Posted on 01/11/2008 5:17:01 AM PST by cweese
Kucinich sues own party in Texas court Last Update: 1/10 10:31 pm Reporter: Keith Elkins
Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich is headed to federal court in Austin Friday to challenge a rule that's keeping his name off the March 4 ballot.
State Democratic Party officials say a loyalty oath has been required of their candidates running for election for at least three decades, and until now no one has ever objected to it.
This time around Kucinich, who signed the oath in 2004, said his strong feelings against the war are forcing him to take a stand against his own party.
Kucinich wants to bring America's soldiers home in three months and advocates the creation of a Department of peace. He's also the darling of some Texas musicians, including Willie Nelson.
"Dennis was the first guy running for president who has said the f-word - farmer - and therefore I've been on his side all the way,” Nelson said.
But Nelson and other Kucinich supporters may not be able to vote for him in March’s primary because when Kucinich filed his paperwork to get on the Texas primary ballot, he refused to sign a loyalty oath to support the party's eventual nominee. . "Dennis Kucinich himself signed this oath in 2004 and, unfortunately, this year decided to only support the nominee if they opposed war as a means of foreign policy,” Texas Democratic Party Communications Director Amber Moon said.
Democratic Party officials say without Kucinich's signature, they were forced to leave him off the ballot. They say no one can change a party rule that's been in place for thirty years, except the party itself.
Party officials say if a federal judge does rule the loyalty oath to be unconstitutional, they will change it. They add that even that can't be done until all Texas Democrats vote on the issue during their next state convention.
Democratic Party leaders say the loyalty oath was put in place to keep candidates from cross-filing in both political parties, which means running as a Democrat in the primary and voting for another party's candidate in the general election.
Paul/Kuc indy run?
“Paul/Kuc indy run?”
not likely since Paul polls literally 12x better than Kucinich.
If Paul does that, he’s pick someone who would add to, not detract from the ticket.
You heard him last night?
Limited government. End social welfarism. Lock down the border. Kucinich opposes all this.
That would be an interesting ticket. I reckon it’d take more votes from whomever the dem nominee is than the Republican.
He calls him a good friend
“He calls him a good friend”
There are many personal friendships across the aisle in Washington.
This is nothing new.
“There are many personal friendships across the aisle in Washington.”
The worst friendship is the McCain-Kennedy friendship that undermines america.
Kucinich says he didn’t sign the loyalty pledge because he couldn’t support someone who was for the war, yet ALL the dems are against the war. Maybe he didn’t sign it because he wanted to do and indy run.
“Kucinich says he didn’t sign the loyalty pledge because he couldn’t support someone who was for the war, yet ALL the dems are against the war. Maybe he didn’t sign it because he wanted to do and indy run.”
The dems aren’t all against it.
Some voted for it, the rest vote to fund it.
Some voted for it, the rest vote to fund it.
They’re all for pulling out now
The loyalty pledge gives him another opportunity to exhibit mock indignation which is his stock and trade.
He's nothing more than a con man doing the long con.
How is that different than Ron Paul?
I don't know Ron Paul's history well enough to make the same evaluation.
Good for him. Conservatism took a hit at the same time Kucinich did.
On Poll Results and the End of Conservatism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1951282/posts
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.