News, September 2007
|
|
Iowa Democratic leaders trying to "rig the game" by excluding Kucinich, Presidential candidate charges
ccun.org, September 17, 2007
DES MOINES, IA –
Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich said Iowa Democratic Party leaders and other groups aligned with the entrenched political power structure are "rigging the game in Iowa" by excluding him from two Presidential events this week.
"The whole purpose of the primary and caucus season is to provide voters with opportunities, not to enable a carnival of interest groups to subvert the process," Kucinich said. "When Party leaders and their allies pre-select which candidates they will allow the voters to hear, it's a disservice to the voters. Iowans deserve better than a rigged game."
Congressman Kucinich, (D-OH), was not invited to Sunday's Democratic Steak Fry in Indianola, nor to a Democratic Presidential Forum Thursday in Davenport. Representatives of both events have falsely claimed that Kucinich does not have a sufficiently "active organization" in Iowa.
However, statewide and national polls consistently show Kucinich running ahead of Senators Joe Biden and Christopher Dodd, who were invited to participate. A recent American Research Group poll in Iowa showed Kucinich getting 3% of the vote, ahead of Biden and Dodd, who were at the bottom with 1% each. In the Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll in Iowa two weeks ago, Kucinich and Biden were both at 2% and Dodd was at 1%.
In the most recent CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, Kucinich was at 3% nationally, Biden was at 2%, and Dodd was below 1%. Another national poll, Rasmussen Reports, showed Kucinich tied with New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson in fourth place, behind Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and former Senator John Edwards. Richardson was also invited to participate in the Iowa events. Kucinich also won a post-debate poll on ABC's website after the last Iowa debate.
"We're doing better than some of the establishment candidates, and we're moving up," Kucinich said. "Instead of spending millions of dollars on high-priced consultants, and slick advertising, we have a highly motivated grassroots organization."
He also questioned the decision by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Iowa Public Television to exclude him from Thursday's Democratic Presidential Forum, which will focus on the issues of health care and financial security.
"The Presidential debate on health care has been largely fake, with phony claims from candidates that they are providing ‘universal health care’ when, in fact, they are preserving the for-profit system of private insurance companies who make money not providing health care," Kucinich said.
"I am the only Presidential candidate to offer a true universal healthcare plan for America, HR676, Medicare for All. It is a comprehensive, not-for-profit, national health insurance plan, and everyone is covered," Kucinich said. "No premiums, no deductibles, no co-payments."
"How can AARP and Iowa Public Television claim they are committed to educating and informing the voters of Iowa on the Number One domestic issue in this campaign when they deny a voice to the only candidate who is leading the effort to bring real reform to the health care system by ending the control of for-profit insurance and pharmaceutical companies? Since the AARP's own insurance sales interests would be affected by HR 676, serious questions must be raised about their decision to deny me a place on the platform," Kucinich said.
In one highly publicized incident in July, unaware that their microphones were still on and the cameras were still rolling, Clinton and Edwards whispered to each other on stage about eliminating some candidates from future debates. "It is most interesting," Kucinich noted, "that a number of post-debate analyses determined that I performed better than all the other candidates (AFL-CIO, ABC, Howard University, Logo Forum). I can well understand why the other candidates do not want competition, but the credibility of the Democratic process is at risk if sponsoring organizations join in the subversion of that process."
"You would think that the Iowa Democratic Party leaders, fighting to preserve the state’s status as the first caucus state, would be a little more careful about giving other states the impression that they and they alone have the right to determine who the next President will be." Kucinich said.
# # #
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DENNIS KUCINICH TO SPEAK AT LARGEST LEBANESE AMERICAN FESTIVAL IN U.S.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
LOS ANGELES, CA -
Democratic Presidential candidate and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, who recently returned from a fact-finding and peace mission in Lebanon, will be a featured speaker today (Sunday) at the Lebanese American Festival in Griffith Park, Los Angeles.
The annual event brings together more than 10,000 Americans of Lebanese heritage for the largest festival of its kind in America. Los Angeles is the home of the largest Lebanese-American community in the United States.
Congressman Kucinich, who will address the crowd at about 3:30, was invited because of his passionate concern for a peaceful future for the Middle East. He was the only member of Congress who spoke against the bombing of Lebanon last year. After the conflict, he visited countries in the Middle East, including Lebanon, accompanied by his wife Elizabeth. They returned to Lebanon two weeks ago to meet with President Lahoud and Prime Minister Siniora and other government and religious leaders as well as citizens and residents of the country.
"I am honored to have been invited to address a group that is as deeply committed as I am to bringing about an equitable and peaceful resolution to the problems that have long plagued that troubled region of the world. I look forward to sharing my observations and my perspective to the thousands of attendees who have family members and friends who still live there," Kucinich said.
Other speakers will include state and local elected officials, including LA Mayor Antonio Villariagosa.
KUCINICH REJECTS WAR WITHOUT END
September 14, 2007
Hilo, HI - Presidential candidate Congressman Dennis Kucinich responded to tonight's speech by President Bush.
"Tonight, we were promised a war without end. It is now up to Congress to bring an end to the President's war", said Kucinich. "The Democrats have an obligation to the American people who voted for a new direction in Iraq. The Democratic-controlled Congress needs to take a stand against this President and say they will not give him any more money."
He continued, "The President's policies have failed and it is up to the Congress to take decisive action. I call on the Democratic leadership of the House and Senate to fulfill their promise to the people who elected them in 2006 to end the war and bring our troops home."
# # #
For further information, please contact: Sharon Manitta, (202) 506-6683, Sharon.manitta@kucinich.us
Contacts: Iowa: Marcus Rubenstein, (563) 580-5036, marcos@kucinich.us National HQ: Andy Juniewicz, (216) 409-8992, ajuniewicz@aol.com Washington, D.C.: Sharon Manitta, (202) 506-6683, Sharon.manitta@kucinich.us
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
||||||
