Kucinich packed the house in Minnesota

[ErasureAcer]

WOW!

The other DUers who were there tonight will back me up on this...the place was packed.

And why not? Kucinich made clear tonight he is the most like our late senator Paul Wellstone. On issues of the Death Penalty, NAFTA, and members of the progressive caucus in Washington(Wellstone was the only Democrat from the senate to be a part of the group), Kucinich, told the large crowd(over 500 by my estimates...maybe one of the other DUers knows the capacity of that room because it was packed even on the second level...I would have to imagine since Central is a big highschool 2000 students or so...that their auditorium would have to fit more than 500 people though).

Anyhow, Kucinich was truly brilliant and very funny. This guy has some definite charisma...I didn't think I'd laugh that much. I gave the guy like 20 standing ovations...almost got teary eyed when I heard him deliver the message of eliminating the death penalty(one of the at least 20 standing ovations) just to sit down to rise to my feet again when in a few seconds as he said he would eliminate the school of ameircas.

Really now, this guy is a class act. He says what he feels and he says it with heartfelt conviction. Sure, the polls may not agree with him on the issues but ya know what, he has energy and the intellect to bring forth these issues to the American people who disagree with him...so they can "evolve".

The time for change is now and Kucinich is the answer.

After his speech, he greeted everyone before they left out the door. I shook his hand...told him that "I love ya man" and got my picture taken with him. The guy who took the picture did a piss poor job though...the top of my head is sorta cut out(me standing a good 3-4 inches over Dennis didn't help the cause I guess)...but digital cameras rock and I could zoom in and take a better picture and frame the shot a lot better. Anyhow, yeah...Dennis is a nice genuine guy. He told me to "spread the word about him" as if I haven't been already...haha. I told him I would and we parted ways.

I talked with some early birds before the big extravaganza started and they really loved Dennis. One lady said "Is this guy real? He and I are the same on all the issues." I nodded in agreement although I had a couple of questions for Dennis that I didn't ask him...like taking "In God We Trust" off my money. His speech kinda had a spiritual feel to it, and that even our money has the "eye" looking down on us...which would somewhat make me think he wouldn't take "god" off my money. I don't have a problem with an eye at the top of the pyramid. I do have a problem with "God" in terms of our first amendment though. Where is God means "one god" and that "god" can't even be proven...so in fact there may be "no gods" and then there are people who believe in mutltiple gods...and I don't see an (S) on our money after "god".

Anyhow...besides not asking him my question...I donated $50 to his campagin and bought a Dennis for Pres shirt and a button. It was a good night.

After the speech I heard a lot of debate about Dennis and Dean. One lady was like..."I like him on the issues but I just don't know." Another 3 guys...2 Kucinich...1 leaning Dean...were having a discussion. How Dean supports biogenic food(or something to that matter), how Dean supports carrying lots and lots of nuclear waste halfway across the country(i agree it is stupid), how Dean is this and Dean is that...really, the guy was rambling off many many points beyond those. Really made Dean look pretty darn conservative compared to Kucinich.

Anyhow, besides the numbers I was quite shocked that the age range from people who were there. There were lots of people around my age(21) and lots of seniors as well...ages were all represented. For race though, just about everyone I saw was white....which was a little bit dissapointing. I guess we need to get the word out to people of color better in Minnesota.

oh yeah, one more thing...I noticed a lot of people contributing money...my wandering eyes couldn't help notice people writing out checks for a good $20 or so. $10 was suggested. A question for anyone who can answer...don't people's names have to be collected and how much money they gave? I asked one of the money collectors and he said "no"...but then can't people just donate like $10,000...$8,000 above the limit...because there is no paper trail, who is going to catch you?

I guess that is about it from my perspective, I'm sure the other DUers(wheresthemind, dpbrown, etc...) will have more to contribute...especially because they were more involved in the whole evening.

peace

[Barney Gumble]

1. That rocks, Kucinich can win.

And I think they don't have to record donations of under $200.

[UrsulaFandango]

2. I really like Dennis Kucinich but...

I don't think he can beat Bush next year. I'm doubtful that any of the current candidates in the race can. Several months ago here I urged Hillary to abandon her promise to serve out her full Senate term and get in the 2004 presidential race, and I was laughed at. But I don't believe anyone is laughing now about that possibility any more.

Hillary in 2004!

[BayCityProgressive]

4. Well...

I think Hillary has just as good a chance as any of the other candidates. For all the Clinton bashing in the media, she is still highly favored by Americans.Look at her book sales and all the television shows that beg her to appear. I think she is one of the few Democrats with name recognition and clout who can create a clear and alternative message to Bush that can unite party liberals and moderates even if neither side completely agrees with her. We need someone who can unify the party; if we can't unify the party we won't unify the country.

[DemBones DemBones]

5. If all the people who say "I really like DK but I just don't think he

can win" would instead say "I really like DK and, damnit, I'm going to help him win!" he might have enough votes to beat Bush* right now, months before most people are even paying attention.

Am I exaggerating? Probably, but there are an awful lot of people coming around to DU saying "Oh he's great but I can't support him because he can't win," or "This just isn't the right time for Kucinich to run. Maybe in 2008. Or 2012."

People have begged for a progressive Democrat to run for the presidency and now that Dennis is running, too many are wussing out, saying they have to play it "safe," that "only (insert name of any Bush*Lite Dem here)" can defeat Bush*.

YOU EITHER SUPPORT YOUR CONVICTIONS OR YOU PROVE THAT THEY"RE NOT CONVICTIONS AT ALL.

[genius]

11. Dennis has the best chance of all candidates of beating Bush

He's proven he's the best debater. But he has something else. He can run on a campaign of bringing honesty and integrity back to government. That is something the American people have waiting for and something no other candidate (except maybe Sharpton) can deliver.

[dpbrown]

18. Zogby disagrees with you

__Bush Re-Elect Drops to 42%-47% - Tied with Unnamed Dem

"A Zogby poll released today shows that when asked if George Bush deserves re-election, only 46% of Americans said yes and a narrow majority, 47%, said it is time for someone new. The poll, with a margin of error of +/- 3%, on a generic 2004 ballot between Bush and a Democratic candidate, Bush received 47% of support, and a Democratic candidate received 44%, putting the Bush and a Democratic candidate in a statistical dead heat still a year before the Democratic candidate is selected. The second poll, released yesterday by Fox News/Opinion Dynamics and published in National Journal's Hotline showed should the 2004 election be held today, those planning to reelect Bush had dropped to 42%."

http://www.zogby.com/Soundbites/ReadClips.dbm?ID=5528

[Desertrose]

3. Erasure Acer...now you know...you have had the "DK experience"

This man definitely rocks! Politically and spiritually this man has it together!

As far as I'm concerned-he is the ONLY candidate who can beat Bush- the rest are just different corporate versions. If I had any doubt about that- I've been enlightened revcently after seeing & hearing them speak.

We have to get the word out about Dennis!!
Thanks, EA!! SO glad you got to meet him...quite different from what the media wants us to see, isn't it?!

Go Dennis!!
Peace
DR

edite to add :hi: Welcome to DU UrsalaFandango!!!

the usual typo edit....dang it

[DemBones DemBones]

6. Thanks for the great report! Wish I could have been there to

hear Dennis tonight!

[mmm]

7. Kucinich is the only choice

.

[juajen]

8. I love Dennis too

Don't know why people aren't jumping all over his candidacy. He's great! Wish more people could hear him face to face. Just not enough of him to go around.

[ErasureAcer]

9. My letters to the editors of the Pioneer Press and Strib

I figured I should do as Dennis told me to do...get the word out. My punctuation isn't that great though...so I doubt they won't make the cut on that fact alone. Anyhow, at least the editor will read it and maybe they'll take a closer look at running more Kucinich stories since I mention the place was packed.

Anyhow, they both look like this...

"Wellstone lives again! Democratic Presidential Candidate and US Representative from Ohio, Dennis Kucinich, delivered an amazing progressive speech Saturday night at Central High School in Saint Paul.

Kucinich's vision is one Wellstone would be proud of: Single payer healthcare for all, since we're technically paying for it now; cuts in the biggest department of "red tape", the Pentagon, which has a $400 billion budget equalling forty times that of America's declared "Rogue" states combined. Furthermore the Pentagon has just recently lost one trillion dollars; equal rights to all those without a voice in America's political system, including support for gay marriage; the rights of Americans restored with the repeal of the Patriot Act and the end to Capital Punishment; and finally with 60,000 graduates, including Manuel Noriega, the School of America's closure will halt America's support for state sponsored terrorism.

Wellstonian Democrats came out in full force during Kucinich's rally, for Central's auditorium was packed. With the vision of peace and justice that Kucinich brings to the Democratic bid for Presidency, Wellstone lives on another day.

[genius]

10. Dennis has a tendency to get standing room only crowds.

I am not surprised to hear your event went so well. The auditorium in San Diego was bigger than the one you described and people were standing in the back. Of course the people who were standing didn't have to keep getting up and down for all the standing ovations. The impact this guy has on a crowd is amazing.

[Mairead]

12. The Central High auditorium holds over 1000

[Lydia Leftcoast]

13. I was there too!

Although the only other DUer that I met that I know of was dpbrown.

For someone who looks--let's face it--like a cross between Ross Perot and Jerry Mathers, Kucinich really knows how to dazzle a crowd. He was knowledgeable about the issues, spoke on both the idealistic and the practical level, and concentrated more on projecting a positive vision of the future than on mere Bush-bashing, although it's clear that he has no love for the Bushboy.

For those who think his "department of peace" idea is wacko, I believe that the political figures at the top can do a lot about setting the tone of a society. I saw our country get more rude, violent, and angry during the Reagan administration, and it's hard to escape the feeling that this was due to the Reaganites' tendency to seek military solutions for everything. I believe that an administration that set an example of peace and cooperation would create a true "trickle down" of new values.

For me, the most impressive part of the evening was finally, for the first time literally in decades, hearing a presidential candidate come right out and say that we need to do things radically differently in this country. (Personally, I believe that the Republicans and their enablers in the DLC have done so much economic and social damage to this country that only a sharp course correction will save us. We need to be as radical as the Republicans have been.)

As I listened to Dennis speak, the phrase that came into my mind was one familiar to any baby boomer: "Truth, justice, and the American way." I mentioned this to him when it came to be my turn to shake hands, and he said that actually, he had used that phrase.

Anyway, I was impressed, and for the time being, he's my favorite among the presidential candidates. I couldn't find the person who was pointed out as recruiting volunteers for the upcoming State Fair, but once I get my broadband connection (tomorrow!), I plan to get in touch with whoever over the web.

For the time being, the question of whether Dennis Kucinich can win is irrelevant. After all, the first "test," the Iowa caucuses, doesn't happen until January. In the meantime, I want Kucinich and his ideas to get out in front of the public as much as possible.

[dpbrown]

20. Great meeting you, Lydia!

You can get completely hooked up for the State Fair by coming to the Minnesota for Kucinich meeting this Wednesday, August 20th, at "Betsy's Back Porch" coffee house at 7:30 p.m., at the corner of Diamond Lake Road and Lyndale Ave. S. in Minneapolis. That's just one block west of 35W on Diamond Lake Road.

Oh, and that applies to everyone!

See you there!

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

edit: add time

[Lydia Leftcoast]

23. Cool!

I'm there!

[goodhue]

14. hot hot hot

It was a hot hot hot Saturday night and the auditorium in St. Paul Central high had no air conditioning, but that did not stop hundreds from packing in at 8:00 pm on Saturday night. The crowd was almost all word of mouth and modest flyering because none of the local media provided any notice of event, except for alternative to alternative weekly pulse of the twin cities (http://www.pulsetc.com/), which thankfully had a nice blurb.

I was told that the crowd was about 800 strong. Dennis was in his best Donahue-mode and opened up with a long impressive discourse on standing up for vision of peace and the practicality of his candidacy. While he hit some of his usual topics and stories, the opening talk seemed largely new and was unlike talks I've seen on c-span or in st. paul in june at the state chairs meeting. It played very well to the crowd that had many peace activists and organizers.

Some press was there but as of yet you wouldn't have known it. Most Minnesotans have no idea this rally occurred. But slowly the momentum builds. MN Public radio at least has this account . . .
http://news.mpr.org/features/2003/08/16_helmsm_kucinich/

[CMT]

15. excellent for DK

I think he is going to do better than the "pundits" predict.

[ErasureAcer]

16. I'm dying to see some new poll numbers.

Kucinich was one of the last(early august) to have a town hall meeting that C-Span is airing. Anyhow, he did quite well on that. And with the AFL-CIO debate as well...I think he probably won over some new fans in Iowa.

We'll see. Anyone know when some new polls come out?

[AnAmerican]

17. I love this quote about DK

"I believe he has a certain courageousness that I don't really see other people exhibiting. It seems like everybody's keeping something hidden, or to themselves. They seem to be afraid. I don't know what they're afraid of, but this seems to be someone who's willing to put himself out there and take what ever comes for speaking his truth," she said."

http://news.mpr.org/features/2003/08/16_helmsm_kucinich/

This woman sees what so many others do...a candidate with integrity

[dpbrown]

19. An awesome night

Thanks for this excellent summary.

I was as wowed as you by Dennis on Saturday night. Starting with his press conference, in which he immediately laid into deregulation as the overriding cause of the power outage in the east last week. Moving on to effortlessly answer the questions posed to him by Marisa Helms from Minnesota Public Radio.

Dennis took the stage right after an acoustic and guitar rendition of the classic Wellstone campaign (and, poignantly, memorial) song, Stand Up/Be the Change (although I don't know if that's the actual name of the song).

He led right in to a listing of the things he, and we, fighting with him, are standing up for, including Universal Health Care, a repeal of the U.S.A.P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act, an exit strategy in Iraq that brings our soldiers home - and as he exhorted us to "Stand Up!" we all did, leading to the first of dozens of standing ovations in his incredible speech.

By halfway through, he had slipped out of his sport coat and rolled up his sleeves in the non-air-conditioned auditorium, and along with the 800 people transfixed by his message and delivery, brought us time and time again to an excited chorus of cheers.

He then took questions, and on each was able to get right to the meat of the issue, including telling us how he learned how the United States could unilaterally withdraw from NAFTA and the WTO upon the President's declaration of intent and a waiting period because he sued the Bush administration for doing the same thing with the ABM treaty. When an audience member shouted out "Thank you, Dennis!" about his filing of the lawsuit against the illegitimate Bush administration, he calmly responded, "All in a days work."

All in all, this was an incredible event with an incredible man. He was even able to secure the promise of endorsement from some very high level elected Democrats, who will be announcing their decision shortly, and he raised thousands of dollars.

Coupled with his call to come down to Iowa for the Willie Nelson concerts this was a very successful event.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[ErasureAcer]

21. wasn't the person who shouted "thank you , dennis" you?

I swear that it was someone in the front couple of rows, where you were...and thought it was your voice.

don't be modest now dan. :)

eh, maybe I'm wrong.

[dpbrown]

22. Hmmm....maybe that's why I remember that part so well...

;-)

[genius]

24. I've noticed that the pollsters usually go after the conservative

Democrats. Does anyone personally know any liberals who have been polled in the last decade? As popular as Dennis is with the liberal crowd, he should be doing better in the polls. He did well in moveon (just starting and in 2nd place) and he does well in the Democrats.com poll (where he's always first or second). With Dennis on the ballot, the liberals may have a higher than normal turnout and, if the pollsters aren't interviewing liberals, they won't expect it.

[blm]

25. He is brilliant...

and one day will be widely recognized as a true patriot.

[The Sushi Bandit]

26. Dennis with Loretta Sanchez in Santa Ana

What a great day for Orange County and California!!

[dpbrown]

27. Democrats.com carried this story yesterday

__In Minnesota Visit, Kucinich Invokes the Legacy of Wellstone

Despite 90 degree temperatures on a Saturday night, 800 people packed a hall in Saint Paul (MN) to bask in the warmth of Dennis Kucinich's vision for this nation and the world. "In a pre-rally news conference, Kucinich was quick to invoke the name of the late Paul Wellstone," the only Senator who was a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, chaired by Kucinich. "Kucinich says he mentions Wellstone not out of opportunism, but because he's the only one running a true Wellstone-type progressive campaign." Kucinich clarified, "Paul Wellstone would support the 15-percent reduction in Pentagon spending that I've talked about. Paul Wellstone would support the repeal NAFTA and the WTO. Paul Wellstone stood for so many progressive ideas that are congenial to who I am." You go, Dennis!!!

http://news.mpr.org/features/2003/08/16_helmsm_kucinich/