Dennis Kucinich on Gov. Dean's Withdrawal

[The Sushi Bandit]

I want to congratulate Gov. Dean on his campaign, his energy, his integrity, and his courage.

I am proud that Gov. Dean stands with me on so many issues: the urgency of bringing our troops home from Iraq, the critical need to provide health care to all our citizens, jobs, education, and hope for a better future. Together, we stand beneath that progressive banner, and, whatever role he chooses to play in the continuing dialogue, I intend to keep those dreams alive in my campaign.

To his supporters, I would say this: "If you love Howard Dean, you'll love Dennis Kucinich, too." If you are in touch with Dean supporters, please share this message with them.

We embrace and echo Gov. Dean's challenge to continue working for change in the Democratic Party and to take back the government of this nation so that it works for the benefit of its citizens, not its self-serving special interests and entrenched political power structure.

His grassroots supporters, like ours, represent a remarkable diversity of ages, races, and creeds - all united in the belief that government must change, and CAN change, if we commit ourselves, heart and soul, to that effort.

We must not abandon that vision, but rather, take it to the streets, to the meeting places, to the ballot boxes, and then on to the convention this summer where our vision can become the rebirth and renewal of the Democratic Party. I look forward to talking with Gov. Dean about the future of our Party.

Dennis Kucinich
February 18, 2004

[goodhue]

1. Yes, to taking it to the streets.

I'll be there. Will you?

[Zhade]

3. March 20th, baby!

All I know is, we'd better make the pre-invasion marches look like a picnic. A SMALL picnic.

[no name no slogan]

4. I'll DEFINATELY be there!

http://www.minnesotaforkucinich/kucinichinminnesota.php

See you there!

[Zhade]

9. Well, if I were in Minnesota you would! ;-)

I, however, am in SoCal - but I'll be with all my anti-imperialist friends here in spirit. :)

[hippywife]

5. Be there:

http://www.unitedforpeace.org/article.php?list=sub&sub=45


Let's make this one to top the pre-war rallies!!

[curse10]

2. Very Nice statement

DK is, as always, a class act

[mandyky]

6. Thanks for a REAL statement, DK!!

Thanks for sharing. I will still support Dean in the primary but look forward to working with other Deaniacs and Kucinich supporters to restore America to her people!

[no name no slogan]

8. Count me in, too!

This election year is JUST THE BEGINNING! With the grassroots turned on for REAL progressive reform, the next four years will be VERY interesting, to say the least.

I've always thought that most Dean supporters and DK supporters had much more in common than we did not, and the next House/Senate elections will prove this.

There is no end this year...only a new beginning!

:toast:

[chocolateeater]

7. Thank you Mr. Kucinich n/t

[AlFrankenFan]

10. I got that in his e-mail

Gov. Dean had a good run, very nice of Kucinich to recognize him :)

[dpbrown]

11. Start the Fire at the Rally and Concert for Peace, Justice, and Jobs in MN

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=108&topic_id=110881

Let's light a fire that no one can deny!

Fear Ends
Hope Begins
Kucinich 2004

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[Stuckinthebush]

12. I love Kucinich

but I think it is time to look at the viable candidates. I have a Dean sticker to cover up on my bumper - I want to put only one more sticker over it so the people in my neighborhood won't have any reason to say, "That Stuck sure does know how to pick the losers!"

Forgive me for being so jaded right now, but today wasn't really good.

I'm going to go put my extra Dean stickers in my political keepsakes drawer on top of my Mondale, Dukakis and Tsongas stickers.

[snoochie]

13. I know a republican who still has a McCain sticker

he's actually more proud of it now. :)

[no name no slogan]

14. This is still the primaries

You should vote your conscience in the primaries-- the "electability" ruse is just there for the media's sake.

Pick the candidate who you agree with, and then support him/her at your primary/caucus. After all, you don't get a prize for picking a winner in the primaries or anything, do you?

[ThirdWheelLegend]

16. "you don't get a prize for picking a winner in the primaries"

How true how true.

VOTE YOUR HEART in the primaries!!!
The primaries are not the time to 'give-up'

TWL

[IndianaGreen]

15. Well, I love Dennis Kucinich too, but he is not going to stop Kerry

so I am going with Edwards because, among other things, he will spare this country the choice between two Skull & Bones members.

[LWolf]

17. That's the difference

between us. You are voting to stop Kerry. I am voting for the best candidate.

I'm so glad that the primary still offers me the opportunity to vote FOR someone instead of AGAINST someone.

Come November, I'll be voting AGAINST George Bush.

[mgc1961]

23. Thank you.

I've been trying to explain to people that difference and most of them look at me as if I was speaking Portuguese.

[goodhue]

18. Stop Kerry?!

Who cares about that. This is about voting for the best candidate. Playing politics as a defensive sport is a loosing strategy. Offense!

[The Sushi Bandit]

19. Dennis is a class act!

and I will coninue to support him to the convention.

[Cuban_Liberal]

20. VERY classy!

Much classier than the Kerry boilerplate yesterday.:thumbsup:

[WI_DEM]

21. Very Nice

and thank you for posting. It is why I joined DK.

[CWebster]

22. can't help but recall

Kucinich's endless pointed attacks on Dean and nary a peep, not one uttered complaint to any of the insider boys, who instead he was willing to commit his supporters to.

Got your number loud and clear Dennis, your words ring hollow.

[Desertrose]

24. good grief cw....

you are still stuck in Iowa?

DK's attacks at Dean? or was it calling Dean on his repeatedly cutting Dennis out of things? I don't recall Edwards ever doing that to DK.....

:eyes:
Peace
DR

[diamondsoul]

25. This is just sad.

I mean I suppose I can understand anger and frustration but to hold this grudge is kind of self-defeating, imho. And no I don't mean you should necessarily vote for Kucinich, but man there were plenty of times I was seriously ticked off at Dean- guess what? I'd vote Dean over Kerry any day! I've gone so far as debating what to do in certain scnarios and deciding when I'll cast a ballot for Dea and when I'll cast a ballot for Kucinich.

There's something else- the pie-chart on the radio bit that everyone laughed so much at- some would call that a dig at Governor Dean, and in a way it was. The bigger picture of that is that it was an effort to strike a common chord with him. That implies respect for Governor Dean as a man who can be reasoned with and convinced to see another aspect of an issue.

The shots went both ways but, honestly, it seems to me we have only one more shot to salvage this election and that is to mend the rift between Kucinich and Dean camps and see if we can pull a win for both out of this mess.