Holy Crap! More than 4500 People Turned Out for Dennis in Minnesota!

[dpbrown]

Who cares about Ralph Nader. Certainly not Dennis Kucinich, who wowed audiences all over Minnesota this last weekend, and told one audience, "I'm focused like a laser beam on making the Democratic Party a viable second party."

Here's the Minnesota count:

Virginia 200
Duluth 500
Blue-Green Alliance 100-150
Northfield 900-1000
Northrop 2300
NLG Dinner 300
House of Balls Sculpture Studio 130

More than 4500 turned out to see Dennis Kucinich, who has received less than 1% of the total national media attention, at events in Minnesota that had as little as three days notice.

If you care about the Kucinich campaign, get to Minnesota right now. We'll be contacting everyone who signed up at any of the events, doing caucus training, making phone calls, and going door-to-door for the next week.

Holy crap. Dennis could win Minnesota.

Get here any way you can.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[saltpoint]

1. Dennis has a lot -- a whole lot -- of Paul Wellstone's --

-- greatness. It would not surprise me if Minnesotans were a little lonesome for a great Democrat in their midst and voted in large numbers for Dennis.

Long may he run.
==

edit: typo

[NightTrain]

2. I'll be voting for Kucinich on March 2nd.

He's a damned good man for whom I've a great deal of admiration. I only wish he had a snowball's chance in hell of getting the party's nomination!

[grab bag]

3. that is pretty CRAPPY!! Only 4500 people from all of Minnesota??

those are CRAPPY CRAPPY numbers, considering how long he's been in the race!!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

4. Ah, and Edwards got 2,000 in Minnesota

and he had publicity from the mainstream media.

Dennis' publicity was almost all from grassroots leafletting and bannering. Looked at it that way, 4500 people is pretty damned impressive.

NOTE: This is not a slam at Edwards, just a comparison.

[AP]

5. Edwards got 2000 at one event. The 4500 for Ku is for ALL his events.

[AP]

6. Ku got about 2500 at the U of M event, but it was a concert (and the

concert wasn't full).

[Lydia Leftcoast]

9. It wasn't a concert, it was a rally with warmup acts

some of which happened to be musicians. Dennis's name was in large print, while the musical acts--and speakers-- were in small print.

"Full" would have been 5,000 with main floor and balcony. (The balcony is about half the size of the main floor.)

When I told my mother that we had nearly filled the first floor of Northrop Auditorium, she was impressed.

[goodhue]

31. AP, thanks but you are wrong here

AP, I usually respect your posts and have long admired your support for your candidate, but you are all wet here. DK rally at Northrop was not a concert. It had more attendees than Edwards event that happened at same time. Yet media here report Edwards and not Kucinich. The Edwards event had many party insiders who have given up on Dean such as mayor Rybak. Edwards flew in and out of Minnesota within several hours. Kucinich spent two nights in the state and had about 8 events all organized by unpaid grass-roots volunteers.

Minnesota Kucinich supporters are justifiably a little sore about lack of accurate media coverage by MPR, Star Tribune and Pioneer Press all of which reported Edwards rally as almost 2000 but neglected to mention larger Kucinich rally held at same time. Rather they merely reported 10 am Blue/Green meeting as gathering of about a hundred, leaving impression that Kucinich events were much smaller than they were.

I have been to many DK rallies in IA, WI and MN since last June, and Saturday's Northrop rally was the best produced and best attended Kucinich rally I have seen to date. I know of no DK rally anywhere this season that was larger or better produced. Minnesotas for Kucinich should be proud.

[Kanary]

55. *I'm* proud of Minnesotans for Kucinich!

I have some idea of the amount of effort that goes into something like that rally, plus what it takes to get that many people out with NO media cooperation. I'm impressed!

Congrats to all of you!

Job well done!

:toast:

Kanary

[dpbrown]

66. And we had a heck of a lot of fun doing it!

Some members of the DFL are saying we've got the best-organized campaign in Minnesota right now.

Thanks for the kind words.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[dpbrown]

18. Kucinich got 2500 at one event. Edwards got 2000 for all of Minnesota!

Spin, spin, spin.

Kucinich's crowds were bigger, they were more involved, they were more inspired than the party insiders that showed up for Edwards little pretend union thing.

Kucinich has consistently done better than Edwards here, and he's going to do better than Edwards here on March 2nd.

Edwards didn't go to the Range, because he knew he'd be talking to empty halls up there - people on the Range can see right through empty suits.

Kucinich went to the Range and won the hearts and minds of the people up there - because he, more than any other candidate in the race, is one of them.

Fear Ends
Hope Begins
Kucinich 2004

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. And how many would you candidate (whoever it is)

draw with the same lack of press coverage that Dennis gets?

[Desertrose]

11. hey Lydia...after all this *IS GD-04*.....

and there are always plenty of folks here to tell us how *crappy* Dennis is doing....like we frikkin' care what they say....like we even *hear* them anymore LOL

That is so cool you got to see Dennis there tonite...bet the place was rockin!!!!

:highfive: sistah!!!

wooohooo!!!!!!

Peace
DR

[Lydia Leftcoast]

12. It was indeed rockin'

and there was a spirit of optimism in the air.

It's sad that we don't have a whole slew of candidates with coherent visions for the future of America.

[Desertrose]

13. I think that is the best thing about hangin' in with Dennis-

that feeling of optimism...and knowing he is in this for the long haul!
It is just really inspiring to me....as are the things he stands for and fights for....

I like to see this big flashing neon sign in my head...
KUCINICH PREVAILS!
PEACE PREVAILS!
LOVE PREVAILS!

It would be great to have, like you said, a whole slew of candidates with the visions of Kucinich...man, I would love to see that!!

ROCK ON!!!
:hug:
DR

[goodhue]

67. yes very inspiring

his optimism is contagious

[Kanary]

14. The telling point is...

Supporters of Dennis Kucinich don't go into the threads of other candidates with the express purpose of spreading horse exhaust all over the floor.

Dennis wouldn't do that, and neither do we.

That speaks volumes for Dennis.

I just wish there was some way to have videos available of these appearances for those of us who ~~sobble~~ can't be there....

Thanks again for the terrific report!

Kanary

Kucinich 2004!

[Desertrose]

15. "horse exhaust"...*snork*

pretty funny...especially for someone who spent too many years following Amish buggys and their never ending horse exhaust!
( we used the charming phrase of "road apples")

ROFL
(Sorry just made me smile ...and in GD04...OMG- what next? :)

Peace
DR
now I have to watch out for coyotes & roadrunners- seriously!)

[no name no slogan]

36. There might be some videos available....

The last two rallies for DK in MN were taped. I think this was was probably taped too, as it was by far the largest and best-organized of the bunch.

I ushered the event, and MAN WAS IT AWESOME! It truly reminded me of Wellstone's 1990 campaign-- lots of excited people, yearning for politics with meaning and a candidate who's as real as can be.

Fantastic event!

[Kanary]

41. Would these be listed on his website?

If you would happen to know anything about the availability of videos... even someone's home video, I'd like to know.

Thanks for posting this!

Kanary

Kucinich 2004!

[dpbrown]

17. Wrong. With no media attention, he did better than Edwards & Kerry

With one event, he bested Edwards, one of two media-blessed "front-runners" (although how you get to that idea built up on top of Republicans who voted for Edwards in Wisconsin's open primary, not because they like Edwards, but because they wanted to chip away at the image of Kerry as frontrunner is beyond me).

The Minnesota for Kucinich volunteers had less than two weeks to pull this off.

Dennis has brought more people to venues with each visit to Minnesota.

More people came to see Dennis, despite the media blackout and despite the media "blessing" of the two supposed frontrunners.

This is pretty awesome, indeed.

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[Desertrose]

8. Awesome, Dan....

and well done! wish I could make it there.....

Dennis rocks!!
:yourock:

Anyone need yard signs or bumperstickers?? I still have some & can ship em out to whoever needs em...pm me if you want me to ship ya some! I have a few odds n ends of other stuff too.

Peace
DR

[BourgeoisPig]

16. Way to go Dennis !

On to victory !

[LWolf]

19. Great job, Minnesota!

Keeping hope alive.

:kick:

[Kanary]

20. Ralph saying (CSPAN2) Dennis is the only one talking about trade, labor

With Dennis gathering so many supporters together, and Ralphie pushing others towards him from the other side, I'm watching for Dennis' star to rise.

Not a moment too soon.

Kanary, ducking the onslaught of more horse exhaust :)

[x-g.o.p.er]

21. OK, let's say he wins MN...will it matter?

No dispespect to Kucinich or his campaign, but will it alter the dynamics? The media will spin this as an anomaly, and it will still come down to Edwards or Kerry. Minnesota is not a big deal primary/caucus wise as far as delegate counts go, and there are a lot bigger states voting on the 2nd. With all the other action occurring on the 2nd, I would be surprised if MN even got mentioned, unless Kucinich did well, and then I refer you back to my anomaly statement.

I hope he does well; he brings a powerful message to the debate. But in the end, can you reasonably expect a good showing in one state to turn his campaign around?

[Kanary]

27. you're absolutely right... we should all just shoot ourselves

Geeez, x-g.o.p.er.... do you really think anything is served with the negativity?

We don't come over and rain all over your parade.... How 'bout if you can't spread a little sunshine...

We're working just as hard as any of the other supporters, we have our eyes open, and it would be nice, just once in a while, to get a pat on the back, same as the other supporters.

Kanary, who wishes well to other supporters and would just like to hear the same back....

[x-g.o.p.er]

47. It's not that at all....

I hope Kucinich does well. I just thought it was a fair question, and I wasn't trying to be negative.

And I do wish you well. Good luck and I hope DK does win MN. It's very possible. I'm a native Minnesotan, and it would be good for politics in general to have as many voices heard for as long as possible. I hate the two-party system, because I feel too many voices and opinions are left out of the process.

Keep fighting the good fight, and good luck on the 2nd.

[Kanary]

51. Thanks for your well wishes, x-g.o.p.er -- it means a lot

I think most of us here would heartily agree with you about all the voices and opinions being left out.

That's why we so doggedly pursue Dennis' candidacy, and why some are so heroic in the energy they are putting into this effort.

If we were tied into "success" by media standards, you wouldn't be hearing much at all from us.... we'd have all blown away by now. But Dennis is speaking so forcefully for us, at great cost to himself, so we keep plugging onward... That, in itself, is a "win".

There are two perspectives at work here...

1. That of the media-driven "popular" culture
2. That of the people who are looking deeper, and fighting hard to pull our nation back from the brink.

Those of us in the second group may be laughable to others, but we know the importance of what we're about. WE have plenty of humor, but what we're seeing, and what we're fighting is no laughing matter. It's tough being on the front lines, and very wearying. But we can't give up. It's not only for us, but for you and others, too. There's waaay too much at stake.

Kanary

[x-g.o.p.er]

57. Total agreement from me

I just looked at my original reply--it did seem a bit dismissive. I am upset with the two-party system in general, not Kucinich or his supporters. It just seems like the deck is hopelessly stacked against him regardless of what he says or does, because he gets absolutely no national media coverage. I will admit I am a supporter of Edwards, but I hate how both parties do their utmost to keep as many dissenting voices out of the argument as possible. I haven't seen Kucinich in the news since his "Dating Game" bit on Leno, which is a shame. (Not the Dating Game, the lack of coverage).

I, too, want to bring my country back from the precipice, and sometimes it just seems that everything is lined up against average folks like us. And anyone who loves their country as much as you do doesn't deserve to be laughed at, you deserve respect and admiration. You have mine. Just out of curiousity, now that Nader is in, will you vote for him if DK bows out at some point, or are you going to vote for the Democratic nominee?

[dpbrown]

61. Yes, because the media would be forced into "man bites dog" mode

The media has chosen the method by which they are going to marginalize Dennis.

Therefore, if Dennis wins Minnesota or Hawaii, they will be forced to cover it as a "man bites dog" anomaly. This, however, would provide coverage for Dennis among the "horses" in the race, giving him an innate "credibility" that the media has been denying him thusfar.

The media wants a two-way race, because the messages they hawk and the means by which they hawk it is geared toward a simple-minded sixth-grader. Thus the media can't "compute" a multiple-person race, even though Dennis already beat Edwards in both Maine and Washington.

The media's line, however, is that Kucinich is the "also-ran" so they can narrow the field to a two-man race between Kerry and Edwards, letting them rend each of those candidates to shreds in the media threshing machine.

If Dennis does well, the media's cover-up will be exposed as part of them being forced into "man-bites-dog" mode. That's why it's important for him to do well now.

So short answer is "Yes, it will matter."

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota

[WiseMen]

22. Great Job.

[Imajika]

23. These event turnout numbers mean very little...

Nader had huge turnouts during the 2000 campaign. Entire auditoriums filled up to listen and cheer him on. At the end of the day Nader got less than 3% of the vote nationally and succeeded in absolutely nothing other than making sure Bush would win Florida.

Kucinich is very similar to Nader in this regard. He may have a big activists following, but that does not translate into real, winning vote totals and therefore means virtually nothing. The fact of the matter, no matter how many here don't want to accept it, is that Dennis Kucinich is a fringe candidate that will never win the nomination of the Democratic Party. He will not win now, nor will he likely win ever - he is just way, way too far left of center to win anything national in the United States. Thankfully, at least Kucinich has the common sense not to do anything to assist Bush in the 2004 general election.

Imajika

[goodhue]

30. The numbers mean a lot!

particulary to the many Minnesota for Kucinich volunteers who worked very hard to make Kucinich events Friday and Saturday a resounding success, which they were. Kucinich was in Minnesota from Friday afternoon until Sunday morning working for votes, and the candidate and supporters deserve more respect that your post evinces.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

34. Except that DK has already gotten well over 3% in some races

He has gotten 8%, 13%, and 15%. Even in Wisconsin, where he got 3% statewide, he got over 9% in some counties.

(Somebody help me out here. He came in ahead of Edwards in at least one state, Was it Washington?)

Far left of center, huh? Listen to what non-dittoheads and even some dittoheads are complaining about these days: overpriced healthcare and greedy insurance companies, jobs being outsourced, crappy radio stations that all play the same thing, giant corporations that treat customers and employees like shit, fears that Social Security won't be there when they retire, overpriced housing, deteriorating roads and lack of transit options, deteriorating schools...

Too far left of center? Ha! Dennis is right in the center of the issues that people are worried about.

Why else do you think that the corporate media ignore him and have ignored from the very beginning?

[goodhue]

37. Kucinich beat Edwards & Clark in WA & ME!

[Lydia Leftcoast]

38. Thanks, goodhue!

Those were the figures I was looking for.

[goodhue]

59. no problem

Many people do not know Kucinich beat Edwards in WA & ME because the media largely avoid metioning it. What will happen to two-man race meme if Kucinich beats Edwards in CA, MN, or OH?

[no name no slogan]

52. But that was the general election, this is still the primaries

The dynamics of a general election are a lot different from those in a primary election, because the stakes are entirely different.

In a primary, voters are not as afraid to vote for a candidate who has the same positions as they do. They tend to vote "for" a candidate rather than "against" another candidate, as the do in the general election.

A number of people who favored Nader's positions voted for Gore in the GE in 2000 precisely because they wanted to vote against Bush.

[MaggieSwanson]

24. Music to my ears! n/t

[buddhamama]

25. Awesome !

WOO HOO ! this really does speak well for Dennis in Minnesota; no media attention, nothing, but he pulls in large crowds--Terrific.

GO DK! :bounce:

[goodhue]

26. kick

Saturday went well! The Skinner Memorial Chapel at Carleton College in Norhtfield MN was packed, standing-room only. The U of M Northrup event had better in attendance than a widely reported rally by another candidate held at the same time. The NLG banquet was over the 300 capacity. The very hip wharehouse district gallery party appearance a treat. Many Minnesotans were newly impressed by Dennis.

[WI_DEM]

28. DK will do well in Minnesota

it possibly could be his first win of the season.

[redqueen]

29. From your fingers

to God's In-Box. :)

[Scott Lee]

32. Well, there's 4500 people he was prepared to throw to Edwards

if Dean had still been in.

Way to go there, Mr. Principle.

[goodhue]

33. nice

Still bitter and confused about Iowa?
Kucinich supporters will not be thrown anywhere.
If you want to talk about throwing supporters in Minnesota I would encourage you realize that the almost 2000 that Edwards appeared in front of Saturday afternoon in St. Paul (at the same time as the Kucinich Northrop rally) was in large part composed of elected party officials and other DFL insiders who had been backing Dean and now appear to back Edwards. In Minnesota, it is the Dean supporters that are throwing themselves around, many to Edwards benefit.
Kucinich supporters stand fast.

[Scott Lee]

44. Kucinich did his job by stabbing Dean from the left

You should be proud of him.

I guess you were asleep when Kucinich threw his support to Edwards to outflank Dean. The same "anti-war" Kucinich who allied with pro war John Edwards.

Oh yeah, baby. What "principle" and steadfastness!

[goodhue]

48. I was not asleep

I know full well about the one-day Jan 19th deal. Its been debated ad naseum here, so I prefer not to get into yet again. Needless to say, I disagree with you interpretation.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

42. Some Dean supporters

persist in deliberately misunderstanding what went on in Iowa.

They also seem to assume that Kucinich "owed" Dean his spare delegates, conveniently forgetting that Dean didn't appear to need extra delegates.

[Scott Lee]

46. I dont blame you for wincing. I would too.

Kucinich pulled some real bullshit. So much so that the Dean blog at the time was swarmed by angry ex-Kucinich supporters who say their guy sold them out.

I dont blame them.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

50. Yeah, "ex-Kucinich" supporters on the same order as

the "life-long Democrats" who write LTTE in support of Bush. :eyesroll:

I know a hell of a lot of Kucinich supporters, and I don't know one who defected over that one-day alliance. We are not single-issue voters, and we realize that while Dean says he would have voted against the IWR, he is for keeping troops in Iraq indefinitely, and he's way to the right of Kucinich on domestic issues, so any idea that Kucinich somehow "owed" Dean support is just whacked.

Besides, what are you so upset about? Your guy still came out two places ahead of mine and far enough behind Edwards so that DK's support wouldn't have allowed him to catch up.

[no name no slogan]

54. Yeah, those "ex-Kucinich" supporters

I heard they later exposed most of them as pissed off Deaniacs who were venting their spleens on the blog. IIRC, there was something about it on the Kucinich discussion boards, too.

DK supporters didn't (and doesn't) owe Dean or his supporters ANYTHING. Especially after Dean's marginalization of DK in his commercials and campaign lit, EVEN AFTER he was corrected on it. And like Lydia said, he may have been "anti-war", but he was not in favor of ending the Iraq occupation.

Just because Dean was seen as "left of center" by the media and the DLC doesn't mean that DK "owes" his support to Dean. IMHO it's rather arrogant and presumptious of Dean's supporters to assume that we'd all fall in line behind who they think WE should support.

I certainly didn't go around yelling at Dean's supporters and demanding they should all get behind DK because Dean stopped campaigning.

[goodhue]

62. ex-Kucinich supporters

I've never met one.

[no name no slogan]

63. Now that I think about it, me neither! (nt)

[Desertrose]

53. oh puhleese....

no bullshit was pulled by Kucinich in Iowa....

I don't think you want to get into the whole thing about all the bs that Dean pulled on Kucinich while HD was riding high...I won't go there...but there is no way in hell I am buying your "swarm of angry DK supporters on the Dean blog"...

good grief...move on man! Iowa is history...and it looks like Dean's candidacy is too...and you can't blame Dennis for that!

DR

[PVnRT]

35. Good for DK

The stronger finishes he makes in the coming weeks, the less he can be ignored by everyone. Hopefully, he'll get some of his progressive ideas on the party platform and pull in some of those who are extremely dissatisfied with the Democrats right now.

[Nadienne]

39. If only I could convey my roaring approval in words

Minnesota,

:yourock:

[libragirl73]

40. Nice to see that at least ONE of our 50 states is independent!

I am so disgusted by the way the rest of the
country has, so far, allowed themselves to
be swayed by the media-hype around this election.

At least Minnesota is thinking for THEMSELVES!

And, these days, I suppose that is an impressive feat.

Keep it up, Minnesota--because when it's all said and done,
you will be able to say that you TRIED to support the right
candidate.
When Kerry or Edwards tries to debate
G.W. on issues they all agreed on, people will see the truth...
...and, hopefully, those "super delegates"
will change their minds!

[Kanary]

43. Hi libragirl73!

Welcome to DU!

:hi: :hi: :hi:

:toast:

Your words are sooo right on! Must be great to be in Minnesota right now, where people are able to think for themselves, and go for the hope, rather than the fear reaction.

Hype schmipe, we know where we stand... :)

Kanary

[mbee]

45. I initially supported Dean (because Gore endorsed him) and now

I still plan to vote for him on Super Tuesday in the MD primary. Hoever, I hope Dennis gets himself some delegates becase he's a great guy and deserves a lot of say so in the Democratic Platform.

[Ysabel]

49. great news...

i love minnesota - lived there one summer - in madison, wisconsin now - i think in the future that we might want to talk about some kind of a team-up perhaps - i'm envisioning that the u.s. might soon completely crumble and we'll need to figure out some new alternative...

yay for dennis...! :)

[goodhue]

56. kick

[no name no slogan]

58. kick for a POSITIVE campaign!

[GreenPartyVoter]

60. Woohoo! THAT's the kind of new I like to hear!

[goodhue]

64. kick again

[scarletwoman]

65. We WILL send a Minnesota DK delegation!

I KNOW it!!!!!

:kick:

sw

[goodhue]

68. kick

[dpbrown]

69. Holy Crap! More than 30% and beating Edwards in Hawaii!

DK is doubling at every turn!

Now's the time to make the switch, people. Let's get to it!

Dan Brown
Saint Paul, Minnesota