Is There a Good Looking, Marketable Candidate, with Positions Similar to Kucinich?

[ludwigb]

I ask this not wanting to flame Kucinich (who kicks ass--GO KUCINICH!), but just wondering if other DUers have given this some thought. Who is the politician (or potential politician) who could take Kucinich's platform and actually win (perhaps in 2012?)?

[redqueen]

1. Oh for the luvva...

*sigh*

[ludwigb]

2. I know.....

it's ridiculous. But democracy is an imperfect system. And in the television age, the American people value a physical aesthetic that conveys power. Sad but true.

[groovedaddy]

3. How about George Clooney? Okay, he's not a candidate

but he should be.

[snowbear]

18. Clooney is backing Senator Obama....

But he should seriously run for Governor of California when Ahnold's term is up!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Washington, Aug. 7 (ANI): Hollywood stars Jennifer Aniston and George Clooney are financially supporting the presidential campaign of Barack Obama, the junior US Senator from Illinois.



Fundrace 2008, a new database on the Huffington Post Web site, shows that Anniston has donated 2,300 dollars to Obama's campaign, which is the maximum donation allowed for the Democratic primary.



Actress Halle Berry has also contributed 2,300 dollars to the fund that is being spent on the Illinois senator’s campaign.

George Clooney, Will Smith, Tyra Banks, and Jamie Foxx are the other celebrities who have lent their support to Obama.

Continued ----> http://news.sawf.org/Gossip/40909.aspx

[obnoxiousdrunk]

4. Sean Penn ?

[last_texas_dem]

5. The closest I can think of

would have been Russ Feingold if he had decided to run. I think he still would have had an uphill battle getting the nomination, but the media wouldn't have thrown the same sort of nasty ridicule at him that they do at Kucinich.

[ludwigb]

12. He would have been up there for sure

Not an also-ran like Dodd and Biden. He would have inherited Dean's 2004 organization. Obviously he wouldn't have the same money as Obama or HRC but he'd be up there.

That said, Feingold is my favorite senator, but he's not quite a Kucinich policy-wise.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. {blush} Well, modesty and all...

But I DO pretty much share Kucinich's values, and I could maybe make some time on my schedule...

[Desertrose]

15. You got my vote, honey.

;)

:loveya:
DR

[Jackpine Radical]

17. DR--How wonderful to hear from you. What you been up to"

(We can't go on meeting like this). :loveya: back atcha.

I think I owe you a long pm. Will do that soon.

[polichick]

7. imo, it's his positions that threaten Kucinich bashers...

...and they use whatever targets they can think of to deflect public interest. If another candidate held these same positions, those threatened would find other targets in their efforts to derail the campaign.

[penguin7]

8. I agree

I enjoy watching Kucinich videos. He has a calming effect on me.

Politicians have a tendency to put on airs. I don't see this with Kucinich.

[goodhue]

9. But it is the platform that is unpalatable to corporate media and beltway insiders

The focus on Kucinich's looks is trumped up in order to distract from the platform. Much less handsome candidates have been taken far more seriously if they have a moderate platform, e.g. Paul Tsongas. In any event, Dennis looks good and is eminently marketable.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

11. I think he looks good too and is marketable.

And these people who complain about Kucinich's looks -- guess what:

there's an ugly slimy corrupt bastard who got (all fair and square)

elected to the House -- ONCE (by smearing Helen Gahagan Douglas)
elected to the Senate -- ONCE
elected to the Vice Presidency -- TWICE
elected to the Presidency -- TWICE

and it didn't hurt that he sucked up to Joe McCarthy.

Richard Nixon!!!!

:banghead:

:puke:

[MODemocrat]

10. We already have two good looking,rather handsome candidates

Maybe Kucinich could just coach them to believe in his positions; there you have it for crying out loud. When I want a good looking man, I just look at my husband; not at the president of the U.S. :dilemma:

[dailykoff]

13. How about his lovely wife?

Or maybe he just needs a new barber?

[Auntie Bush]

14. Yes, Wes Clark

Good looking and progressive! Good cross over appeal!
A Perfect candidate.

[ArkySue]

23. Exactly right!

check out this candidate's grid for 2008:


I can't find the 2004 grid but Wes Clark was in the green zone with Kucinich.

[AlCzervik]

16. Like a president i want to sleep with? A PILF?

[TSIAS]

19. I wish there was

But I don't know if the media would take him seriously either. The theme, even from Democrats, is to pretend that a left wing doesn't exist in this country. Either you're a "sensible moderate", or you're some idealistic loon who isn't in touch with Middle America.

I don't necessarily support Kucinich as my #1 choice, but he lets people know that there is still a liberal candidate in this race.

[Douglas Carpenter]

20. frankly, I do see your point

and as anyone can see by my Avatar, I have decided to back Mr. Kucinich in spite of him being the candidate who looks and sounds the least like Robert Redford or Clint Eastwood.

Among all the members of Congress there are only a handful with proposals, the record, the positions and the substance that equals or almost equals or exceeds Congressman Kucinich.

In the 2008 race I'm afraid that Mr. Kucinich is the only solid all-around progressive seeking the Democratic Party presidential nomination.

At some point in the future, who know who will appear? Or perhaps Sen. Bernie Sanders could at some future date be persuaded to officially register as a Democrat and seek the nomination. Senator Sanders is perhaps the most persuasive politicians I have ever heard. And even many Republicans and people who are otherwise quite conservative hold him very high regard. Every time he appears on Fox News they get inundated with fan mail from people who always thought of themselves as conservatives. This demonstrates again that when people actually hear the issues especially the bread and butter issues that they face in day to day life, even many people who always considered themselves conservative find that on REAL issues they are much closer to the progressive point of view.

But I do believe that one of the hardest task progressives has cut out for themselves is to make elections genuinely issue oriented. If that happens and the public is persuaded to put substance over commercially contrived sound bites and imagery then 50% of our struggle for a progressive majority will be achieved.

Having said all of this, I would not want to underestimte Congressman Kucinich. At the very least all the dynamics are there for him to emerge as a top-tier contender.

IF anywhere near half the people who agree with Congressman Dennis Kucinich on the issues sent him a donation -- he would be a major top-tier contender very, very fast:

Donating through DU/ACT Blue is very fast. It's very easy. Do it now! I did...

link:

http://www.actblue.com/entity/fundraisers/12518



Congressman Dennis Kucinich on the issues:

http://www2.kucinich.us/issues

[ludwigb]

24. Good points

What you mention about no one in Congress having a record close to Mr. Kucinich is the really disappointing part. Progressives wanted Wellstone, but unfortunately he was in no position to run, and then his tragic death. In a similar thread someone mentioned Feingold, who is great but obviously no Kucinich policy-wise.

Sanders is an interesting possibility. Could he be persuaded to run as a Democrat? If nothing else, the discussion about the issues that would be provoked is worth the effort.

Jessie Jackson Jr?

What about outside Congress? Movie stars (the GOP sure seems to like them so they can hardly criticize us anymore)? Or charismatic academics? Successful businessmen or sports stars?

Re. what you say about making the campaign more issue oriented... True dat. The Internet can help (see, for example, how each candidate is contributing an essay on foreign policy to Foreign Affairs--this is a step forward). But it can also hurt--appearance is more important than ever.

[BenDavid]

21. Just stayed tuned and watch HRC

at work in the last 3 months of 07 and when she wins the nomination and she goes after the right wing candidate I am sure she will make us all proud. We will not have to worry like we did Kerry and Gore.They never fought back, but HRC is a bear and I mean a "damn grizzley"
I do thank you
Ben David

[snowbear]

22. We do thank you too

But that doesn't mean that you are dead wrong.

Have you DONATED to your candidate yet?