Kucinich denounces Ron Paul as a running mate

[inthebrain]

Quicktime needed for clip
http://www.noisemp3.com/file_upload/uploaded_files/20071129230535_timoliveira_kuchvpaul.mp3

There you have it folks.

This one is dead.

[snowbear]

1. Shows how blog chatter can be easily misconstrued...

The buzz about a Kucinich-Paul ticket? Here's where that came from.



The headline on a link at Memeorandum this morning caught our eye: "Kucinich poses 2-way ticket."

It leads to this post at a blog on GoErie.com, the website of the the Erie Times-News. "The race goes on, but one thing that can be said for U.S. Rep. and presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, of Ohio, and that is he is always proposing something new," the post reads. "This time he mentioned a possible Democrat-Republican ticket. The Republican he is suggesting, Ron Paul, is a congressman from Texas."

Bryan Preston at the conservative heavyweight blog Hot Air spotted that entry and had this to say this morning: "The blog that posted this doesn't source its claim and I've never heard of the blog before, so I can't vouch for its word one way or the other. But come on. It just makes a warped kind of sense to put these two on a ticket."

We did some digging around and discovered that this report, from the The Plain Dealer's Opener blog on Sunday, is likely what started it all. From New Hampshire, Opener wrote:

Call it the liberal-libertarian ticket, where left meets right and Democrat Dennis Kucinich picks Republican Ron Paul to be his vice president.

Continued: http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2007/11/the-buzz-about.html

[stimbox]

2. Clip should play in any mp3 player.

http://tinyurl.com/3cya9z

[donheld]

3. Maybe some around DU will finally

speak with sense.

[snowbear]

5. Ok C'mon Don... that's asking an awful lot this time of the year!

DU:

At least not for a few more months...

[riqster]

15. I think it was sensible to demand an explanation

And he has given it. Next.

[Captain Angry]

4. I knew there was no way he supported Paul as a running mate.

I like how he said it though. Not that Ron Paul is crazy, but that Ron Paul is against the war in Iraq, and with Iran. But as a Republican, he's out.

Hopefully all of the people that threw Kucinich under the bus will calm down and wait to hear it from the man's mouth before they abandon him again.

[cali]

6. Dennis floated it. I heard it.

Glad he's retracting it now.

[riqster]

24. I think he stuck his foot in it, myself

...but like you, am glad he's retracting.

[penguin7]

25. Wrong

First of all, Ron Paul has praised Dennis Kucinich for his honesty.

So Kucinich is supposed to blast him for that?

I think Dennis Kucinich floated the idea that Ron Paul has some good ideas, which he does.

[geek tragedy]

7. This is called a 'flip-flop"

Also, Dennis saying one thing when he thinks reporters aren't around and another when he thinks they are around.

[MADem]

8. That's it. Precisely. nt

[cboy4]

9. Who cares? As long as he's no longer suggesting he'd

hypothetically select Paul, who cares what it's called.

[incapsulated]

10. Exactly, it makes him look worse

Own what you said or just shut up.

You think Bill Clinton is going to be given a pass for "I always opposed the war"?

C'mon.

[druidity33]

11. kooch hater! nt

:)

[Perry Logan]

12. More like a belly-smacker. Ouch, Dennis!

[superkia]

28. Did Dennis actually say it before or did he hint at it or what?

I haven seen it, could someone find a link to him saying that he wanted to run with paul or that he would or whatever was said.

Thanks.


Found one, nevermind.

http://newscoma.wordpress.com/2007/11/26/dennis-kucinich-and-ron-paul/

[Bjorn Against]

44. He never said he was going to nominate Ron Paul...

He said he was "thinking" about it there was never a commitment. If there is no commitment there is no flip-flop.

[mzmolly]

49. Yep indeed.

[denem]

13. "Ron's not interested. He's running as a Republican".

That is not denouncing, that is saying he is unavailable so "it a bit premature" to be talking about a ticket before the conventions. Dennis is stubborn, consistent, and rarely changes his mind.

[Freddie Stubbs]

17. He changed his mind about abortion

[robcon]

14. Another reason to distrust Kucinich's judgment.

flip-flop that quickly?

As a DUer posted elsewhere - he jumped the shark with his endorsement of Paul as a potential running mate, and now he's trying to go back and resuscitate his reputation. Like his flip from a lifetime pro-lifer to a pro-choicer at the time of the 2004 election season, this won't wash except for devoted Kooch-lovers.

[Voltaire99]

18. Omigod, you're right. He has Republican Germs!

You just keep away from him, or you'll get them, too.

[inthebrain]

32. You have a whole entire field of flip floppers running

right now.

Some of them haven't even gone out and admitted some of their stances are just fucked. They were all for the war at one point and are now against it. None other than the front runner Hillary Clinton as well as Edwards and Biden.

Biden still supports the Patriot Act and Nafta.

On every crucial issue Dennis' judgement has been spot on. All the others endorsed the other side. Even worse, when it comes to bigots getting their way, none of them voted to decertify the Florida election results after their African American base was disenfranchised.

All of them did absolutely fucking nothing!!!!!

[Bjorn Against]

43. Not a flip-flop

He never said he was going to nominate Ron Paul as his VP candidate, he suggested he was "thinking" about it. Now he is saying it is not a consideration. There was no flip flop because there was never a commitment.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. So, he was for Ron Paul before he was against him?

;)

[mzmolly]

50. Heh

:rofl:

[SaveElmer]

19. As the great Al Franken would say...

flippity floppity...

[MGKrebs]

20. So Ron Raul turned him down? Ouch.

[Renew Deal]

21. This one died with Kucinich's campaign

RIP
2004-2008

[Renew Deal]

22. Kucinich doesn't disavow it. He says it's too early and Paul isn't interested.

It doesn't sound like he changed his mind.

[stimbox]

23. "Ron's not interested. He's running as a Republican NEXT!". n/t

[Zorra]

26. How dare you! Kucinich has finally been exposed as a Nazi spy

and now you want to exonerate him from his heinous crimes?!?

Those that have been searching the google basement for years for something substantial to trash Dennis with will be furious.
:D

[YoungDUer]

27. "for years for something substantial to trash Dennis with will be furious."

That's absolutely what this is. An off-handed gaffe comment by Kucinich creates more outrage than candidates running who supported a war that's killed maybe a million people? Either some people are really stupid or this is just an attempt to smear Dennis.

[cali]

29. you haven't been here long enough evidently.

There have been literally thousands of threads denouncing those who voted for this war. And furthermore, Dennis has gotten relatively little criticism here. I hate to break this to you, but Dennis is running for president. He's a politician. He is not a saint. He is not infallible. He is not above reproach. Are some people taking this as an opportunity to jump all over Dennis? Sure, but many others find his comments indicative of poor judgment on his part. Others see him as making a purely political and opportunistic move to tap into Paul's support base. Reducing everything to the some simple formula that people here just hate/fear Dennis, is a poor excuse for analyzing why Dennis is being criticized.

[inthebrain]

30. I think it is true that some people here fear Dennis

I have no issue at all with people questioning a candidate. As a matter of fact I fully encourage it. I don't hold DK above reproach.

In the same breath I think a lot of folks DO need to remove the proverbial plank from their eyes. It's one think to say that you are THINKING about running with a GOP candidate (I do recall many folks here applauding the rumor of McCain on a ticket with Kerry).

It's entirely another when you roll over and capitualate to the other party so much that you appear to be one of them. Not only that, when it comes to holding those bigots accountable sitting there and allowing them to have their way.

I'm primarily speaking of the widespread voter disenfranchisement of 2000 and 2004. Not to mention doing nothing about it in 06 just because this party happened to have won.

I've never seen Dennis roll over like that. That fact alone scares the living shit out of a lot of folks who have dumped a ton of money on a particular candidate. It's also why this story tends to attract so much critisism.

[Maat]

31. I agree with you, YoungDUer (n/t)!

[Desertrose]

33. Always fun to watch the Kucinch foes proclaim

this is the end of his candidacy....or puts a lie to his honesty,etc etc.



The man never said he wanted him as a running mate and yet some here ran with hearsay and had some lovely DK bashing threads.

Same ol' DU I see.

[skipos]

34. Did you listen to the audio? nt

[Desertrose]

35. Yes. nt

[skipos]

38. "The man never said he wanted him as a running mate"

Q: Governor Richardson has said that if he becomes the candidate, we will start announcing... setting up what his cabinet would be, probably including what his running mate would be. Would you be prepared to discuss that sort of thing?

DK: I'll tell you who I am thinking about.

Q: Ok

Dk: I'm thinking about Ron Paul. (A bunch of hooey about eagles needing two wings to fly, not worth transcribing.)
Think about how it could unite the country. You know, having a Democrat and a Republican on the ticket.

He never used the word "wanted" but he was absolutely considering Ron Paul for VP. Can you see why people are bothered by Dennis considering to put a nut like Ron Paul a heartbeat away from the Presidency? Would you be OK with Dennis saying he's "thinking" about Dick Cheney, as long as he doesn't say he "wants" Dick Cheney? Actually, don't answer that. The answer may frighten me too much.

Thank God Ron Paul rejected Dennis' awful idea.

[Desertrose]

40. I agree with your last sentence.

I too, am very glad Ron Paul is not considering Dennis' ruminations.

On the one hand I can get what he is saying about uniting etc etc...but in my way of thinking, Ron Paul is NOT the one to help do that. I can't imagine how that pairing could EVER work....and of course I understand people questioning DK's statements.

As far as Dick Cheney as a running mate...oh please.:eyes:
oops, I answered you anyway. Hope you are managing to deal with your fear.(Did you really think I would say its fine to "think about Dick Cheney"? Really??)

DR

[skipos]

46. Hey man

some people like DK THAT much!

[dweller]

48. oh dear!

somehow i don't think that is what you really fear.

dp

[cuke]

36. The "end of his candidacy"??

I was wondering when it would start

[Desertrose]

41. Just quoting others.....nt

[Clintonista2]

37. Wow Kucinich. What a quick response team you have.

...not.

[bluedog]

39. sounds like Ron Paul told Kooch to get lost

and stop trying to ride his $$$$$$ coat tails........

[polichick]

42. Or his Internet coat tails...

I'm not sure what DK was thinking, but it wasn't a good idea.

[mtnsnake]

45. Thank you for clearing this up. It just goes to show how the press can "alter" a message

by asking someone a question and then quoting only part of the answer that suits the rest of the sentence they add on to it.

[Caution]

47. Who cares? Both are fringe candidates only anyway.