Dennis Kucinich to Drop ’08 Presidential Bid
EmailABC News’ Jennifer Duck Reports: Presidential dark horse Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, will announce at a news conference tomorrow in Cleveland that he is dropping out of the presidential race, ABC News has confirmed.
Since announcing his intention to seek the White House, Kucinich has trailed badly behind his Democratic rivals, raised little money, and was recently shut out of Democratic debates because of his long shot status.
Kucinich is expected to announce that he is foregoing his presidential aspirations to focus on his congressional seat, that may be in jeopardy.
"I want to continue to serve in Congress," Kucinich said, reports his hometown Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper which first reported Kucinich’s plans to drop out.
Kucinich, who made an unsuccessful bid for the White House in 2004, has run on his longtime opposition to the war in Iraq, and advocated the creation of a federal "Department of Peace."
He garnered some media attention during the campaign when he questioned President George W. Bush’s mental health and said he had seen a UFO.
"I did,”’ Kucinich said at a Democratic debate in 2007. "It’s unidentified. I saw something.”
In a discussion with editors of the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper, Kucinich suggested Bush’s comments about Iran and World War III suggest he needs "care."
"You cannot be a president of the United States who’s wanton in his expression of violence," Kucinich said. "There’s a lot of people who need care. He might be one of them. If there isn’t something wrong with him, then there’s something wrong with us. This, to me, is a very serious question."
News about the former Cleveland mayor’s candidacy was overshadowed by news about his much younger second-wife, Elizabeth Kucinich, who he married in August, 2005.
Elizabeth Kucinich, a native of England, is thirty years younger than her husband.
After losing badly in the New Hampshire primary, Kucinich demanded a recount because of electronic voting machine problems in the Myrtle Beach area. He spent $27,000, won a 40 percent recount, but it earned him all of 32 changed votes, with Sen. Barack Obama drawing 18 votes closer to Sen. Hillary Clinton, the N.H. primary winner.
At age 31, Kucinich was in the national spotlight in when he became "the Boy Mayor" of Cleveland and the youngest person ever elected to lead a major American city in 1977.
The former Cleveland mayor has been an Ohio congressman since 1997, but is facing challenges from local politicians who charge that Kucinich’s quest for the White House, and his failed effort to impeach Vice President Cheney have left the people of his district neglected.
In an "urgent personal appeal" Wednesday to his campaign supporters sent out by e-mail and released on YouTube, Kucinich said, "Right now I’m under attack by corporate interests, most of them from the city of Cleveland, who have an agenda that has nothing to do with the people of my community, nor with most people in this country."
"And so what I’m asking you to do is to help me stay in Congress, so that I can continue to represent the people of my community, the state of Ohio and the United States of America," he said.
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Who will he endorse???????????? And how did the NH recount go?
Posted by: ROB | January 24, 2008, 4:32 pm 4:32 pm
He told the Cleveland newspaper that he wasn’t endorsing anyone. However, he did tell his supporters in Iowa to vote Obama for second choice.
Posted by: Cat | January 24, 2008, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm
Thanks Dennis and know that the truth is what sets you far above most of the clowns in the republican party and a couple of the DEMS as well. The day is drawing near when truth rushes forth and you only have to see the MAINSCREAMS like abc who can not publish the story about BUSHCOS 935 lies to war because of the horror it represents. ABC’s handlers and most of the MAINSCREAMS will find themselves looking in from a distance someday and that day closes quickly. Doubt me on that MAINSCREAM pariahs…
Posted by: daddyblue | January 24, 2008, 4:56 pm 4:56 pm
This explains all that UFO action in Texas recently – they’ve come for one of their own.
Posted by: Chas | January 24, 2008, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm
just like richardson – you guys wrote more about him when he quit than you did the entire time he was on the campaign trail! shame on you! with an equal amount of coverage, someone other clinton or obama may get some followers!
Posted by: valerie | January 24, 2008, 7:21 pm 7:21 pm
Exactly–Now the media actually writes a story on Kucinich. Seems like the media picks our presidents by choosing which ones to cover. The whole thing is crooked, kind of like college football or Michael Vick or any of these other celebrity morons who get coverage only to keep our attention away from important things, like Iraq, the Health Care Crisis, or the fact they send our jobs overseas. Thanks media! Pretty soon we’ll all be in the gutter I’m afraid…
Posted by: Jim | January 24, 2008, 7:34 pm 7:34 pm
The American Public isn’t ready for change this election. They want a continuation of the status quo. The media bias helps make sure we stay on that path.
Posted by: steve | January 24, 2008, 7:41 pm 7:41 pm
If only Kucinich had gotten this kind of attention 6 months ago!!
And it’s “has run,” not “has ran.”
Posted by: Marie | January 24, 2008, 8:04 pm 8:04 pm
Dennis is really the candidate I want. But I know with no help from big business, he will have a snowball in hell’s chance to get through to the benighted American voters who do not really know their own self-interest.
If I was very rich, I would have helped him to win but with my puny resources, I have to settle for the lesser evil of the cooperation-supported candidate.
I wish Dennis and his gorgeous wife well because they are the real patriots of America.
Posted by: american | January 24, 2008, 8:28 pm 8:28 pm
Congressman Kucinich is an honest official. Rare in Washington D C. His District would be wise to re elect him. We need the truth to be told.
He won’t give in to corporate interests.
Posted by: ed | January 24, 2008, 8:37 pm 8:37 pm
Dennis is the best. It’s a real loss. The issues he brought up about many things are critical to our country including his Nevada lawsuit to be included in the debate. His no-nonsense style is so refreshing.
Posted by: voter | January 24, 2008, 8:47 pm 8:47 pm
Hi Kucinich supporters
I am so sorry to hear about Kucinich droping out…
Now as you all know Kucinich is Ron Pauls friend You all need to please conster Voting for Ron Paul…
Thanks
Lisa
Posted by: Lisa | January 24, 2008, 10:30 pm 10:30 pm
In an ideal world people vote for folks like Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich.
The saying went in congress that if you saw a bill that was 433-2, you knew that the two congressmen against the bill were Kucinich and Paul.
Its a shame that our rubber stamp congress votes for bills just because they’re scared a no vote might be used against them later in the election.
Lets hope in the next presidential election cycle the democrats will be confident enough to put Kucinich as top billing rather than a CFR globalist like Hillary or Obama.
Posted by: Rick Cain | January 25, 2008, 12:53 am 12:53 am
THIS GREAT MAN HAD THEE BEST HEALTHCARE PLAN EVER THOUGHT UP (& HE WAS THE ONE WHO THOUGHT IT UP, AND IN DETAIL)…WHEREAS, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO UNETHICAL PROFITS MADE, THEREFORE, NOT ONLY HELPING EVERYONE HAVE ACCESS TO DECENT HEALTHCARE, BUT ALSO HELPING OUR ECONOMY EXPONENTIALLY (SINCE, WHEN MORE PEOPLE ARE HEALTHIER, MORE PEOPLE WILL GO TO WORK, & WORK MORE)!!!!! ALSO, HE WAS NEVER FOR BIG GOVERNMENT (AS MOST PEOPLE ASSUMED), HE WAS FOR A MORE EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT!!!!! ANOTHER THING, FOR THOSE WHO ALWAYS “DISSED” HIM FOR HAVING SEEN A UFO…(MY SIMPLE RECOMMENDATION), TRY KEEPING UP W/SCIENTIFIC NEWS, BECAUSE SCIENTISTS HAVE RECENTLY DISCOVERED ANOTHER SOLAR SYSTEM, VERY SIMILAR TO OURS, WHEREAS THEY BELIEVE, ONE OF THOSE PLANETS MAY HAVE LIFE, NOT TO MENTION, THEY ALSO BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE MOONS OF SATURN MAY ALSO HAVE LIFE…IN FACT, THESE SCIENTISTS ADDED THAT, W/THE EMERGENCE OF NEWER TECHNOLOGY, THEY ARE SURE OF FINDING LIFE ELSEWHERE!!!!!!! LASTLY, HOW ARROGANT (NOT TO MENTION, IGNORANT) YOU ARE, TO THINK THAT WE ARE DEFINITELY THE ONLY FORM OF LIFE IN THIS WHOLE UNIVERSE!!!!!!!! LASTLY, DENNIS ADMITTING THIS, WAS JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF HIS HONESTY AND HIS COURAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: endcorruptionNOW | January 25, 2008, 1:47 am 1:47 am
endcorruptionNOW: DITTO!!! This election is SUCCESSFULLY BEING MANIPULATED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: GULLIBLEvotersRUINEDit4allOFus | January 25, 2008, 2:29 am 2:29 am
Dennis had my vote all the way. He was a good candidate with ideas that were really going the right direction.
The way he was pushed aside by the media was reprehensible and has really caused me to lose serious faith in the efficacy of our democracy. We are in a poor state.
I really wish Dennis well and I’m keeping his bumperstickers on my cars out of principle.
Dear media, screw you.
Posted by: John Guelcher | January 25, 2008, 3:10 am 3:10 am
Even RON PAUL does NOT GIVE A DAMN about healthcare for the MIDDLECLASS, so STOP COMPARING HIM TO DENNIS KUCINICH! DENNIS WAS AND WILL ALWAYS BE THE BEST MAN WHO EVER RAN FOR PRESIDENT! PLEASE, DENNIS, RUN AGAIN IN 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: politicsage | January 25, 2008, 8:57 am 8:57 am
“endcorruption”‘s posts ARE RIGHT ON!!!! PLEASE TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT THOSE POSTS ARE SAYING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: krubino | January 25, 2008, 9:02 am 9:02 am
In addition to everything stated above, DENNIS was THE ONLY ONE who answered EACH & EVERY question on “10questions” (a website organized to have WE, THE PEOPLE ask OUR OWN, UNBIASED questions to ALL OF THE CANDIDATES)…& HE was ALSO, THE ONLY ONE who answered them by the FIRST DEADLINE AND IN FULL DETAIL!!! THIS MAN WAS THE REAL DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Euberdude | January 25, 2008, 9:10 am 9:10 am
HOW CAN THIS COUNTRY ALLOW THIS MAN TO PULL OUT OF THIS CRUCIAL RACE????????????????????????????????????
Posted by: jcamron | January 25, 2008, 9:19 am 9:19 am
As a Democrat from Ohio (and formerly Cleveland) I’ve followed Kucinich for years. He’s a joke. He panders to every consituency he thinks will give him a vote, and some fall for it because he tells them what they want to hear whetehr it’s rational or not. The main reason he’s dropping out of the race is because he is about ready to lose his House seat back home in Cleveland. The voters are all over him there about neglecting his U.S. Rep. duties to them and making a mockery of himself, Cleveland and Ohio in yet another miserably failed attempt to run for President (seen any UFOs lately?). He needs to retire from politics for good and it sounds like his constituents may just well put him in retirement. But maybe, he’ll just get beamed up!
Posted by: JerryinOhio | January 25, 2008, 9:40 am 9:40 am
I AGREE 100% with EVERY one of these Kucinich advocate’s comments here!!!!! IF NOTHING ELSE, THIS SHOULD BE RECORDED IN HISTORY, AS THEE BIGGEST SCAM ON THE AMERICAN PEOPLE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: krubino | January 25, 2008, 9:42 am 9:42 am
Kim . . yes, I sure am from Ohio . . born, raised and lived here my entire life. In fact, I was just in Cleveland last weekend and the natives are restless about Dennis up there as are the rest of us in Ohio. He never should have gotten elected to the House anyway. Actually, one of the reasons he got elected in 1996 was because, guess who, HILLARY CLINTON came to town and he slithered around next to her because he realized she could do him some good. And guess how I know . . because I was there and have the photos to prove it. And, he ran against some really weak Republican who made a sexual remark about a local TV reporter during a debate that basically lost him the race. . big win for Dennis on the issues! NOT! Oh, and don’t forget he was the boy mayor who helped put Cleveland into financial default back in the 1980s. Typical Dennis . . it’s always all about his ego . . that’s why it took so long for him to give up his failed Presidential bid even though he never had any chance of winning . . he had to feed his ego. Bubye Dennis!
P.S. I think your word “imbecel” is correctly spelled “imbecile.” Don’t you have spellcheck?
Posted by: JerryinOhio | January 25, 2008, 10:57 am 10:57 am
Let me get this straight…
Soros pays for a study that lists how many times Bush said something about Iraq that turned out to be wrong (never mind that Bill and Hillary said the same thing at least half as many times!)
Then Kucinich, on the basis of this “evidence”, goes to the House floor and calls for Bush’s IMPEACHMENT?
I’ll vote for Kucinich as soon as he shows me one of his little green!
Posted by: cwflink | January 25, 2008, 4:40 pm 4:40 pm
Dennis was/is a threat to the military-industrial organizations and the media that they are part owners in. Dear young lady, Dennis saved the people of Cleveland millions of dollars by his actions of keeping the utilities public, again looking out for the working stiff and not controlled by money and power. It is a real threat to all of us that our democratic republic is controlled and we are given the illusion that we have a choice.
Posted by: truthseeker | January 30, 2008, 5:10 am 5:10 am