A republican called me today to tell me he is supporting Kucinich

[Desertrose]

I got a phone call from a local storeowner here to find out more info about Dennis and he was telling me how he feels Kucinich is the only candidate he can support and that DK is telling the truth about so many things.

We chatted a bit and then he said how he followed Dennis career -this guy was from Ohio originally- and really likes his evenhanded apprpoach to the ME-I/P issues.
Then he drops on me that he is a registered Republican!! Coulda knocked me over with a feather ...from the previous conversation, I would never have guessed.

So for all those who say DK is too liberal & too progressive and the mainstream won't "get" him....I say I think you just might be wrong.

About 40minutes later I got another call from someone who'd voted Green....sure makes me feel that Dennis appeals to a very broad base...in spite of what the media ( and yes, shockingly enough,even some on DU) tell us...DENNIS KUCINICH IS EXTREMELY ELECTABLE!!

Peace
DR
spelling typo dang it

[JohnKleeb]

1. wow thats interesting

[caledesi]

2. I like Kucinich, but he is not electable. Why?

Because he is not married. I know, doesn't make sense, but the last time a single man was elected president was Grover Cleveland and that was in the 1800s.

He should get married right away to be electable.

[JohnKleeb]

4. When was the last time we had a single person in the primaries?

Not a smartass question, I am curious to know and have any bachelors ran in the elections since then. I dont know how being married makes one more electable. Personally it personally makes my stomach turn when people say his last name makes him unelectable, because its too ethnic in their words, well maybe I should run with my grandmother's maiden name, makes Kucinich look like Smith I tell ya, nah it doesnt but I aint lying it is ethnic, and I am proud of it.

[caledesi]

15. Look at it historically...single men don't fare well. (I am not

saying this is right, it's just the way it is - Most people "want" a First Lady (don't ask me why, but they do). Yeah, they want the whole "bit," the First Lady, children etc.

But I will say this because I like Dennis Kucinich. If he were married, he would have a better chance at name recognition.

Shallow, but true.

[JohnKleeb]

18. You're not answering my question though

I wanna know if any bachelors have ran since Cleveland and if they have, how have they done? *cursing to self* damned shallowness, thats the kind of stuff that no offense makes me feel ashamed to be an American.

[Desertrose]

5. You are kidding, right?

I mean really, you are , aren't you???

...cause if you're not you sure are painting things into a very old and small box.

Just because things have been that way in the past doesn't mean they will continue to be in the future....and isn't it time we changed a few things anyway???

Peace
DR

[JohnKleeb]

6. When was the last time a bachelor ran is a good question IMO

btw DR check your IM box. Now as I am saying, yes a bachelor hasnt been elected since Cleveland but wasn't Cleveland the last bachelor to run period. It doesnt seem like bachelors have been run in the past and lose, its just most politicans are married. There's never been a president of Croatian decent so should we let that disqualify Kucinich.

[caledesi]

19. Nader isn't married, is he?

and Jerry Brown (you remember him, CA Gov) ran and he was and still is single. Good guy; no cigar.

[JohnKleeb]

21. Ok thats all I wanted

Thanks. I just wanted examples of single candiates. I know who Brown is yeah.

[ALago1]

8. I see this poster's point

Unfortunately, electoral trends don't change instantaneously. I would be extremely reluctant to nominate a candidate who was an avowed atheist. Why? Because Americans currently are very religious and would base their vote heavily on a candidates stance on religion. Perhaps this could change incrementally over time, but not in a span of one election cycle.

[JohnKleeb]

10. I see the point too but Lago

I need some ancedotal evidence of a bachelor running for president and losing. This is true that a bachelor hasn't won since Cleveland but bachelors are rare in American politics and to my knowledge not many have ran for president. Personally I wouldn't mind. I don't know why anyone would vote republican or not vote because of that though.

[ALago1]

13. Wish I could help you out man...

I wish whether or not a candidate was married wasn't an issue at all. For me, I could really care less so I never really even bothered to take notice both in the present or in the past whether someone was married or single.

I think the people who would object to it would most likely be the people who would cut off their own limbs before voting Democratic in the first place. Religious types mostly, fearing the person will be engaging in *gasp* illicit sexual behaviour out of wedlock, fear the further moral degeneration of the country that would result.

[JohnKleeb]

16. I know

I don't know if its an issue but I am asking a question here, have any bachelors ran for president since Grover Cleveland?

[ALago1]

20. Sorry

I thought I indirectly answered your question, but I think I was pretty nebulous.

I was trying to say that because I have never even cared enough to look at a candidates marital status, I would assume that you would be hard pressed to find out the information on a lot of candidates in the past because people don't pay attention to such mundane stuff (usually).

[JohnKleeb]

23. Sucks that superficiality is so big

Sorry if I seemed like I was pressing but I needed info.

[caledesi]

22. Exactly. I don't have a problem w/ an atheist or single nominee,

but most people do and that is precisely the point.

[JohnKleeb]

24. Neither do I

I don't get why people are so superficial honestly. I understand what you and Lago are saying here, I just don't see why people would give a damn. Now thats a pyschology question.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

27. Kucinich isn't a "bachelor"

He's divorced and has a daughter.

By the way, Woodrow Wilson was widowed and got married while in office.

[no name no slogan]

35. Wow, totally forgot about that one

I guess I'll have to add that to the next revision of my list.

It certainly ranks as one of the most absurd ideas I've heard so far. :eyes:

[ALago1]

3. I hate to be critical

But, I think that such limited anecdotal evidence is not worth much unless conducted on an aggregated scale. I think basing your conclusion on two isolated incidents does not reveal a representative sample of likely voting Americans. All polls of both Democrats at a state and nationwide level show Kucinich not faring very well popularity wise.

However, this very well could be because he has not been given nearly as much exposure as the other candidates. So, my assertion is based on the assumption that the polling respondents are well informed and have perfect information on all candidates.

[Desertrose]

7. not necessarily isolated....

I've been getting a lot of interesting calls and emails recently......and there are a whole lotta folks in my state who are going for Dennis who are NOT dems...but are switching for our primary....I think a lot of people are going to be surprised.....

and polls...what a waste of time....they are meaningless really....unless you poll just about everyone who votes, you don't really know what is going down....

Peace
DR

[ALago1]

9. Ok then...

Then if during the primaries DK does remarkably better than expected (say third or fourth place), I will agree with everything you have just said. However, if I were a betting man, I wouldn't bet the farm on it.

Until then, we'll just have to wait.

[Desertrose]

11. Yup...

time answers all questions, doesn't it ?

:evilgrin:

even some we don't really want answered LOL

Peace
DR

[Lydia Leftcoast]

31. At last night's Minnesota for Kucinich meeting

a man spoke of his experiences calling potential caucus attendees in Iowa. (Some of the Minnesota bunch are helping out the Iowa campaign in this way.)

I forget how many people were on his list in total, but he said that the largest group by far (32 people) was still undecided, while 22 were for Kucinich. About 15 supported Dean, other candidates were supported by fewer than 10 people and the most surprising fact of all, given the reported polls, only 1 person on his list supported Gephardt. No one on the list supported Clark.--apparently they were miffed that he was skipping Iowa.

Admittedly, this was a small sample, perhaps 100 or fewer people, but it's interesting to see results that turn the standard polls on their heads.

I think Dennis is going to do much better in Iowa than the pundits expect.

[no name no slogan]

36. Look what happens when I miss a meeting

That's VERY cool Lydia! I know the phone calling has been going well and we get many good reports from Iowa canvassing, too. Too bad I had to go rescue my car last night, because I sure could have used a day-brightener!

[DrFunkenstein]

12. An Sincere Question

Was this Republican an isolationist? There is a weird convergence between the Pat Buchanans and the Dennis Kucinichs in America, albeit for very different reasons.

Is this guys decision based on DK's "US out, UN in" policy?

[JohnKleeb]

14. I dont know this person but

Here's my gist of it, DR was saying he was a Ohioan originally so he likely was famliar with Kucinich. She brought up the man's want for a even-headed I/P dialogue. Not sure Doc but thanks for asking.

[Desertrose]

26. from what he told me, it was influenced

by Dennis' stand on the middle east issue. That Dennis is fairminded towards the Palestinians....so no I do not think he was isolationist at all...especially since he works retail in this tourist town, We see a couple of million people a year pass through here from allover the world, so no, I don't think that at all.

I gathered he liked many of Dennis policies but didn't specifically mention the UN.

Peace
DR

[MrSoundAndVision]

17. I'm not some silly prophetic Star Wars fan but:

it has begun.

[Spock_is_Skeptical]

25. Yeah, I have had this experience too.

A lot of the traditional, social conservatives feel that the Bush administration has betrayed them on several fronts. I have talked to a few actually, some who even voted for Bush and now regret it.

The Bush administration has angered not just the rest of the world, but a significant portion of their former supporters. Some of them feel that the administration is too "liberal" for their liking (Bush supporting gun control, for one thing.) The more moderate Republicans and conservatives also see the neo-cons for what they are, and don't agree with the agenda. They don't agree with the huge beauracracy that will be required to maintain this indefinite "war on terrorism," and are disgusted with the PATRIOT act. A lot of them are isolationist types, who are disgusted at America's role of "world policeman." Not to mention, a lot of them distrust corporate control & influence as much as the left does.

Who'd have thought, right? But seriously, I am meeting more of these disgruntled folks every day, and I do talk up Kucinich every chance I get. I have had more than one anti-Bush conservative tell me that they will be voting for the democratic nominee in 2004, and more than one who has said they'd wish it were Kucinich.

Main issues that come up that are agreed upon:

*****
Iraq war was illegal & wrong. Administration lied to the American people, and they are still lying.

PATRIOT act is an affront to civil liberties & right to privacy.

9/11 needs to be investigated.

Neo-cons & PNAC are bad.

NAFTA & WTO need to be rid of.

Privatizing social security & healthcare = bad.

Americans are suffering, while billions are allocated to burn in Iraq.

Corporations control the media, and far too much else in this country.

*****

There are other issues that come up which are agreed on, too.

Bush is a uniter, after all! He has united ALL factions to rise up and band together, for the purpose of getting rid of Bush & the neocons!!
:party:

[Zomby Woof]

28. Those red rocks are working some magic!

If Dennis can get elected in an area as diverse and "all-American" as NE Ohio, he can get elected nationwide. Buying into the "unelectable" canard is a cop-out, and a way of ensuring a self-fulfilling prophecy. People who believe it will be discouraged from voting for him, thinking it is someone else's responsibility, while casting the easy vote for the corporatized front-runner.

He is electable, all you have to do is punch that hole (or push that lever) next to his name. :-)

[Desertrose]

29. Hi Zomby....thanks...I agree

Its just a matter of voting for the man.....

I was glad to see he's getting more coverage...bout damn time!!!
Hope things are good there at the upper altitude :)

:hi: looking forward to some tasty pie(s)...heh heh ....

:loveya: DesertMom :hug:

[funkyflathead]

30. No he is not n/t

[LWolf]

32. Yes, he is.

My mom is down visiting from OR; we had a long discussion of current events and politics over coffee this morning. Not Zomby Coffee, unfortunately!

I've spoken to her about Dennis before, but now she's really gearing up for the primary. She started bringing up the issues she's concerned about, and I started detailing Dennis on each. She was shocked. Not that she hadn't heard about him, but she hadn't yet looked at any candidates in detail. She started firing questions right and left, which I fielded pretty well. Then she said, "This man is a politician? Where did he come from? How come we never hear about him." That, of course, led to another long discussion. She said, "As good as he is, he'll never win. Look at the polls." I said I didn't care about the polls; win or lose, I'm voting my conscience and principles in the primary. And that if everyone voted for what they really believed in, he would be elected. She thought about that, and said, "You know my friend _____________ in New York tells me that the country isn't ready for him. She loves him, too. She says her dream team would be a Kucinich/Braun ticket. She's voting for Kucinich, as well." I think I've cemented another vote here.

[cryofan]

33. I myself voted for Buchanan more than once

I also post on Freerepublic occasionally.

Some people are looking for change rather than promoting a particular party candidate, especially when there is so little difference between the 2 parties in question.

Kucinich IS electable--as far as the average person is concerned--IF HE WERE TO BE PRESENTED BY THE MEDIA AS A VALID CANDIDATE, which of course he has not been.
Most of the Demo party loyalists just want someone who can become almost indistinguishable from the Republican candidate, except for the seemingly incidental fact of party membership....

[redqueen]

34. Thanks for the good news, Desertrose

:toast:

[Doomsayer13]

37. I've gotten different responses

I was at a Bipartisan BBQ with some Republicans on campus and I met a Republican from Dennis Kucinich's own district in the Cleaveland area. He said he detested Kucinich, called him a "slimeball" among other things which I wont name here. My suitemate, who is a Republican leaner said that he think Kucinich is annoying and doesn't know what he's talking about. That's not to say that there aren't republicans who are supporting Kucinich, but I really take anecdotal evidence with a grain of salt.

[redqueen]

38. One for the "DUH" file

Some Republicans think Bush is the closest thing to God; some think he's a disgrace to the party.

Some Democrats think Clinton was the best; some think he was a compromising SOB who did more to hurt this party than any Dem in recent history.

Take it for what it's worth.

:shrug:

[goodhue]

39. yes

I've encountered several former Republicans volunteering for Dennis. Just goes to show that left-to-right continuum is not so linear.

Kucinich does have a remarkable ability to draw on supporters who do not otherwise consider themselves democrats. This is a good thing.