By Brian Carnell

Monday, July 26, 2004

Dennis Kucinich appeared on Democracy Now earlier this month to face questions about whether he and his delegates were selling out their anti-war position. Kucinich struck a deal on the Democratic Party platform's statement regarding Iraq. The short version is that given how few delegates Kucinich managed to amass -- 23 of 2,973 -- Kucinich wasn't in much of a position to demand anything and he pretty much took what the Democrats gave him. As Goodman notes, Sandy Berger was quoted afterward, "we didn't give up anything" to Kucinich on the war.

Kucinich himself conceded he barely had enough delegates to even get Kerry's people to the table, much less push for an anti-war plank,

Amy Goodman: Well, what about the charge that your delegates -- that you backed down because you didn't want to have a platform fight over what many considered a key piece [sic] plank in the platform that they wanted to get in.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich: Well, I sill consider the withdrawal from Iraq as being central not only to America's security, but to peace in the world. However, we didn't have the votes to be successful in a platform fight. You know, we barely had enough to start the discussion. I've carried this campaign in challenging the war for two and a half years.

In that case, maybe Kucinich should propose a Department of Futility. And it's hard to understand why Kucinich received so few votes and delegates given statements like this,

Amy Goodman: But if you're concerned about Democrats winning in November, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, by a margin of 56-38%, people who identify themselves as Democrat, say United States troops should leave Iraq as soon as possible, even if Iraq is not completely stable. And not stay in Iraq as long as it takes to make sure Iraq is a stable democracy.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich: I know that position well because I've been out in the country continuing to promote that position.

I suspect its answer like that which earned Kucinich so many delegates. Goodman's concern is a bit odd since only about 37 percent of Americans self-identify themselves as Democrats.

Finally, Kucinich accused Ralph Nader's running mate Peter Camejo of lying about a conversation that Camejo claims to have had with Kucinich,

Finally, Congressman Kucinich, we had Peter Camejo, the vice-presidential running mate of Ralph Nader, independent presidential candidate, on the line. He said, "Dennis Kucinich told me John Kerry is a fake and a fraud when we had a private meeting. He said but I'm sorry, Dennis, I'm going to go public with that because I think it's horrendous that you now think he's a terrific guy when you don't believe it." What is your response?

Rep. Dennis Kucinich: I'm sorry to hear that my good friend Peter Camejo would want to get to that depth of -- sink to those depths. You know, I never said that. It is not my approach in life to disparage people, even those people with whom I have the strongest disagreement, such as George Bush . . . So, I'm sorry -- I have no idea why he would say that. But it never happened.

Wow -- I guess Camejo wants that 2 percent of the vote so bad that he's willing to betray confidences to do so. What a lovely person he must be.

Source:

Did Dennis Kucinich sell out anti-war Democrats. Amy Goodman, Democracy Now, July 14, 2004.

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