Friday's BLoTics post focused on a website designed to help you find the perfect candidate for your own set of beliefs. Curious, I took the test myself with the hunch that John Edwards would be my best match given how often I find myself agreeing with his "Two Americas" platform.
That intuition was apparently misguided. Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, a man whose platform I've admired but whose personality I have found difficult to like at times, was the clear representative of my values, topping Edwards, Hillary Clinton and (surprisingly) Tom Tancredo by four points each.
This result both surprised and convinced me to take a closer look at Congressman Kucinich, a fellow rust-belt and on-Lake Erie citizen (he was born in and was mayor of Cleveland). Kucinich fortified his primary candidacy during the CNN/YouTube debate when he landed the first real applause of the night introducing his “Strength through Peace” doctrine (click below to view).
Kucinich, joined on the Democratic side by former Alaskan Senator Mike Gravel as having originally opposed the Iraqi invasion with a congressional vote to match, finds himself in a rare position of power compared to the front running trio of Clinton/Edwards/Barack Obama. As he did during the debate, Kucinich should continue to remind Americans of that point if only to force Clinton and Obama to clarify what their idea of “phased redeployment” in Iraq really is.
Further wooing me in his direction, Kucinich maintains very clear positions on almost every topic from the mainstream (universal health care) to the extreme (impeaching George W. Bush and Dick Cheney). Dennis Kucinich could hardly be accused of flip-flopping.
Do I think Dennis Kucinich will be the Democratic candidate in November 2008? Realistically, no. But his clear cut stances on the hot button issues should force his fellow Democrats to similarly illuminate their own positions in an attempt to avoid the embarrassment that John Kerry endured in 2004.
If you’re curious about Congressman Kucinich, I urge you to check out his MySpace site and his Congreesional homepage. I’d love to hear your opinion so drop us an email here at BLoTics at BLoTicsBlog@gmail.com.
2 comments:
I guess the short guy with the big ears is in agreement with more people than I thought! I wish elections banned the physical image of the candidates and people were to base their decisions ONLY on policy. I am sick of people like George Bush getting elected because they look cool, "like you could sit and have a beer with them." I don't want a drinking buddy as president anymore!!!
Hi....hope you are still considering Dennis Kucinich. I just noticed this post while researching on google.
Check out my blog(www.brightvote.blogspot.com)as I am wondering who else out there in the Buffalo community is like-minded on this issue.
Hopefully, this will find you. I see you have not been posting much on the blog. I know how that goes.
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