character Assassin]

12. Did you ever see 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers'?

Now you know....

[Maple]

14. Lost cause

Sorry.

[MrSoundAndVision]

18. ok

then we'll stop trying to convince you, lost cause.

[megaplayboy]

16. What is the Kucinich nomination scenario?

It seems to me DK would have to dazzle at the next couple debates, place in the top 4 in Iowa and NH, and find a place to win a primary by Mid-march while placing top 3 almost everywhere. Also, the current top two or three candidates would have to commit major gaffes or otherwise stumble for him to have a chance. He has to rise above Braun, Sharpton, and Lieberman for starters.

If Kucinich can't generate greater support among Democratic primary voters, then he probably is unelectable, since he wouldn't get nominated. But maybe he can win enough delegates to become a kingmaker at the convention, and get some of his best ideas into the platform. And he could help campaign and court the Nader Democrats.
Hopefully Ralph won't run, the Greens will endorse ABB, and the opposition to * will finally present a united front in November '04.

Otherwise you'll have to bail me out of jail for beating the stuffing out of anyone who voted Nader again in a close election year in a close state:puke:

[MuseRider]

24. People vote their

conscience. I believe that is still legal. While I would not vote for Nader I will fight for anyones right to do so.

Edit for dumb spelling error

[pansypoo53219]

22. BUSH

is UNELECTABLE. BOTH TIMES!!!

[Rhiannon12866]

25. I would vote for Kucinich tomorrow,

but he has to get the nomination first. I think it is still too early to rule anybody out. My friend, who is working for Gephardt, says that the fact that his name is hard to spell would work against him. I told her that it's the same for Gephardt, but she says he's been in national politics longer and is better known. Kucinich is my idealogical favorite, but I will vote for anyone who can defeat George Bush*!:grr:

[snoochie]

26. I think it's because of the hammering

the national psyche has taken since 40 years ago today.

It's like we've been told all along since this time, that the powerful will do whatever they want, and there's nothing we can do about it, so people go into a kind of denial. Who knows...

I'm still stuck on the question you asked about Jimmy Carter. Others have compared his run to Kucinich's as well. Grassroots effort, discounted, didn't build early support but kept growing.

[Frodo]

27. Did you check before you posted? Carter was AHEAD at this point.

"Does anyone remember what Jimmy Carters numbers were about now in the primaries when he was running?"

The question implies that Carter was (in some way) in a similar position at this point in the race... and that since HE was obviously "electible" (being elected and all), Kucinich must be too.

Poor logic aside (there having been LOTS of people poling at 1-2% in the past who never went on to be president), I'll just give you a headline from 10/27/1975 New Yor Times:

"Carter Holds Strong Lead Going Into Iowa Caucuses"

DK got one of those yet? Carter won the Iowa, NH, FL and IL primaries before losing his first primary (Mass) to "scoop" Jackson (who I presume was the local Senator since he didn't show up in the top five in Iowa).

Both Carter and Clinton were largely unheard-of early in their primary races (but by NOW Carter WAS "legitimate" and this cycle things are much more compressed than they were back then), but they were both Governors and were much more credible for it. Just like nobody had heard of Dean yet he got lots of coverage right after getting in the race because a Governor is a more credible candidate than anything else.