Why I Quit My Job To Work For Dennis Kucinich

[no name no slogan]

link: http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1124-13.htm

Excellent piece at Common Dreams by David Swanson, Kucinich's press secretary. I think he does a great job explaining why so many of us Kucitizens feels as passionately as we do about DK's campaign.

<snip>

When people meet Dennis they talk in tones of amazement. When we flew in a small plane from Iowa to D.C. with a Rollingstone reporter recording an interview of Dennis the entire trip, the reporter commented when we were on the ground that he'd never before gone so long without an interviewee asking to go off the record. Dennis couldn't understand that. He has nothing he's trying to hide.

When we met with the editorial board of USA Today, they asked why Dennis didn't follow Clinton's third way. Dennis told them that to do so would be a tactical approach. He meant that as a stinging condemnation, though the expressions on some of the editors' faces suggested a reaction on their part of "Yes, and…?" They did seem to understand when he said it was an approach that had cost the Democrats seats in Congress.

During that same meeting, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled against a ban on same-sex marriages. A USA Today editor asked Dennis his opinion, and he told them it was a clear case of civil rights to be defended without question. "Isn't there a political downside to that?" they asked. "There's a political downside to getting up in the morning," he replied.

</snip>

Another thing that struck me while reading the article is the fact that much of his campaign organization comes not from other political campaigns but from community organizers and peace & justice groups. I've met very few "politicos" who work for the Kucinich campaign, but I've met a fair number of community activists and members of unions, welfare rights group members, peace advocates and environmental organizers.

That's what makes him a different kind of candidate, and what will make him a different kind of president. :D

EDIT FOR formatting

[moosedog]

1. I agree fully....

Dennis is sincere ! He is the only one that can fight and get our country back to the people. He is a good man. Too good to believe, but he is a good man and will get us back on track. He might be little but he is mighty. If we don't vote him in, without the thieves stealing our votes, we will be living as very poor citizens unless we are prostitutes to the thieves in power at this time.

[raysr]

2. Going to a DK meeting tonite.

[Desertrose]

3. David Swanson has made a difference...

in the campaign...I can tell just from the mailings I've been getting.....

and I do agree nnns that so many who work for Dennis are people who care about making this a better world...not politicos...The fact that Dennis is a heart person helped me come up with my slogan....

Now is the Time to Put Dreams into Action.....Vote Dennis Kucinich!

Peace
DR

[genius]

4. Dennis is really the people's candidate.

In the primaries I always vote my concience and Dennis is the best candidate. What is really frightening to me is that I keep hearing from supporters of other candidates that they agree Dennis is the best but that they won't vote their conscience - even in the primary. The sad part is that a year from now those who fail to vote for Dennis will probably be angry at themselves for not supporting him. He is the candidate with the best chance against Bush.

[redqueen]

5. This is just nuts.

"I keep hearing from supporters of other candidates that they agree Dennis is the best but that they won't vote their conscience - even in the primary."

Absofreakinlutely nuts.

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

7. not voting your conscience- yep, nuts

I have heard this from people as well. It's sad.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

8. They should read Plaid Adder's front page article

There's a time to make a stand.

[DrFunkenstein]

6. How Do You Pay Rent?

I'm having a hard time figuring out how to go full-time Kerry, but those pesky bills keep getting in the way. Damn those predatory lenders! I was seduced by the promise of easy cash and a quality education!

[diamondsoul]

9. In David's case-

He was already free-lancing, so the offer of a steady paycheck was probably a step forward. He's a paid staffer since being offered the Press Secretary position, and he was a brilliant choice, imho! He's a great guy, exceptionally good at what he does, and passionate about Kucinich's platform.

[diamondsoul]

10. ROTFL I missed that line!

During that same meeting, the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruled against a ban on same-sex marriages. A USA Today editor asked Dennis his opinion, and he told them it was a clear case of civil rights to be defended without question. "Isn't there a political downside to that?" they asked. "There's a political downside to getting up in the morning," he replied.

I love it, the man is SO straightforward!

[redqueen]

11. Yep, I love that about him too!

No mincing words, no tailoring the message to the polls.

Isn't that what his Republican colleagues have respected him for? His standing up for his principles?

IMO that's what makes him so likeable. He's so un-politician-like. :)

And IMO people usually vote for who they like, so he's a shoo-in. :D

[goodhue]

12. thanks for posting this

http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1124-13.htm

More from Swanson article:

If we work to nominate Dennis as the Democratic candidate for president and fail, we will be stuck with a tougher battle against Bush on behalf of someone less able to inspire, less able to attract new and third-party voters, less likely to hand Bush stunning defeats in debates. But if we don't work to nominate Dennis, we'll have that same result for certain, and we'll have failed to pull any other candidates toward a progressive agenda. Once a nominee is named, we will all be able to support that person, whether it's Dennis Kucinich or someone else, but until a nominee is named, we have everything to gain and nothing to lose by promoting the best candidate we've had in a major party in many, many years.

This is the one candidate who voted against the War on Iraq, who has proposed to end the occupation immediately, bring our troops home, and turn control over to the United Nations, who will repeal NAFTA and withdraw from the WTO, who has a detailed plan to provide quality health care for every American - and for a lower cost than we are now paying to leave 45 million people uncovered, who will cut the bloated Pentagon budget, who will establish a Department of Peace, who will create universal pre-Kindergarten and cover the cost of college tuition for millions of students, and who will bust the media monopolies.

Don't think the media hasn't noticed. The New York Times asked Dennis to get out of the race within two weeks of his announcing. The media gave Dean superstar coverage when he and Dennis were even in the polls, and has ever since used those polls to justify doing so.

The Kucinich campaign is a grassroots effort. A greater share of its contributions is in small amounts than is true for any other campaign. And that money is growing, as are endorsements, and as is even the media coverage. But progressives need to pour their energy into this fight for the next few months like nothing they've ever done before. If we do this and win, we will change the world in a way many of us are almost afraid to hope for. If we do it and lose, there will still be plenty of time to promote one of the several other Democrats -- and perhaps we will have moved them away from some of the Bush-lite positions that hinder their chances.

Learn more at www.kucinich.us