Why did Kerry ignore Kucinich in tonights speech ?

[NoCorporatePols]

He thanked Edwards and even Dean but didn't say boo about Kucinich. No class !

I've lost all respect for Kerry over this. (what little I had)

[arcos]

1. waiting for Mr. Pitt to post "Kucinich lost, get over it"... n/t

[Doomsayer13]

2. um

he only mentioned his major competitors. You'll noticed he also didn't mention Mosely-Braun, Sharpton, Clark, Lieberman, and Gephardt. It'd be kinda worthless to heap praise on all 8 candidates who in the contest, I'm sure he wanted to thank Dean and Edwards as a way to unify major parts of the party then move onto the meat.

[Kanary]

3. So much for "inclusion", eh?

The Dems keep insisting on ignoring those who they think will hang in there because they "have no other choice", yet get bent out of shape when those who "have no other choice" either don't vote or start working for a 3rd party.

It's time to think these things through.

Kanary

Another Delusional Diehard for Dennis!!

Kucinich 2004!

[Doomsayer13]

5. So you would've rather Kerry dedicated

a signifigant chunk of his speech to ALL of the Democratic candidates? It was his first speech as the nominee apparent, so he wanted to be gracious but move onto the message. Mentioning and praising all 8 would've been a blunder and a waste of time, since most American's haven't even heard of half of them, and he was making this speech more to American than the Democatic party. I'm sure Kerry will embrace all the Democrats, Kucinich included, once the nomination process is over, maybe even give Kucinich a speech at convention.

[NoCorporatePols]

14. He spent 5 minutes thanking his family members !

But not one word for another candidate.

[JI7]

17. kucinich is running against him

his family helped him in his campaigning to win those elections held on tuesday.

[NoCorporatePols]

18. Dean is still 'running' since he won Vermont !

[Doomsayer13]

19. Dean suspended his campaign

he's not actively campaigning for the Presdiency. He's pretty much dropped out, but is allowing elections for his delegates.

[JI7]

20. dean isn't campaigning and debating kerry anymore

kucinich is still out there challenging kerry and campaigning in many states.

[Kanary]

39. A "waste" of what.... 10 seconds..?

Yeah, that would, indeed, be horrible. /sarcasm

Of course, one of these days (like now...) you're going to want us to put in our time, money and effort.

Reasonable people do that by prefacing it with consideration and a cordial atmosphere.

Some "blunder"...

Kanary

[slinkerwink]

4. The difference is that Kucinich is actively campaigning and those guys

aren't.

[Doomsayer13]

6. ah logic

damn, forgot about that

[Finch]

7. Sorry to burst the bubble...

But Kucinich is just not a serious candidate... Dean and Edwards had shots at the nomination, Kucinich never did... having said that Kerry could not be expected to mention all the other candidates, did George Bush or John McCain ever take alot of time to treat with the likes of Alan Keyes or Gary Bauer who in many ways are the rights equivalent of Kucinich and Sharpton...

[Doomsayer13]

9. you're not bursting my bubble

look at post 5, that's what I've been saying.

[NoCorporatePols]

13. Had Edwards dropped out when Kerry thanked him ?

I think not.

[JI7]

16. yes he had, not official, but said he would

remember, he talked to kerry himself before kerry gave the speech.

[JI7]

8. Kucinich said he was still in a race with John Kerry

Edwards and Dean aren't campaigning anymore. Kucinich said he will take up whatever he has been doing with John Kerry until the convention. if kucinich had dropped out today Kerry would have mentioned him as kerry did of other candidates the day they dropped out.

[JohnKleeb]

10. so what youre saying Kerry basically thanked his past competitors

including Edwards who will drop out today. Sounds right to me. I dont think Kerry meant any harm. I do know for a fact and personally that Chris Heinz, Kerry's stepson has a great deal of respect for DK.

[JI7]

15. yes,

notice he didn't mention sharpton either. hopefully he mentions both candidates if/when they do drop out.

[NoCorporatePols]

23. Why didn't he thank Clark then ?

[Doomsayer13]

42. why would he need to?

He already thanked clark when Clark dropped out and endorsed him.

[La_Serpiente]

11. Isn't Kucinich still in the race?

[Doomsayer13]

12. it's really just more baseless complaints from malcontents

another reason to bash kerry

[Iverson]

25. nattering nabobs of negativism, perhaps?

Make sure that you say what you really mean.

[aldian159]

21. The nation up till now has

ignored Kucinich easily enough. Kerry was just following a trend, that's all.

[Doomsayer13]

22. No doubt if Kerry HAD thanked DK

there'd be people here complaining that Kerry was marginalizing him by treating him as if he'd had already dropped out. I learned long ago that if you're John Kerry, you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't.

[arwalden]

27. I'd Rather Be Damned With The Least Possible Effort Required On My Part...

therefore it's always better to be damned-if-you-DON'T, eh?

-- Allen

[REP]

24. You Mean, Like Ohio Voters Ignored Him?

No one takes his campaign seriously - not even Kucinich.

[WI_DEM]

26. yes the classy thing would have been to mention both DK and

Sharpton as well. They have won votes and delegates and enriched the debate, but John Kerry proves again how graceless he can be.

[GreenPartyVoter]

28. It was a good speech

but I think he did not say anything about Al and Dennis because they are still in the race.

[revcarol]

29. He did feature Dennis' plan to get jobs by alternative energy...

JK has always been for alternative energy, but DK put forth a plan to have new jobs by alternative energy MONTHS before Kerry. I guess DK being in the raced PUSHED him. That's nice. Now if DK and supporters could only push him away from corporate welfare...

Kerry showed he had no class regarding Dennis in the debate before last.Just rolling his eyes and looking away every time DK got to speak. He's not as much of a boor as Bush, but definitely wants progressives not to have a seat at the table.

[jsw_81]

30. Kucinich is/was an irrelevant fringe candidate

[Dhalgren]

34. Ah, I see, this must be the great Kerry Supporters' plan

to whip everyone into line. "We don't need no stinkin' "fringe" voters. We can beat Bush without any help from anyone but Kerry diehards!" Shrewd political move.

[Kanary]

40. I'll remember that

when you want me to put in my time, money and effort to elect "your" candidate.

So much for grace in politics, eh?

Kanary

[wjittermoss]

31. Same reason he ignored Sharpton...thoughtlessness

It would have done so much for him and the party to acknowledge both Kucinich and Sharpton but this speaks to what really worries me about Kerry. He is definitely an "establishment" candidate and much of what we will get with him as President is exactly what we have. You can't win folks, when the opposition controls both sides.

[janx]

32. Dean?

I didn't hear anything about Dean in the speech--though I wasn't listening that closely I guess.

[paulk]

36. from Kerry's speech last night -

"Let me also congratulate Howard Dean. Today, we are reminded again of the unprecedented contribution he has made to this party and this country by bringing so many into the political process."

[CWebster]

33. Kerry is in the habit of ignoring

the common people and their represntitives.

[Dhalgren]

35. That does seem to be a habit, doesn't it?

.

[John_H]

37. Kucinich is still running against him. You don't mention your opponents.

[salin]

41. no kidding... folks would be all over him if he said this - as it would

imply concession in the race by Kucinich...

[Mattforclark]

38. Why does your thread ignore Sharpton?