Why Kucinich won the debate last night

[Horse with no Name]

In a little more than FIVE minutes of speaking time, Dennis was able to lay out CLEAR positions on FIVE issues.
Name ONE other candidate who was able to do that in the short period of time he was given.

1. SCOTUS
2. Choice
3. The war
4. Impeachment
5. Healthcare

[graywarrior]

1. In addition to that, he looked pissed off indicating how the rest of us feel.

[Whisp]

3. exactly.

He is genuinely pissed off like most of us Should be but still takes flack from people here for that. good grief if there is anything to be angry about it's this foul rotten system but yet you shouldn't get 'emotional' over it. The other candidates get ticked and angry when their personal turf is threatened, but that's okay. Just don't get too miffed at The Game tho...

[graywarrior]

5. The other candidates "act" pissed. Dennis "is" pissed.

I'm in a rage myself after driving home from an $8 an hour P/T job and seeing gas prices at $3.33 per gallon.

[cooolandrew]

14. Very true, they don't like folks spoiling the illusion but illusion is decpetion.

[Cleita]

2. Yet, all anybody can talk about is that he said immigrants

should be given driver's licenses and that there was no such thing as illegal people, two positions that I agree with incidentally, but yet even so called liberals are saying they are changing their votes because of his stand on this issue.

[Whisp]

6. and meanwhile, Bush's license to kill is still valid...

and stamped approvingly and updated by Pelosi and company. go figure what's important, cuz I can't anymore.

[BornagainDUer]

29. That's a real good counterpoint.

:thumbsup:

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

4. He challenged the other candidates on those issues. THAT'S what made him a 'winner'.

The audience LOVED his strong stands in each of those areas you highlighted.

[DutchLiberal]

7. Even though I didn't watch it, I can say he won because he said: "Impeach them!"

Not just "impeach Cheney", but "impeach them".

[obnoxiousdrunk]

8. Dennis is the

real populist unlike the wannabees.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

9. Couldn't have said it better! n/t

[caseycoon]

10. Dennis is THE ONE folks! n/t

[cooolandrew]

11. DK 08 "I don't need to talk as long as the rest of the andidates I just need to be right"

[mmonk]

12. He wins the debate everytime.

Only perception says otherwise. He is 100% right on the issues and does not lie and does not triangulate. He is the best candidate on a truthful basis and thus has the right character and judgement across the board IMO. I know there are some that will disagree because of their ideology, particularly economic, but the honesty and never having to change or explain his position on a vote for something bad like the Iraq war puts him ahead of others on these points.

[Basileus Basileon]

13. That's a meaningless criterion. "In the short period of time he was given?"

Nobody else was given such a short period of time. Also, impeachment is not an issue for the President in 2008 to consider, as it will become moot the instant they take office.

[Horse with no Name]

15. Okay...if you are bent on semantics

substitute "immigration" for "impeachment" and he STILL delived FIVE CLEAR ANSWERS.
And I totally disagree.
If Bill Clinton had not put Iran Contra to rest, we wouldn't be going through this period right now. The President CAN assure that the people's house is cleaned and EVERY ONE of the candidates should make that promise to the American people.

By Kooch's standards, Hillary should have been able to present TWENTY clear answers, however, she did not present ONE.

[Basileus Basileon]

16. Investigations of the previous admin's wrongdoing are not

impeachment. Those are different issues. Chanting "impeach them now" is not making a promise to demand and comply with investigations. It's grandstanding.

[mvd]

18. He didn't exactly have long to explain

So a chant sufficed IMO.

[Basileus Basileon]

19. "I promise to investigate fully

all the crimes of the Bush administration" takes less time than chanting, and makes you look like a candidate and not a protester.

[mvd]

20. The chant is still fine with me - it has more punch

I'm not sure what we can say to convince each other. This speaks to the differences bewtween a fan of Kucinich and a non-fan.

[mmonk]

21. How is it grandstanding? He introduced articles of impeachment.

Grandstanding is saying we have more important things to do or issues.

[Basileus Basileon]

22. "Grandstanding is saying we have more important things to do or issues."

Um, no. Grandstanding is when one shows off for applause, and not to get anything done. Saying there are more important things to do is the exact opposite of grandstanding; it's a refusal to pander to the base. The impeachment articles were grandstanding; he knew they weren't going to pass, and he knew that even if they did they'd get shot down in the Senate. He also knew that once they were introduced, anything but a conviction would be a loss for the Democrats. He didn't care; he wanted to hear the netroots cheer (and maybe get a few donations too). And his chanting last night was the most pathetic grandstanding I've seen this campaign.

He's playing you. He's a candidate like any other. I don't know why everyone thinks the guy who panders to them is the only honest one. :shrug:

[mmonk]

24. Sorry, I didn't realize following constitutional remedy for malfeasance

in office concerning high crimes and misdemeanors is pandering to the base. Are you saying he really doesn't believe impeachment is the correct action to take?

[Basileus Basileon]

25. I'm sure he thinks impeachment would be good.

He also knows that conviction is an impossibility given the makeup of the Senate. His introduction of articles of impeachment was nothing but pandering to the small group of Democrats who believe that a quixotic fight, resounding loss, and moral victory are better than a legislative fight, compromise and victory in passing favorable legislation.

[mmonk]

27. I'm afraid many are being conned by the party's turn to the DLC

for strategy and that that strategy is the position that is self-serving, not Dennis's position and the subsequent isolation for not playing ball.

[mvd]

26. I'm sure he would support strong hearings. If he doesn't,

then THAT would be pandering, though in a better way than many candidates do.

[Whisp]

28. the only honest one because his record is quite clean

compared to the other mostly Dishonest ones doing the real pandering to corporates interests above citisen interests.
why does a 'populist' strike such fear into the corporatists hearts?
it's really quite amusing, knowing the answer and hearing the likes of arguments like you have. quite amusing and transparent as well.

[mvd]

23. Right on

:thumbsup:

[mvd]

17. True, but..

this President has a little over a year left in office, so he mentions it to show how he has strong principles. IMO, Dennis makes more of his little amount of time than the frontrunners do in theirs - proportionally speaking.

[Fovea]

30. Now let's get the media to listen and stop acting like they

did with the swift boat crap barrage.

Faux snooze already has the mouth breather market locked. So why does CNN etc even compete with them?

You want to bring some viewers back to tv news?
Try acting like Bernie Shaw is your anchor, not Bill ORely.
And send Glen Beck back to whatever alligator wrestling contest he was MCing before you gave him a job.

[HughMoran]

31. I like Dennis the best of them all

I appreciate your attempt to boost him up, too bad you can't get a larger audience to pay attention to the facts. Unfortunately for Dennis, personality, appearances and perceived strentgh trump being right on the issues in this country.

[Solar_Power]

32. Unfortunately, he'll never win the nomination

He can't compete with Corporate Hillary