Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich Officially Endorses John Kerry
WASHINGTON (AP) - U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich ended his long-shot presidential bid on Thursday by officially endorsing John Kerry's campaign for the White House. At a Kerry campaign event in Detroit, Kucinich stressed the need for Democrats to unite together behind Kerry and vice presidential candidate John Edwards. He also appealed to supporters of independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader, who some worry could draw support away from Kerry. Kucinich waged his underfunded campaign for a year, speaking out against the Iraq war and free-trade agreements, and in support of universal health care and civil liberties. He won about 64 delegates, but his campaign never gained enough steam to be competitive. Kucinich is asking his delegates and volunteers to support Kerry.
Kucinich Plans Activities for Delegates at Convention
By MALIA RULON, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who collected few delegates in his campaign for president, plans workshops on how to find world peace and other alternative activities for delegates and supporters at the Democratic National Convention next week in Boston.
The Cleveland Democrat also will be given time to address delegates at the convention from the speaker's podium, said Allison Dobson, a spokeswoman from the Kerry-Edwards campaign. The exact time that he will speak wasn't immediately known.
"This is a chance for us to come together and reflect on the progress that we were able to make," Kucinich told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "We are also going to be speaking to the future of the Democratic Party. We are not going to take our eye off the fact that we have work to do in this election." Kucinich has conceded the primary contest to John Kerry but said he will remain in the race until the convention, at which time he will unite his supporters behind the senator from Massachusetts.
However, Kucinich offered no timetable for when he would release his delegates.
"The convention is going to be a great show of unity for the American people. Democrats are going to be united and we are going to win as the united Democratic Party," he said.
Kucinich delegates and more than 2,000 supporters are planning to converge on Boston for a week of events that begin Saturday with a forum called, "We all want peace, but how do we find it?"
From an outdoor "people's party" to forums featuring the Rev. Jesse Jackson and actor Sean Penn, rallies, street theater, marches, and a candlelight vigil, supporters are hoping to get their message heard and affect their party's agenda.
"While everybody's a Democrat that's going to be at the convention, some people have pet issues that are not unlike those of the overall Democratic party but are not being spoken to," said Ohio state Sen. C.J. Prentiss, a Cleveland Democrat and Kucinich delegate.
Kucinich's supporters want Democrats to endorse the withdrawal of troops from Iraq -- an issue that they were successful in getting inserted into the party's platform document -- universal health care, fair trade practices, and more civil liberties.
"We might be the smallest number of delegates there, but we are going to be the most significant," said Charlene Coats, a 33-year-old Cleveland poet.
Coats, one of at least 64 delegates who have pledged to support Kucinich as the party's nominee, said his supporters have an important role in the election by keeping some Democrats from straying and voting for other candidates such as independent Ralph Nader.
"We are the ones that are going to give them hope," she said. "We're going to unite the party to where it truly represents a voice of the people."
Herb Asher, an Ohio State University political science professor, said Kucinich could be an asset to Kerry in terms of winning votes from the party's most liberal members.
"If Nader tries to peel off the anti-war vote from Kerry, then perhaps Dennis Kucinich would be helpful in countering some of that," Asher said.
Beyond the convention, Kucinich says he's been asked to campaign for Democratic candidates across the country and also plans to campaign for the Kerry-Edwards ticket this fall, a prospect Dobson of the Kerry-Edwards campaign said would be welcomed.
(Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
If you're planning to attend the Democratic National Convention in Boston, there are plenty of hotels available to accommodate your stay. From luxurious options to budget-friendly choices, you'll find a variety of accommodations that suit your needs. Plan your visit to Boston and enjoy the convention while staying in comfort.