Civics Lessons for Dummies Like Me or How I Chased after Candidate Kucinich

I spent a good part of the past week following Dennis Kucinich around the state of New Hampshire in a tizzy because I was angry and frustrated with him and with the media and with all things American presidential election 2008. I wanted some answers and some reasons to become and stay a true believer in the Kucinich campaign and I wanted him to change stripes and become someone he is not in order to satisfy what I think a candidate should be.

If you are with me so far then you, too, are a Dennis Kucinich want-to-believer and would have done as I did. You, too, would have gone to New Hampshire and followed the Congressman around as he gave his speeches, signed his book, talked endlessly to everyone about a wide range of topics from global warming to his Cleveland roots to his belief in a single-payer not for profit health care system and his determination to end the illegal war in Iraq, make sure the country does not go to war with Iran by impeaching the vice president and on and on. It becomes a form of mesmerism. We all agree on these topics; we know them to be of such importance that we cannot stop thinking and talking about them for fear that if we stop, the world will definitely implode of its own evil intentions.

Traveling with the Kucinich campaign was a civics lesson because I had no idea what it takes to be a contender for the presidency of the United States. I was willing, though, to get in my car and follow him around. It was a way to see him at his best and at his worst. I met the folks running the campaign and watched them making sure he got from place to place on time and with all his notes in order and with food in the belly and fire in the heart.

I watched and I saw things that I have to admit made me re-think what it is about this country that could make it great. I don't know if it ever truly was as great as Kucinich seems to think it was. I don't even know if he believes it once was so great, but I do know that he thinks it can be great. Not out of some chauvinistic need to be the best, but out of a strong belief that the constitution is a secular document of the highest order that must be obeyed and fulfilled. He is serious about his oath of office that charges him with the duty to defend and protect the constitution. He does not joke about this or use it as a campaign slogan or as a position to give him traction. In fact, his belief in the constitution as a document that takes us to our highest level is what makes him see how we need to behave as moral and legal people in the world. He does not practice Orwellian doublespeak. By defending the constitution he has put his campaign on the line by going after the impeachment of the vice president for lying to this country in order to take us into a war, among many other impeachable offenses listed in the articles of impeachment.

Oratory comes in waves to the Congressman. He can be incredibly brilliant and inspiring and when he is on, he brings out of people this kind of rah-rah feeling that is unlike anything I have ever seen. But he does not promise pie in the sky and he does not push the buttons that usually make Americans feel all gooey inside. He actually asks us to think.

He believes in all of us in a way, to be honest, that I don't. I don't believe that all of us really want to be great, to be held accountable for seeing the world as if we are all one and the same, that we are of the same fabric. I can feel it intermittently. I agree too often with those who say he cannot win for the shallowest of reasons, and repeat ad nauseum the mantra of the media that he is unelectable because he is too far to the left or too short or has a boyish haircut.

But then a voice says to me, "Do you really want someone telling you at this point in our history for whom to vote? Are you going to cast a ballot for a candidate you don't want as president because someone else tells you that he or she is electable?"

Those questions kept nagging to be answered as I listened to Kucinich in a variety of settings. I asked these questions: Should the electorate vote for a presidential candidate based on character and intellect? Should we be voting for someone who has fully stated the solutions he would apply to the problems the country and the world face? And finally should we be voting for the candidate who is committed to defending and protecting the constitution and to restoring the rights and liberties the present administration has curtailed?

I left New Hampshire with answers to my questions. The answers didn't answer the original questions that had motivated my trip. Now I can envision a Kucinich presidency, one in which he and the country will hold themselves to the highest standards. On a more personal level, I witnessed how approachable Kucinich is and how willing to talk to anyone about their specific concerns. That is the candidate I found in New Hampshire.

Comments

[peonyharp]

Addendum: More current
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/11/29/5496/

[peonyharp]

"Fear Ends/ Hope Begins" - CommonDreams.org

Take a look: http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0126-06.htm

Ms. Emin, and to everyone who posted their support on this thread, I thank you. I discovered your article inadvertently (a shame it's not featured) because of cross-references left on more prominent stories (very clever and you know who you are!) pointing the way here.

I believe Dennis Kucinich is the right person for the right time; there are no co-incidences. :)

Please, keep erecting these signs, as large as you can write 'em, Ms. Emin.
~Kristine

"We have the power right in our hands to change our destiny -- it's really a question of whether we're ready to use it or not...the only thing that limits us, is our thinking." --Kucinich, Nov. 17, '07

[leftbehind2000]

Thank you, Ms. Emin, for this wonderful blog.

[Ravenlea]

Another way to support Kucinich and the country is to push for impeachment.

Kucinich started with HR333. It's up to the judiciary committee now. Here are phone numbers to call the members of the Judiciary committee and press them to act:

Chairman John Conyers, Michigan, 14th [phone]
Howard Berman California, 28th [phone]
Rick Boucher Virginia, 9th [phone]
Jerrold Nadler New York, 8th
Robert Scott Virginia, 3rd [phone]
Melvin Watt North Carolina, 12th [phone]
Zoe Lofgren California, 16th [phone]
Sheila Jackson Lee Texas, 18th [phone]
William Delahunt Massachusetts, 10th [phone]
Robert Wexler Florida, 19th [phone]
Linda Sánchez California, 39th [phone]
Steve Cohen Tennessee, 9th [phone]
Hank Johnson Georgia, 4th [phone]
Luis Gutierrez Illinois, 4th [phone]
Brad Sherman California, 27 [phone]
Anthony Weiner New York, 9th [phone]
Adam Schiff California, 29th [phone]
Artur Davis Alabama , 7th [phone]
Debbie Wasserman Schultz Florida, 20th 202-225-7931
Tammy Baldwin Wisconsin, 2nd [phone]
Keith Ellison Minnesota, 5th [phone]
Maxine Waters California, 35th [phone]
Betty Sutton Ohio, 13th [phone]

The Republicans:

Lamar Smith Ranking Member (TX-21) [phone]
Jim Sensenbrenner (WI-5) [phone]
Howard Coble (NC-6) [phone]
Elton Gallegly (CA-24) [phone]
Bob Goodlatte (VA-6) [phone]
Steve Chabot (OH-1) [phone]
Dan Lungren (CA-3) 202-225-5716
Chris Cannon (UT-3) [phone]
Ric Keller (FL-8) [phone]
Darrell Issa (CA-49) [phone]
Mike Pence (IN-6) [phone]
Randy Forbes (VA-4) [phone]
Steve King (IA-5) [phone]
Tom Feeney (FL-24) [phone]
Trent Franks (AZ-2) [phone]
Louie Gohmert (TX-1) [phone]
Jim Jordan (OH-4) [phone]

Or write and say you support impeachment. http://judiciary.house.gov/CommitteeMembership.aspx

Write/Call Congress http://www.congress.org

[EyeWantOneNation]

Nice if Huffpo would update this site!!!

[EyeWantOneNation]

for freespeach...should you ever stumble back upon this thread:
I totally respect your support of the Green Party...I believe it's the wave of the future;this two-party system does not seem to be working very well anymore. However, I think it is just that - the wave of the future - it's time is not now!!

That said, when I spoke to one of Kucinich's people yesterday, I threw out the idea of Dennis Kucinich running on a third party, or even Green Party ticket if he does not get the Democratic nomination. He said "No;that will NOT happen!"
There are logistics on a candidate registering in a State prior to the primaries...in most states, you cannot run with one party in the primaries, and switch to another party in the General Election!
Next, Dennis has his congress seat in Ohio to also be concerned with - he now has 4 other Democrats running against him in Ohio.
Last, but not least; Dennis is a firm believer in the Democratic Party...part of what he wants to correct and see that it works the way it should (besides our country and its' Constitution), is the Democratic Party itself.

Just thought I'd share this with you, and all other blogger who read this.
Peace
AND...VOTE FOR KUCINICH!!!!

[SunshineDaydream]

this is why dennis has my vote:

“When taken in concert with the statements and actions of the Administration over the past year regarding Iran, the National Intelligence Estimate reveals a pattern of willful deceit directed at the U.S. Congress, the American people, and the rest of the world on the critical matters of war and peace. As I have been saying since the beginning – and the NIE has finally confirmed – there is no evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program.

“More than three months ago, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said Iran was cooperating with inspection procedures and demanded that the Bush Administration disclose any alleged evidence regarding such a program. None was provided. More than a month ago, Russian President Putin revealed findings by his own nation’s intelligence services and announced that there was no credible evidence of an Iranian nuclear weapons program.

“Yet, in the face of both sets of findings, this Administration continued its drumbeat for war. Just this past week, Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, with the NIE in his hands, was trying to arm-twist our NATO allies and the Republic of China into pressuring the U.N. Security Council to impose additional sanctions on Iran because of its alleged weapons program.

“I call on the Congress to launch an immediate investigation into what our intelligence agencies knew and when they knew it. I believe such an investigation will further build the case for the impeachment of both the President and the Vice President. The fact that the President recently raised the specter of a possible World War III in public comments regarding Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons program -- when he knew full well that Iran had no such program – should seriously be considered as a high crime. And, the fact that he and his Vice President have pursued plans for our military to drop 30,000-pound bunker buster bombs on Iranian nuclear research facilities constitutes a war crime.”

http://www.dennis4president.com/go/newsroom/kucinich/

[JudyGee]

Beautiful post. We should demand extensive coverage of him by the media. It would be a blessing to have him in the white house, and we would finally have hope for the future in this dark time. He always reminds me of what it was to be an American, before the corporate puppets went to Washington.

[Imtheboss]

Dennis is my choice for President. Everything he's said I agree with. I'm writing him in on my Michigan primary vote. Sure it would be great to have a woman or a black man for the first time as president, but not at the expense of the BEST person available for the job. How about a Kucinich/Gravel ticket?

[Ravenlea]

Anyone who liked Kucinich, please cast your vote here: http://www.independentprimary.com/

[SunshineDaydream]

Deborah -

what has happened to your post. i scoured the site looking for it, even a search of "kucinich" did not produce your post. i had to go into my profile to find it. how do you feel about huffpo's (and the rest of the m$m)agenda against kucinich?

[stlrfan]

Dennis is indeed a rare bird on the political scene, the fact that he can't get any traction is a poor comentary on the voters who won't support him solely because the MSM portrays him as an outsider. Keep waving the Constitution in the neocon faces and speak for the people.

[Ravenlea]

Thank you for writing about Kucinich (and so nicely too)! You have broken through the boycott! Maybe you will inspire others to do the same as well. Wouldn't it be glorious to have someone in the office of president who is honest and hard working and TRULY cares about people.

You give me renewed hope. Thank you so much!

PBS's Judy Woodruff is doing interviews with all the candidates from both parties. Here's her interview with Dennis Kucinich for anyone who would like to hear him. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec07/kucinich_10-04.html

[toomuchtolose]

If everyone who agrees with him and believes he is the right person to be president actually votes for him, guess what. He can win. He can win if we vote for him. That's my plan. I don't intend to be bullied into voting for the media's choice of the most electable candidate.
I'm sick of holding my nose and voting for someone I don't like or respect. I'm voting for Kucinich even if it's a write-in vote.

[YankeeCanuck]

Yes, it is about time. I met Kucinch today after the NPR debate and got to thank him for his part of the discussion. It's time for Americans to be re-educated about the meaning of the constitution, and to return to the ideals she was supposedly founded upon. The so-called second tier candidates had much more cogent and coherent answers about that vision. They deserve to be heard.
I happen to be supporting another ("second tier")candidate. But dignity is dignity and you can see it a mile away.Kucinich and my choice both have it. They answer the questions succinctly when they get a chance and they take the discussion to a higher level. Both address not only what it means to be American, but what it means to be human.