An E-mail from Dennis Kucinich

[babsbunny]

The Cleveland Plain Dealer ridicules and distorts Dennis' DNC speech

Dear Friends,

On February 2nd, as a candidate for the Democratic Presidential nomination, I addressed the Democratic National Committee’s winter meeting in Washington, DC. I chose my speech to talk about the human cost of war. I spoke of my trip to post-war Lebanon to meet with war victims to characterize the suffering of all people in all war torn nations.

Sunday, the Plain Dealer chose to ridicule and distort my DNC speech in a column by Elizabeth Auster, belittling my exploration of the deep relationship between our political actions and the effects of our decisions on people around the world. Instead of choosing to rally DNC cheerleaders, I spoke of real life, real war and the importance of real peace and real leadership.

The Plain Dealer continues to attack me despite the fact that they were wrong about the war in Iraq and I was right. The Plain Dealer’s wounds go back to the early 1970s when I stood up to their relentlessly unethical campaign to force the privatization of the city’s municipal electric system. Fifteen years later they had to print a news story proclaiming I was right.

It is time for the Plain Dealer to stop these games. There is so much more at stake. Hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians are dying all around the world because Congress will not hold the Administration accountable for their policies of imperialism. The Plain Dealer must stop trivializing war; stop trivializing those who have the courage to stand up to those who beat the drums of war. It is time for the Plain Dealer to make a new effort for journalistic integrity and recognize true leadership. Let’s help them.

Please send a letter to the Editor, Doug Clifton at [e-mail] or call the editorial offices at 216-999-4800 and ask that they print my entire speech to let their readers decide for themselves, that they cover the voices of those who are right, so that America may stand a chance to regain a place of honor in the international community and most importantly so that we can get out of these wars based on lies.

Today we stand on the threshold of an unnecessary war with Iran, which could engulf the world. This is not a time for nursing grudges, petty feuds or journalistic sarcasm.

The Plain Dealer has an obligation to its readers and to my constituents to report the news, not to manufacture it; to report the political process, not to try to manipulate it.

Please act now and contribute to help our efforts to strengthen our voice for a renewed America. Help me stand up to those in the mainstream media who manufacture the news and manipulate public opinion against the interests of the American people, for their own narrow economic interests.

Its time to stand up for truthful leadership. With your help I can, and I will be elected your president.

Thank you,


Dennis J Kucinich

[Dr.Phool]

1. Isn't it wonderful to live in a one newspaper town?

But, maybe Cleveland's lucky. We have 2 right wing rags in the Tampa Bay area.