Rep. Dennis Kucinich, an antiwar Democratic presidential candidate, just announced he is urging his supporters to make Sen. Barack Obama their second choice during Thursday's Iowa caucus.
This will give Obama a boost in some precincts because the caucus rules (explained in my story in today's paper) require candidates to meet a 15 percent or higher viability threshold. If they don't, the supporters for that candidate must reorganize to join another candidate.
Kucinich, who failed to reach the viability threshold in 2004, let his supporters go to then-Sen. John Edwards. As Obama and Edwards battle with Sen. Hillary Clinton for the top spot in Iowa, the antiwar vote could help Obama Thursday night.
"This is obviously an 'Iowa-only' recommendation, as Sen. Obama and I are competing in the New Hampshire primary next Tuesday where I want to be the first choice of New Hampshire voters," Kucinich said in a statement.
"I hope Iowans will caucus for me as their first choice this Thursday, because of my singular positions on the war, on health care, and trade. This is an opportunity for people to stand up for themselves. But in those caucus locations where my support doesn't reach the necessary threshold, I strongly encourage all of my supporters to make Barack Obama their second choice. Sen. Obama and I have one thing in common: Change," he said.
The Obama campaign put out a statement of thanks a few minutes later:
"I have a lot of respect for Congressman Kucinich, and I'm honored that he has done this because we both believe deeply in the need for fundamental change," Obama said in the statement. "He and I have been fighting for a number of the same priorities -- including an end to the war in Iraq that we both opposed from the start, reforming Washington and creating a better life for America's working families. I encourage all Iowans to take part in the caucuses this Thursday -- not because it will be good for any one candidate, but because it will be good for our party and the future of our country."
UPDATE: Obama also sent out a statement complaining about the upcoming New Hampshire debate that would exclude the lesser-know candidates and urging them to allow "full participation." It's no coincidence, since Kucinich would be one of those candidates left out.
-- Christina Bellantoni, national political reporter, The Washington Times
Comments (26)
Come on, all you hysterical loony-left nutjobs, go for it! Let's get Osama the nomination so that he can go down in flames in the general election. Do all you simple-minded, paranoid, "victim" losers really think the country will elect a neophyte fringe leftist like Osama?
Posted by LA Doc | January 1, 2008 4:34 PM
I am sure both of his supporters will comply.
Posted by Lazzerini | January 1, 2008 4:41 PM
Yea Kucinich and obama Are for change they want every bit of your change even pennies
Posted by Robert | January 1, 2008 5:18 PM
Kucinich finally is performing a selfless act; helping to change this Country.
Obama 08!
Posted by Mike | January 1, 2008 5:49 PM
I understand that both Kucinich supporters are athletic!
Posted by Fred C. Dobbs | January 1, 2008 6:10 PM
Kucinich is proving once again that he's a Class Act.
Posted by Turkeystone | January 1, 2008 6:15 PM
Kucinich backs Obama, and Nader backs Edwards. That just shows you what a bunch of wackos the Democratic candidates really are! LOL
Posted by RA | January 1, 2008 6:30 PM
A vote for Hillary is a vote for more oral sex in the White House on the part of her philandering husband. More oral sex for Bill Clinton is not conducive to future American national heath. Thank you and God Bless.
Posted by Pog Mahone | January 1, 2008 6:33 PM
Kucinich who?
Posted by Sarah | January 1, 2008 7:08 PM
Dennis "Moonbeam" K. is completly nuts as well as a total Socialist.
This is what the Dem's have to offer??
Very Sad....
Posted by Dr Smooth | January 1, 2008 7:46 PM
Dennis Kucinich is a clown who should just go away. I hope the enemies of our country see his as just that. He is harmful to the country's national security, and he should actually be tried for treason. What a jerk!
Posted by RightStuff | January 1, 2008 7:59 PM
Dennis has the best interests of America at heart by urging his supporters to go where they can make a difference. The Clintons should step aside, too, and do what's in the best interest of the country.
Consider what America got with the first Clinton co-Presidency:
� Abuse of the powers of the office of the President
� Granting Presidential pardons to buy Hillary's election to the Senate. As a woman who made it on my own, Hillary's need to ride Bill's coattails and her sense of entitlement (as in "it's my turn and Obama should wait his turn") makes me doubt her capabilities.
� Hillary's long-suffering marriage to Bill, enabling a lifetime of sexual trysts and trying to contain the Bimbo eruptions, gives me a President without the backbone to stand up to a man. Hillary claims to be tough enough to play with the boys when, in fact, she is unable to leave a cheating husband. How will she stand up to other male leaders who see this in "Mrs." Clinton and walk all over her?
� Being married to a former President does not make one qualified to be President.
Hillary has less experience in elected office than Barack. She's held elected office for one Senate term plus one year and has introduced no major legislation during that time. Is this the kind of experience we want in the Oval Office?
I am not a "Hillary hater;" I am an America lover. Please consider very carefully which candidate the Democratic Party puts on the ballot. The future of this country absolutely depends on it.
Posted by Denise | January 1, 2008 8:35 PM
Wow a communist supporting a Muslim terrorist
Posted by Anonymous | January 1, 2008 9:01 PM
Obama and Kooky Kucinich have a lot in common!
The most striking thing is their desire to make America a Marxist/ socialist state!
Posted by ricardo maxwell | January 1, 2008 9:22 PM
Obama and Kucinich believe that the people that attacked us on 9-11 basically just hide out in caves in Afghanistan. We are not fighting a single country or government, but rather a sophisticated group of Islamic radicals bent on our demise. Obama and Kuchinich just do not want us to win in Iraq, where it has been proved to be Al-Quaeda and Iran causing the turmoil. We are winning in Iraq and thank god we have a leader like George Bush and a general like David Petraeus. Obama and Kucinich will never protect our country, and probably will appease our enemies.
Posted by Dave Tincher | January 1, 2008 9:29 PM
This really shouldn't be a problem anywhere. I think 4 years ago in the precinct I observed, Kucinich only got 2% of the vote.
Posted by Christopher A. Wheeler | January 1, 2008 10:03 PM
denise & obama on the same page? What a shock! What will hill-baby do to him? He should not go to Fort Marcy Park anytime soon!
Posted by Jack Meoffe | January 1, 2008 10:25 PM
POLITICS MAKES STRANGE BEDFELLOWS. How true? LOL
Kucinich ... Gilbert Gottfried ... that idiot in Iran (Aminojabadnutcase) and now "The Tall Scofflaw" Hussein Obama. Now all they need to make a third world Olympic relay team is a disgraced Dan Rather to keep time with a disgraced Bill Clinton as coach. What a sorry lot?
Whoda thunk the class of the lot is Gilbert Gottfried?
Posted by Rod Miller | January 1, 2008 10:54 PM
"Against the war" is not a policy. No one I know is pro-war. We voters need a definitive policy statement, one that supports American interests moving forward, Israeli interests, Iraqi and other allied interests, military interests, and cultural interests of the free world. Pulling all troops out in 10 months as stated by one of the candidates would likely destabilize the entire mid east. Is this what the voters want. I doubt it.
Posted by Pete C | January 1, 2008 11:59 PM
The only reason Hussein Obama is doing so well is because he is black. That's it, no other reason. He hasn't said anything abot anything except that he will raise taxes and nuke Pakistan if he has to.
Posted by Jon | January 2, 2008 12:08 AM
Dennis Kucinich should head on back to the Burning Man Festival, play in his digeridoo band, and leave politics those that actually wear deodorant.
Posted by katie | January 2, 2008 12:33 AM
Why not Edwards...? I respect Kucinich...could he tell us why Obama and not Edwards?
Posted by chabuka | January 2, 2008 10:13 AM
It is helpful to me that Rep. Kucinich suggested a second in case he is not viable in my precinct (as he was not four years ago).
He propably would have more Iowa supporters if Sen. Harkin had invited him to his annual steak fry and if the Iowa Democrats had invited him to their Jefferson-Jackson dinner. I'd supposed that those occasions were for all the candidates. Harkin wrote me that it was because he didn't have an active campaign in Iowa, but Harkin didn't hold that against Bill Clinton (who did not even announce he was thinking about running until August, 1991, and did not actively campaign in Iowa.)
Someone commented on his UFO sighting. If one sees a flying object that one does not recognize, it is more accurate to say it is an unidentified flying object than to name it something it is not. (My former husband, an astronomer at the U.S. Naval Observatory, once pointed at a light in the sky and said, "Look, a meteor!" I replied, "Dick, that's an airplane." When he first moved to the Flagstaff station, he thought at first that the milky way was clouds, as he'd never seen sky that dark.)
Kucinich is the only one running who read enough before the vote to give Bush permission to invade Iraq, knew the evidence wasn't there, so bravely voted against it. (Read what he said at the time on his Congressional Website.) He knows the power of Congress is in the power of the purse and impeachment and urges the rest of Congress to join him in doing their job.
He knows the power of peace. Those who want peace (rather than just say at Christmastime that they want peace) will join him.
He knows that abortion rates are higher in countries where it is criminalized, so any thinking person who wants fewer abortions will support his position keeping abortions legal and safe.
He knows that our country is supposed to have freedom of religion and be equal to all, so marriage should be legal to all, but individual churches can bless whichever unions they want, just as they do now. To prevent pastors that want to marry gays from doing so is not practicing freedom of religion!
Posted by Ruth Walker | January 2, 2008 12:38 PM
The incredible fear and ignorance
showcased on this comment board is incredible!
Racism is alive and well in America today...
God bless America!
Posted by Patriot | January 2, 2008 1:09 PM
Cynthia Mckinney is running on the Green Party ticket. Why can Kucinich direct his followers to her? She's a real patriot. I want my donation back.
Posted by michelle fuller | January 2, 2008 1:59 PM
If you're an avid PS3 gamer, then you know the importance of saving your progress for future game play.
Pls, help me!
Posted by gutenmter | March 25, 2008 11:13 PM