Congressman Dennis Kucinich has been throwing a hissy fit lately over a plot by the major Democratic candidates to exclude the lesser-knowns and vanity aspirants (that would be Denny) from debates. What Kucinich fans around the country (all four of them) don’t know is that the Creepy Elf routinely employs the same tactic back home.
Here in Cleveland, Denny has become almost famous for his unimaginative ways of bailing on debates. Sometimes he just doesn’t show. Sometimes he calls at the final hour with scheduling conflicts. And sometimes his opponents, fed up with Kucinich hiding from his constituents, take the debate directly to Denny, whether he wants it or not [“Congressman Candy Ass,” April 19, 2006].
Now Rosemary Palmer, Kucinich’s latest opponent in the West Side congressional district, is delivering Denny some of his own medicine. She’s challenged Kucinich to a series of five debates. The congressman will have to dig deep into his bag of excuses to figure out how to avoid more accusations of hypocrisy on this one. An excerpt from Palmer’s press release today:
Rosemary Palmer, candidate for the Democratic nomination for the 10th Congressional District of Ohio, today issued a challenge to her opponent, six-term incumbent Dennis Kucinich. At a press conference held this morning in downtown Cleveland, Ms. Palmer challenged Mr. Kucinich to a series of five debates. Palmer proposed to focus each debate on a particular issue area including economic development and foreign policy. “I have formally submitted this challenge to Mr. Kucinich’s office. I eagerly await his response, and frankly expect him, as a democratically elected official, to accept the challenge and appreciate the opportunity to address the people he claims to represent,” Palmer said.
Palmer criticized Congressman Kucinich for being largely absent while his district continues to endure troubling economic and social difficulty. She cited the incumbent Congressman’s recent trip to Disney World that coincided with the release of a US Census Bureau report which once again ranked the City of Cleveland as among the poorest cities in America. “While he goes to Disney World and wishes upon a star to be president, the needs of his district go unattended. The poverty report is just one example,” Palmer said.
Kucinich, no stranger to debate challenges, has issued a number of statements lamenting his exclusion from the limelight of the presidential campaign. Following reports that his presidential primary opponents were conspiring to limit his exposure at debate appearances, Mr. Kucinich was quoted as saying “Imperial candidates are as repugnant to the American people and to our democracy as an imperial president.” In light of her newly issued challenge, Palmer countered, “Now that this challenge has been issued, we shall soon know if we have an imperial and repugnant Congressman.”
— Pete Kotz
This article appears in Sep 5-11, 2007.
someone has more interest in trying to make a fool out of a great man, than the issues he’s fighting for. petty.
THIS IS JUVENILE:
“Congressman Dennis Kucinich has been throwing a hissy fit lately over a plot by the major Democratic candidates to exclude the lesser-knowns and vanity aspirants (that would be Denny) from debates.”
IT IS ALSO “LOW” AND “STUPID.”
“What Kucinich fans around the country (all four of them) don’t know is that the Creepy Elf routinely employs the same tactic back home.”
CONSIDER TAKING UP SOME OTHER LINE OF WORK. YOU ARE NOT CUT OUT FOR “JOURNALISM.”
Looks like two of the four responded to the article. Hey, everybody know that Kucinich just met with the Syrian president? The Syrians also launhced missles at an Israeli plane today. THe Syrians support terrorist organizations and are allied with Iran. Denny won’t go to Iraq because he says the war there is illegal. Isn’t also illegal to call for the destruction of a nation because it populated by Jews? He won’t support our troops but he’ll shake hands with a nation that helped assasinate a moderate Lebanese leader a few years back. By thte way Syria also supports Hezbollah. I think that means Denny must too.
Well, here’s the third. I imagine both Pete and Ed will be throwing their support behind Rosemary. Or could it be that they’re just right-wing fools trying to play with the big boys?
You jerks rip on Kucinich because you fear every righteous ideal he stands for: A Department of Peace, Full Withdrawal of US Troops from Iraq, Universal Healthcare, Ending the mindless “War on Drugs”, A Works Green Program, etc. Instead of being so cynical of the man, why not save your crappy writings so that your moron audience can maybe read something worth while. You reactionaries sicken me. When you have no teeth, colonary cancer, and 2 trillion dollars invested in Iraq, then you’ll wish you had Kucinich as president.
And here comes number four.
1. It’s Kucinich supporters, not the Congressman himself “throwing hissy fits”. And we’re justified. Here- I’ll make it easier for you and your readers to get up to speed; http://mediabloodhound.typepad.com/weblog/2007/08/special-report.html
2. Where is your proof that Dennis Kucinich is using campaign money for his Middle East trips?
Dennis drives an efficient car, lives modestly in a real Cleveland neighborhood, and can surely afford such a trip on his Congressman’s salary.
3. If I am to understand the gist of your post, you are attempting to reveal to Dennis’ non-local supporters something that you and Rosemary Palmer and her out of district minion$ I mean supporters, via a press release from just ONE day ago, have spinningly and speculatingly and rhetorically transmuted into Dennis’ confirmed refusal to debate. Geeeezz… it’s been ONE DAY. Ya think you could wait more than 24 hours before you start speaking for Dennis?
If there’s one thing Cleveland’s “journalsists” all seem to do well (or at least INCESSANTLY), it’s to speak about Dennis Kucinich with a gross and grandiose authority. Snidely, you all write as though you’ve “got his number”.
But I think you’ve got your numbers mixed up. Unless… Do you REALLY think Dennis Kucinich has more than 67% of the city swindled?? Sheesh. Since the lot of you seem to feel you’re already full of all of the answers and impressions about Dennis Kucinich your readers (and to Rosemary: your potential voters) need, why on earth would you even require him to show up to a debate?
What a farce.
Re:Ed
Israel- an aggressive nuclear armed state that is capable (and has threatened, on numerous occasions) of wiping out all its enemies/neighbors at will, and recently invaded the sovereign state of Lebanon for the 2nd time, flies some of its fighters into Syrian territory and drops some cargo over Syrian land…therefor the Syrians are evil and Dennis is bad for speaking to them? Syria, Iran and Lebanon have been the victims of unwarranted aggression by the US and Israel for years. The USA invades and destroys Iran’s neighbors, “shocks and awes” them to hell, creating 1.5 million refugees, killing over 70,000 civilians, torturing and imprisoning untold more, systematically terrorizing the population and virtually destroying an entire state…and its the Syrians we’re worried about? I guess so, considering it is the man who runs for strength through peace that is the evil genocidal terrorist. I suppose Hillary “All Options Are On the Table” Clinton is infinitely preferable.
Kucinich 08
the only sane choice
Thank god for Dennis Kucinich and his sanity and common sense.
I suppose there are more than “just four” supporters of Dennis. I happened upon here while writing a paper about the guy for political science. Can you say you’ll beat his record of missing just 4% of his votes since 1997 (301 out of 6774)? Do you have a plan for the country that won’t make the children of the future have to pay for our blunders? Are you sure that when it comes to making a hard choice you’ll be able to put what you say into action? Why not try looking at how he took on Cleveland’s banks in 1978, lost the re-election afterwards, and still not only came back but also became a hero for saving the people of the city more than $195 million?
Then you tell me if you think Kucinich is so bad. I dare you.