Just returned from the Kucinich Event here in Las Cruces, NM

[Gloria]

I didn't attend the Mesilla rally, but did go down for the noon event at the Mountain View Co-op.

I figure about 100-125 people were there, many of whom had gone to the earlier rally. I was surprised to see that mostly middle-aged to older people were there. I bumped into a Dean supporter who had originally gone with Kucinich. As a Clark supporter, I chatted with a few people who like Dennis, but were basically uncommitted, but open to Clark. I plugged Clark, of course, if the opportunity arose, but was there mostly out of respect for Dennnis, whom I greatly admire.

Dennis delivered a very low key talk, starting out with a tribute to co-ops and his own committment to healty food, etc. He spent most of his talk on his idea for his Department of Peace and tied it into the season.
He touched on fear and how we should move beyond fear; how humanity is poised for an upwards swing, but some people want to keep us down.
He touched on a few topics like the Iraq war, but he was mostly interested in how human beings should become whole and how that can help the world at large. All in all it was very "spiritual" talk.

There were several questions from the audience and it was all over in about 45 minutes. I saw him talking into a video camera by the exit.

During the event, I bumped into Alan Hale of Hale-Bopp comet fame, who I've know for a couple of years. (see posts in the Lounge and Meeting Room directed to Star Trek fans--he has a great telescope he's raffling off for a project of his, signed by many Star Trek stars).

Just before I left I spotted a reporter from the infamous Sun-News, the same one who had covered the Gore rally here in 2002 for the local candidates. He asked me if I thought K was the most liberal of the Dems. I said possibly, but explained that many of the Dems embraced the same values.
I then put in a huge plug for Clark...he was surprised, but I did link up Clark's experience with taking care of military families into a good explanation of his views on domestic issues. Score one for Gloria. He thanked me for my comments, so we'll see if he includes any in his story.

Another good thing is that our local publication, THE GRASSROOTS PRESS, is nearly self-sustaining and has gotten calls from as far away as Hawaii about plans to start something like it there. It's put out by a group called Peace Aware. I've networked with them before, but today I got the email of a woman who wants to see my Radio for the Left site. I told her I would send her the URL and she can use whatever she wants off it.

[Scott Lee]

1. Kudos to Gloria and the Grassroots Press

Fellow Las Cruces-ian here...

I'm glad the Kucinich deal went well. I think he has a lot of support in this town.

I also am a regular reader of the Grassroots Press - excellent little paper on issues that are near and dear to me. Keep up the good work.

[Renew Deal]

2. Great report

I love NM. I was there this summer. Incredible landscape and food. I miss the green peppers.

[maddezmom]

3. Sounds like a good day for DK

thanks for the report. Dennis has great ideas and I'm glad folks are listening. :)

[OrAnarch]

4. Sounds good.

I wish I could catch him on C-span more making similar speeches. :(

[rucky]

5. Did he eat any green chile?

n/t

[Gloria]

6. Not that I know off!! But there was lots of "ricey" food at the

co-op. I didn't sample any because I wanted the Kucinich people to have it, first dibs.

[revcarol]

7. Really good write-up in the El Paso Times...

don't know how to link, but you can se it at http://www.kucinich.us
The link is on the right.

For non-New Mexicans, El Paso is just a few miles from Las Cruces, the second largest city in the state, after Albuquerque. Mesilla is an old Spanish settlement, tourist,cultural center right by Las Cruces. So now you know that DK appeared by two major cities!!

[diamondsoul]

8. *sigh* I'm going to be the lone ranger here-

and say I think this is completely messed up.

It's well known how much trouble Kucinich has getting press coverage, so for another candidates supporter to "give a huge plug for" their candidate at a Kucinich event is, well just not what I call respecting the Congressman.

Now I'm wondering, are Kucinich supporters doing things like this? Going to Clark or Dean rallies and talking to reporters about Kucinich?!

I don't know, maybe I'm being defensive, but quite honestly I was completely offended by this report and your actions.

[rucky]

9. Why do you have a Sharpton avatar?

n/t

[Gloria]

10. Here's the deal...the reporter asked me about other candidates, so

I answered the question. This was after the event. By the way, I was not quoted in the article. And, by the way, Clark is getting no coverage here. Dean and Kucinich have gotten front page coverage; Clark's office opening was on page 5 with an incorrect phone number. I felt FULLY JUSTIFIED in plugging Clark when asked an open question about Kucinich vs. other candidates who might hold liberal views.

In terms of the people at the co-op, if people in the course of chatting said they were uncommitted, I commented about Clark. I did NOT stand there handing out flyers to everyone who came in. I think I spoke to about 5 people before the event. I applauded him as loudly as anyone else.

Some Kucinich supporters were quoted and at least two who liked him but had a realistic view of the political terrain.

Link to Sun-News Story.....

http://www.lcsun-news.com/artman/publish/article_3409.shtml

[diamondsoul]

13. Thanks very much for clarifying-

and being so polite about it. It just struck me wrong when I read it but this little extra detail changes my perception. No hard feelings, I hope. I can say I feel as strongly about General Clark as you appear to about Rep. Kucinich which in the end ought to be a good thing, right?

[askew]

11. I have to agree with you.

Considering that this is was a DK event and he gets so little press coverage as it is, I hope that the press chooses to quote one of DK's supporters, instead of you plugging another candidate.

[Gloria]

12. I'm not disappointed wasn't quoted....The guy had put away his notebook

and was just trying to get a sense about Kucinich--was he the most liberal in his policies? I said possibly so...but said that Clark's views on lot of issues...and most of the Democrats....shared many of the same values.

End of discussion. The guy was trying to get a sense of where Kucinich stood relative to other candidates. I didn't want to fall into the guy's attitude....it was like a "push poll question" --I wanted to tell him that many Dems share similar values, broaden the answer without getting involved of liberal vs conservative Democrats and having him think we couldn't support each other.

You had to be there. This was not a war against Kucinich visit that I was involved in....a Dean guy was there chatting, too. No one was killing anybody else over their candidate. There was lots of talk about undecided, or people switching from one to another. Most people were just curious. I'm sure there were Kerry, Gep, etc. people there, too.

[floridaguy]

14. Thanks for showing Clark supporters are everywhere

Thanks Gloria:

Great post. DK has asked some of the bigger questions and made many contributions to the race. It's also great to see that although you respect and support DK, you are supporting Clark.

Hopefully, other Dems will determine before it's too late that Wesely Clark is the candidate who can beat George Bush.

He's intelligent, compassionate, and a man of integrity.

IMHO America, the world and the Democratic party will be the losers if we don't nominate him.

[LeftPeopleFinishFirst]

15. thanks for sharing

it's cool to know dennis is getting some support among the older set.