Posted on 01/25/2008 2:39:28 PM PST by Libloather
Democrat Dennis Kucinich quits presidential race, faces tough fight to keep House seat
CLEVELAND (AP) _ Democrat Dennis Kucinich abandoned his presidential bid Friday to focus on a tough race for re-election to Congress.
Kucinich, speaking at a union hall, told supporters who chanted "Dennis, Dennis," that he would work to keep his campaign promises, not as president, but as a member of the U.S. House.
"I won't be president, but I can continue to fight for these important issues as the United States congressman representing the community that is first in my heart, Cleveland, Ohio," he said.
Kucinich made an urgent appeal on his Web site this week for congressional campaign contributions as "the only candidate who can't be bought — 'cause he's not for sale."
The six-term House member got only 1 percent of the vote in the New Hampshire presidential primary and was shut out in the Iowa caucuses.
Kucinich, 61, is facing four challengers in the Democratic congressional primary March 4. Rival Joe Cimperman has been critical of Kucinich for focusing too much time outside of his district while campaigning for president.
The Ohio congressman brought the same sense of idealism to his second run for president as he did in his first bid four years ago. He said he entered the race again because the Democratic Party wasn't pushing hard enough to end the Iraq war. His candidacy was supported by many Hollywood celebrities, including actor Sean Penn.
During his tenure in Congress, Kucinich has been one of the most outspoken liberals, opposing international trade agreements like the North America Free Trade Agreement and marching with protesters in Seattle during a meeting of the World Trade Organization.
As a presidential candidate, he has proposed a Department of Peace, backed universal health care and supported gay marriage. He also pushed for the impeachment of Vice President Dick Cheney.
Kucinich, 61, is facing four challengers in the Democratic congressional primary...
Is there anyone running from the non-dark side?
Drat! There went the sane one!
You mean he is actually going to spend time serving and dealing with the interests of his constituents instead of pursuing his Quixotic goal of POTUS? Maybe McCain and Hillary should watch and learn.
The twerp ran for President and that’s the best he can come up with?
Which reminds me... Didn’t the media get all over Bob Dole saying he should quit the senate to prove he was serious about running for president? If so, shouldn’t the media demand the same from HC and BO?
If you subtract his intellectual contribution to the RAT debates you are left with a big fat ZERO.
Of course, if you add his intellectual contribution back in, you still have that same big fat ZERO.
Anyway, I’ll miss him. He made me laugh.
There are some candidates who run out of idealism...like Alan Keyes (anti-abortion). Kucinich's idealism unfortunately was of a more moonbat variety.
*Bubba had a Piece Department - no?
Ha! Ha! I love that. At least we know where he came from.
I hope he wins. Whoever would beat him will be just as liberal. Kucinich is at least a good for a few laughs.
No. I think his Republican colleagues wanted him to quit as Majority Leader. He decided to resign entirely.
I still want his wife to be First Lady...
Dennis won the seat from a Republican like 10 years ago. Maybe we can win it back. That would be a morale boost.
An honest Marxist...
I still want to know what the New Hampshire vote was. He paid big bucks for the recount. Any word on the current recount? I doubt it.
Kucinich’s advantage is that the 4 opponents may divide the vote to his benefit.
We gotta keep Dennis in office for sheer entertainment. I’m sending him a hunnert quatloos...
Kooksinich, the mother ship is coming for you!
It would not surprise me to find out that Ron Paul also has a harder time at home now too that Texas voters know more of what he really stands for.
I understand the first solid evidence that he was leaving was when he was seen last night on the handle bars of a bike, with a kid riding across the face of the full moon, and pointing toward space and saying “phone home”.
Nope. That wasn’t E.T.
E.T. was better looking.
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