On kucinich's strategy

[Mass_Liberal]

I hear people talking a lot about could Kucinich beat bush. I'm not sure. I would surely vote for him if he won the nomination. But before we talk about Kucinich vs. Bush, how does Kucinich plan to win the nomination? Where is he leading, doing well, and how does he plan to do better? This is not a bash, I'd just like to hear a little more state-by-state stuff for kucinich (especially from kucinich people as opposed to kucinich bashers)


Peace :kick: :dem:

[LWolf]

1. Here's a bit:

Remember, I'm not a campaign leader, just a grunt in the field. Passing the word along.

Right now we are fundraising like crazy. A huge push to find the $$$ to keep him in and launch some bigger exposure. We have to; it is truly grassroots. Dennis doesn't take corporate money, pac money, etc. It's all small potatoes, so we have to dig up a lot of potatoes!

California is currently campaigning to get his name out to the public, and fundraising for Iowa and New Hampshire. I can't tell you any more about his "strategy," other than that there is currently a big focus on those 2 states.

[AnAmerican]

2. Well...for starters

This coming Sunday 9-21 is International Peace Day. The grassroots supporting Dennis have rallied around this day. As a result there are more than 1000 house parties/fundraising events planned nationwide for this weekend, all 50 states are participating.

He has consistently kept on message, and his greatest strength is his his platform. You look at the polls and they show 1-3%. The media has mostly painted him as a wild-eyed liberal with no chance. Despite that Dennis has put together a devoted (and talented) grassroots organization.

Dennis will continue to elaborate on his vision of a more prosperous, safer, America. He will do this by offering concrete plans, not sound bites designed to play well on TV.

The crowds he has been gathering have caused some surprise amongst members of the press. Trust me, his support is growing. Polls at this stage are pretty much pointless, the "flavor of the month" dominates, the flavor also changes frequently.

Come January this will be a different race, and frankly, it does not really matter who leads now. Who wins the primaries is what is important.

[Abe Linkman]

3. I think he made a fundamental mistake, right from the git go.

Positioning himself as the peace candidate was, in my judgment a fundamental mistake, from which he cannot recover.

He must have calculated that doing so would help him garner enough early support to give him the Big Mo they all need. The peace Now group is easy to identify and relatively easy to target; but it was a mistake, in my opinion.

Kucinich (if he had sought my counsel) could have taken an LBJ approach and garnered far more than the peace Now crowd.

The public knows little and cares less about what they perceive is a well-armed, well-taken-care-of military, doing necessary work. They don't give a hoot about having peace in EyeRack or anywhere else. They just want more money in their pocketbook to spend at Walmart, someone else to look after their kids, and a full tank of cheap gas.

Kucinich could have easily appealed to a much larger group than the peace Now crowd. But, as I said, he didn't seek my counsel.

[AnAmerican]

4. I must respectfully disagree

Dennis is much more than a "peace" candidate. Yes, he became known for his just oppostion to an unjust war but those who label him so narrowly are making a mistake.

His platform touches on many facets...education, healthcare, corporate abuse, human rights, and the economy to name but a few.

His message, despite the corporate media marginalizing him, isbeing heard. Every speech brings phone calls and emails to the campaign.
They are from people trying to raise families, trying to survive an administration that has let the economy stagnate, that has fought two wars and has continually spouted aggressive rhetoric, that has transformed our country into something most of us prayed we would never see.

These calls and emails are overwhelmingly supportive. People who have been sidelined, left without a voice, are finding that Dennis speaks for them, they are realizing that his most heartfelt belief is that government exists to serve the people, not the other way around.

Is Dennis a "peace" candidate? Yes. Is he "just" that? No.

All Dennis has to do is keep on emphasizing the issues. The issues are what Americans will listen to after the early excitement of the campaign trail fades. On the issues, no one can stand against Dennis. Let the corporate media play favorites, let the pundits rattle on about electability and image.

It is my belief that the coming election will be the changing point in American politics. The general public has seen the dark side, the nascent fascism of the BFEE. They are ready to listen to solid proposals and ideas now. The era of the "best haircut", "most telegenic" candidates is over.

This time around, issues do matter. Dennis is more than capable of holding his own against our other formidable candidates and against the pretender occupying the WH.

[Arun29]

5. Blah, Blah, Blah

Word on the street from my qualitative research is that Kucinich is very popular for telling it like it is, naming names (Halliburton etc.). People feel they would like to vote for him but don't consider it practical, that is his biggest obstacle. I think he has won both debates personally and am glad he is in the field. I think he will pull more levers than polls currently show during the primaries, I would bet on it. He is sort of the real Dean, not a poser, no that Dean is a poser but more strictly adherent to the Dean follower's values than the sheep realize . . . . Great guy, just like 8 others and one woman. I'd vote for anybody but that "Israel needs its capital in Jerusalem" guy that seems to be convinced all the Dems voted for him in 2000.

[Desertrose]

6. I hope you are wrong....

if Americans have the facts...have a choice...I think they will find their hearts again.....
There is always hope and Dennis makes it burn brighter.......

We need hope right about now.....more to gain by hoping than giving in to the negative vibes so pervasive these days......

The "public" is made up of individuals who each have a heart & conscience....maybe if they wake up a bit.....they'll see beyond their own small world.
I still have faith in the American public...that deep down they care about more than just cheap gas & "gettin' some"....

Peace
DR

[diamondsoul]

7. Oh but he has garnered more than the peace crowd.

Soon he'll have a lot of military support, too, assuming the National Coordinator I spoke with can get my advice through to him. I sincerely hope they do because that's exactly what he needs. If he gathers up the people on both sides of the defense/war/anti-war factions he'll lock it up.

I can promise you Dr. Dean holds very little interest for military members, nor does Gephart. Edwards may have appeal with them, Lieberman definitely not, and none of the others with the possible exception of Clark are even in a position to court the military at this point.

That's where a big battle will be waged for votes- among military members, and I hope Dennis gets my advice and my point. It isn't about the damned Pentagon, it's about the boys and girls on the ground with M-16s. THAT'S who they've got to win, and I don't think Clark will be able to do that purely by virtue of his rank. (sorry, but it's a fact of military life that very few Officers have a lot of respect from enlisted men and women.)