Des Moines, Iowa On February 17, 2002, speaking before members of the Southern California chapter of Americans for Democratic Action, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich delivered an impassioned, poetic denunciation of the Bush administration’s policies and a hopeful, progressive vision of American patriotism. Without his knowledge, the president of ADA afterward e-mailed friends a copy of the speech, titled “A Prayer for… return to article
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Reader Comments (30)Page 1 of 1 pagesI’ve read this twice. I cannot think of anything said here in which I disagree. We MUST have a candidate who thinks beyond personal hatred, personal gains, and political as well as personal ego. Frankly, I’ve never heard of Kucinich, but he certainly has my vote as long as he runs under the position and issues presented here.
Posted by Bonnie on Mar 2, 2003 at 1:02 AM For a Democrat, this guy is a pleasant surprise. I’ve listened to him speak at protests. He talks like he’s trying to get himself killed…
I wish him continued moral strength as he attempts to occupy an office that has not seen hide nor hair of it in a long, long time.
Posted by holyworrier on Mar 2, 2003 at 1:48 AM Growing up in Cleveland, I am very familiar with Dennis Kucinich. I almost volunteeredin his office at one point during my student days. If anyone has any doubts let me say that he IS the real deal. I’ve never had the pleasure of meeting a politician with more guts and courage than Rep. Kucinich. I was surprised to hear he was running, and I think he has his work cut out for him, but he has my support all the way. No Clintonesque two-facing and betrayal from this guy!
Posted by Neil Baesel on Mar 2, 2003 at 4:17 AM I think that, for the first time in quite some time, there are Democrats who offer legitimate domestic and foreign-policy alternatives for Democrats and the nation as a whole. While it remains to be seen how Dean, who has a high approval rating from the NRA, and Kucinich will financially justify the plans that they espouse, it is about time that Democrats are making aggressive stands on social issues. Republicans have shown, even for pernicious policies that many thought impossible as recently as ten years ago, that continuing to hammer away at issues that matter to core constituencies will enter these topics into debates on policy more frequently, thus forcing political opponents to respond rather than dictate the terms of the debate. Often in times of crisis, even when the “other side” expects retreat, the best defense is a good offense. Hopefully, Kucinich and/or Dean can score…
Posted by Jason K. on Mar 2, 2003 at 3:09 PM The Democrats has abandoned the “hard” working class of our country. We are spinning our wheels while falling further behind. I’ll stay home, rather than vote for another sorry-ass wimp with no conscience and no courage.
Posted by Marvin Wagner on Mar 3, 2003 at 9:44 PM Representative Kucinich is described by poster Neil Baesel as one who will offer, “No Clintonesque two-facing and betrayal from this guy!” Representative Kucinich who has a 95% pro-life rating from Prolife America and a 100% anti-abortion rating from NARAL reversed himself two weeks ago and came out in full support of abortion, even partial birth abortion on the Sunday talk shows.
Well, he was just following in the foot steps of Jesse Jackson, Al Gore, Dick Gebhardt and Bill Clinton who all upon entering national races reversed their long time pro-life positions. The love of death by the Democratic party continues to destroy men whose love for office overides their sense of right and wrong.
Posted by: Neil Baesel on 3.1.03 | 9:17 pm from Reno, NV
Posted by Carl Snodgrass on Mar 3, 2003 at 10:21 PM Finally! A potential presidential candidate that speaks for what I feel and want! Hopefully Dennis Kucinich is the man who can return passion and hope to the Democratic Party and lead America back to the road of peaceful world leadership. Where can I donate $ to his presidental campaign? I want to hear more from this man!
Posted by Joan on Mar 3, 2003 at 10:58 PM My only prayer
is that he has a prayer!
For he would truly be
The answer to prayer.
Posted by Reid Seastrand on Mar 4, 2003 at 2:20 AM Dennis Kucinich got my vote last year when he introduced his bill for the establishment of a Cabinet level “Department of Peace” - perhaps one of the most exciting, wise and forward thinking proposals ever introduced in our lackluster Congress. I will vote for him, even if I have to write in his name.
Posted by Eve Nielsen on Mar 5, 2003 at 7:02 AM Eve Nielson writes that Dennis Kucinich got my vote last year when he introduced his bill for the establishment of a Cabinet level “Department of Peace” - perhaps one of the most exciting, wise and forward thinking proposals ever introduced in our lackluster Congress. I will vote for him, even if I have to write in his name.
We already have a cabinet level department of peace it is called the Department of Defense.
Posted by Carl Snodgrass on Mar 5, 2003 at 8:26 AM Rep. Kucinich is my Congressman, and I’ve already volunteered to work on his campaign. He has a website…www.kucinich.us. Anyone who is interested can volunteer or contribute on that website.
Posted by Karyn on Mar 5, 2003 at 10:38 PM I will do anything I can to help Rep. Kucinich, he is a man of integrity.
Yes, go to his website, let’s do what we can, he is our only hope, the rest are already bought & sold, not Rep. Kucinich, never!
Posted by gericon on Mar 6, 2003 at 1:36 AM I like the way this guy is talks. I would indeed vote for him. However the Present gov and the corporations will try to discredit him as being unpatriotic and the media, being corporate owned will shape the public opinion, against him. I wish him all the luck and a candidate like him woul have my vote.
Thanks for the storyTd
Posted by Terry Decker on Mar 7, 2003 at 1:36 AM Like the Liberal Democrats or certain Labour backbenchers in the UK, it’s easy to say admirable things when you’re nowhere near power, another when you have serious pretensions of gaining office and courting the powerful influences behind international politics.
His sentiments—- some welcome and perhaps obvious criticisms of the Bush administration—- are admirable.
Unfortunately though, by opposing a war with Iraq, even with a UN resolution, Kucinich has nailed his colours to the mast.
A swift end to the war and marked improvements in human rights in the country could bring this token challenge to a premature end.
Posted by Guy Cliffe on Mar 7, 2003 at 3:46 PM This was an excellent example
of useful journalism. Kucinich
has become a hero to me soon
after the brave speech he made
a year ago, when the folks in Congress said nothing about
the predations on the Constitution
of the executive branch. I don’t like it that he approved the war on
Afghanistan; that showed that he
didn’t understand US corporate-
dictated imperialism. I don’t know
if he can go that far in grasping the nature of the government, bought by the corporations, but if he is for
workers, he will learn. His opposition to abortion must remain a private matter; he must uphold the law for women’s rights in this regard. He seems to have understood that by promising to
respect Roe vs. Wade. He needs to remember that the women’s vote
will be crucial, as they oppose the
war against Iraq in greater numbers
than men do. I hope he will not
be the hypocrite that Clinton was:
get the women’s and minorities’ vote and then screw them. But I
don’t think he will. I’m ready to vote for him.
Posted by Luciana on Mar 7, 2003 at 4:48 PM I have often read Americans rejecting UN right to influence USA policy, since ‘they did not elect them [UN]’. One can imagine opposite argument: if a country pretends to be a global power or ‘influence’, the whole world should have say in choosing its leadership.
Well, should I be given such a right to vote for American president, this is a candidate I would vote for. His presidency would offer hope for internally strong and cohesive America, not the one stumbling from crisis to crisis and covering them up by bullying everybody else, America more respected and less resented, more cooperated with and less plotted against. There is much more to building a great nation than likes of Mr. Wolfowitz can imagine, and Rep. Kucinich looks as if he might have what it takes.
Since I don’t have a say in it, I can only hope our American friends will see past hollow propaganda of best politicians money can buy and finally vote for a guy who seems to genuinly have their collective interest in mind.
Posted by bonzi on Mar 8, 2003 at 6:09 PM Kucinich is the kind of person the whole world wants america to have as president. someone who has had to struggle since he was a kid, unlike frat boy bush and his disturbing holy warrior delusions.
Posted by Bhaskar on Mar 9, 2003 at 8:27 AM Representative Kucinich believes rather that the war on terrorism “international cooperation in police work, detective work, tracking people down. If police work becomes impossible because governments provide support for the criminals, then it’s important for the international community to be involved in other steps to bring criminals to justice. ... That’s why I have supported the International Criminal Court.”
Treating a military attack like a criminal misdeed is what got us to 911 in the first place. The Clinton Administration did not accept Sudan’s offer of Bin Laden because they felt they did not have enough on which to hold him. Would a Kucinich adminstration if in power in September of 2001 still be working through the ICC and the UN? Would they still be hoping to persuade the Taliban to hand over Bin Laden even to this day? Lunacy?
At what point would a Kucinich adminstration believe that the 727 parked south of Bagdad and used to train terrorists to take over planes with limited weapons, cited in over 250 news reports, had anything to do with 911? At what point would a Kucinich adminstration understand that it is actions that define a man and a nations not words? Much talk has been said by President Hussein and Osama Bin Laden of the corruption of the West, but now as Bin Laden apparently flees into the territory of his heroin contacts which have helped fund Al Qaeda, and President Hussein makes a last ditch effort to escape the price of misery, death, and torture he has brought on the Iraqi people by picking which multi-million dollar palace with multiple Rolls Royces prepositioned in undergound garages for flights down multiple underground roads he will hole up in I wonder how Mr. Kucinich would deal with such men? “You are right President Hussein, we are infidels, thank you for the prayer mat. Anthrax in the fibers? No, that is a good one, we didn’t catch it.” or “You are right Mr. Bin Laden, those 3000 people deserved it after all we didn’t build enough day cares in Afghanistan to care for all the children of the women whose heads you and the Taliban removed from their bodies for what was it?... oh, a tattered Burka?... humming?... stepping outside without their male escort? Yes, such offense!!! And, yes of course I am leaving on the Hajj right away, Mr. Bin Laden, right after I return a call to the ICC and tell them we have it all worked out. What is that? No, no, thank YOU Osama.”
Posted by Carl Snodgrass on Mar 9, 2003 at 12:15 PM To Luciana:
I am a woman, but I must have been sleeping during Clinton’s administration ‘cause I don’t remember him screwing me. To what are you referring when you say that Clinton screwed women and minorities after we voted for him? Joan
Posted by Joan on Mar 10, 2003 at 5:28 AM Well done and thank you for introducing me to Dennis Kucinich. Iíve been a subscriber to In These Times since itís beginning and rely on such heads up as this story provides.
Stan Salter
Posted by Stan Salter on Mar 10, 2003 at 11:13 AM Dennis Kucinich is my first choice. I was one of the 25,000 people who sent him an enthusiastic e-mail when I read his “Prayer for America” in December. I just donated some $ to his campaign and signed up as a volunteer. We need Democrats who will be pro-union, anti-NAFTA, anti-tax cuts for the rich, etc. I’m sick of “centrists” who sound like Republicans. The Democratic Party needs more Dennis Kuciniches and less Joe Liebermans.
Posted by lams712 on Mar 10, 2003 at 4:50 PM A new article on AlterNet:
http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15359
Posted by Bones on Mar 12, 2003 at 1:14 AM A dangeres man. If he had a chance to win he would be killed. These monsters will not give up the power and wealth at all.
Posted by A Howard on Mar 12, 2003 at 1:33 AM Excellent, well written piece! It gave me hope at a time when everything seems to be running reverse gear. Keep up the good work, “In These Times”.
Posted by Jeremy Tobin on Mar 13, 2003 at 9:36 PM I thought the article was great. I realize that Dennis probably won’t get the nomination. He is not my Rep., but I’ve called his office on numerous occasions to thank him for all the effort that he has made regarding the war, and everything else that Bush has messed up…. the environment, healthcare, education etc.
Posted by Pat Miller on Mar 14, 2003 at 4:53 AM Can you get this on the “main stream” news, or better yet maybe one of the sports channels, maybe that’s where everyone is!
Posted by Gail Hittel on Mar 14, 2003 at 5:15 PM I have come across Dennis Kucinich before. I agree that his chance depend on the war. But he is asking all of the right questions and, in my view, giving the right answers as well.
Posted by Judith Thompson on Mar 18, 2003 at 2:45 AM Let us all pray that this man (Kucinich) becomes the next president of the USA or pray for the world.
Posted by Trevor Kleu on Sep 6, 2003 at 1:26 PM I am afraid for Dennis Kucinich. Maybe it is good that he gets little press and little attention. I think if he did, he would be murdered. Likel Paul Wellstone. Is there a reason why his death was never investigated? Since he is the second liberal senator to die mid term in a year, and since John Kennedy also died in a similar manner.
The rich and powerful in this country not only manipulate elections, and gerrymander voting districts, they also murder foreign presidents who are democratically elected and replace them with tyrants they can control. It has been going on for more than decades.
Our CIA, FBI and Marine special forces are murderers in the service of American powerful Just as the California recall and the term limits are attempts to get more power on the part of already powerful lpeople. Look how much they hated Clinton. death was never a suspicious. . I am afraid for Barney Frank and for Bernie Sanders. And for Debbie Stabenow and Ted Kennedy. Anyone who gets to be effective in working for the citizens of the country .I do not believe that our economy has gone to the dogs as a mistake. It is a move to make our government less effective than large corporatons, so we cannot hold them to account.
Posted by donna treloar on Oct 1, 2003 at 7:22 PM I really like kiscenichi
He is what is needed in these times
he can get the job done
Posted by JERI BREEDLOVE on Dec 11, 2003 at 1:55 AM Page 1 of 1 pages -
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