Notes
Man in Motion
On December 12, 2006 in the City Council Chamber in Cleveland City Hall, Rep. Dennis Kucinich announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination.  Kucinich said that in the 2006 mid-term election Americans "voted for the Democrats because they expected us to end the occupation and to bring our troops home from Iraq."  However, Kucinich, said Democratic leaders in Congress had not received that message.

Progressive Through and Through
Kucinich is a former chair of the Progressive Caucus in Congress.  A strong advocate of universal health care, he co-sponsored the United States National Health Insurance Act, also called the the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act (H.R. 676 in the 109th Congress).  He has advocated creation of a cabinet level Department of Peace and Nonviolence (H.R. 3760 in the 109th Congress).  He has also introduced bills to "prohibit the open-air cultivation of genetically engineered pharmaceutical and industrial crops" (H.R. 5267) and to prohibit "the basing of weapons in space and the use of weapons to destroy or damage objects in space that are in orbit..." (H.R. 2420 in the 1099th Congress).  Kucinich himself is a vegan.

Veteran Campaigner Faces Hard Slogging
This was Kucinich's 22nd campaign for public office (including the 1978 recall campaign) since he was first elected the the Cleveland City Council in 1969, and his second run for president.  He achieved meager results in his 2004 presidential bid, but carried his campaign through to the brink of the Convention in Boston, finally ending it on July 22.  Some of the leaders of that campaign went on to found a group called Progressive Democrats of America.  Unlike other candidates who built up an organization before announcing, Kucinich started his 2008 campaign with essentially no organization.

Kucinich did have one asset that he did not have on his 2004 campaign.  In Aug. 2005 he married Elizabeth Harper, a tall distinctive like-minded Englishwoman with long red hair three decades his junior.  She frequently accompanied him on the campaign trail.  While some of the people who worked on and supported the 2004 effort provided a base,  the campaign organization that developed over 2007 appeared quite disorganized and underwent many changes.  Compounding Kucinich's difficulties in getting his message out, organizers of a number of major events and debates excluded him in part because of his lack of organization [examples: Iowa Democrats, Dec. 13 IA debate, Jan. 5 NH debate, Jan. 15 NV debate, Jan. 21 SC debate].  Unlike in 2003-04 when he made at least thirty visits to Iowa, in this campaign he made just seven visits to the state.  Instead Kucinich focused on New Hampshire, but he did not fare well there.  Facing a strong challenge in his bid for re-election to his 10th District congressional seat, Kucinich announced the end of his campaign on Jan. 25, 2008.
   

Speeches
Ending his candidacy, Cleveland, OH, Jan. 25, 2008.  [transcript]
DNC Winter Meeting, Washington, DC, Feb. 2, 2008.  [transcript]
Announcing his candidacy, Cleveland, OH, Dec. 16, 2006. [transcript]
 

Photos
Nov. 30, 2007 - DNC Fall Meeting.
June 19, 2007 - Campaign for America's Future's "Take Back America" Conference.
June 19, 2007 - AFSCME Democratic Presidential Forum.
June 2, 2007 - NHDP Convention in Concord, NH.
May 17, 2007 - IAM "Enough is Enough" rally.
March 28, 2007 - Building and Construction Trades Department Presidential Forum.
Feb. 2, 2007 - DNC Winter Meeting.
Jan. 24, 2007 - Speaking in support of single payer universal health care legislation.
Jan. 16, 2007 - Receiving appeal for redress.

Finances

On the Web

www.dennis4president.com (Dec. 30, 2007 grab)	www.dennis4president.com (Sept. 30, 2007 grab)	www.kucinich.us (Feb. 16, 2007 grab)	www.kucinich.us launched Dec. 12, 2006 (Dec. 12, 2006 grab)

Unofficial Site
www.draftkucinich2008.com
(May 13, 2006 grab)

Copyright © 2006, 2007, 2008  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action