Kucinich Kucinich
Dennis Kucinich has been appearing at every opportunity someplace or other amongst gatherings of Seattle’s committed liberals. The outspoken congressman sees the Seattle’s northside district as a great landing place for an Ohioan whose own seat is being lost to redistricting.
Incumbent Democratic Congressman Jay Inslee, from Washington State’s 1st Congressional District, is well liked and surrenders solid Democratic footing in that district were he to run for Governor, according to this latest KING5 News poll conducted by SurveyUSA. …
Given the choice between having a representative in Congress who shares one’s values or who has roots in the community, shared values is 3:1 preferred to roots. Yet at the time time, voters by 6:1 tell SurveyUSA that Kucinich would do a worse job representing them in Congress than someone who has lived in the District longer, indicative of the headwinds that an outsider, transplanted into the District for the purpose of running, would encounter.
Kucinich seems to utterly misunderstand Seattle and especially Inslee’s District. I an era or irrationalist Republicans, Jay Inslee .. and the Obama party, are very popular in middle class, technocratic Washington. The 1st is more independent than knee jerk Democratic or hard core liberal. Kucinich’s favorability among Democrats is positive … barely, at 32/31. It’s a laughable 17/53 among independents, and 12/47 among self-described moderates. He also starts off severely negative on entrenched support/opposition at 15/38 regardless of opponent. Only 31% of self-professed liberals would vote for Kucinich above all other candidates; 57% want to shop around a while.
If the Ohio carpetbagger were to run, I am certain he would lose in a Democratic primary … BUT. 
WASHINGTON is a “top two” state. This means Kucinich could split the vote, leaving the top two runoff to two Republicans. Worse, if he got to the top two, the image of Dennis as a UFO supporter would do him in and could hurt the entire Democratic ticket.
The right would anoint Kucinich’s kooky “Department of Peace” and support for a precipitous, damn it all removal of troops from Iraq and Afghanistan aren’t going to win him votes. Moreover, as Obama’s amazing foreign policy in Libya bears fruit (see coverage in The-AVE’s Breaking News) , the popularity of the Dennis would not improve.
The saddest thing about all this is that Inslee’s district has some truly great indigenous candidates … Roger Goodman has already announced and appeared last week at a our Drinking Liberally. While Goodman is a very polished politician, I am more impressed with Marko Liias, a 29 year old state representative who has shown great skill and intelligence. Liass, at his young age, would not only keep Inslee’s seat in the Democratic column, he would build the seniority that is needed for real clout in Congress.
Dennis, if he really wants to live here, should talk McDermott into retiring! The problem I would have with that, is that Seattle .. like Inslee’s District, has some terrific candidates who would make great Congresspeople .. Ron Sims, Ed Murray, Reuven Carlyle, Mayor Nickles …. we are blessed with a LOT of talent that should and could replace the aged McDermott.
So, I think Dennis should move here, retire from Congress, and work to elect a new generation of effect, Northwest progressives from our own ranks! We could use his voice!
Your column with its rumor-mongering photos showing Dennis and Elizabeth as “Carpetbaggers” and Dennis as a person who is not to be taken seriously is terribly disrespectful and evidence of your IGNORANCE of the man, his values, or his motives.
Mr. Goodman is from Rhode Island. So it’s worse to come from Ohio and have an admirable record as a Progressive in Congress than to move here from RI and run for Congress?
Marko is a smart, ambitious first-term member of the State Leg., doing a fine job there, so I hope that he will continue to support Progressive legislation in WA State.
This Fox-like blog site is based upon prejudice, rumor, and photo-shopped photos that are very mean-spirited. I do not trust the “Survey USA” poll and wish that you would reveal their connections and supporters.
Shame on you for demeaning such a fabulous candidate!
Steve,
You have provided some food for thought. However, there is one access that Congressman Kucinich brings to the table that Washington Representative lack. A spine!
You clearly know and can understand what Kucinich positions are on each and every issue. Right now if you contacted any of Washington States Congressman or Senators, you will be hard pressed to get a straight answer on any position from Healthcare, Social Security, any of the three wars we are in… We know generally on how they will vote, but they are always triangulating on their position. None of them are out front leading on any position or issue.
If I call any of their offices just to get them to co-sponsors, a progressive issue they hem and haul right up until the vote. Keeping it a secret from their constituents as to exactly where they stand. Not wanting to piss off any of their corporate donors…
We are in a war right now with the Republican ideology. The American Dream of a middleclass life will be a thing of the pass if we don’t stand up now. Someone has to be willing to lead in these matters. Isn’t that the reason why we have elected them…? To lead not to follow…
Kucinich bring change and leadership to a rudderless state. I may not agree with all of his positions, but I think many Washingtonians and America citizens can get behind most of his position and leadership.
At least you know what you are getting.
Unless you are amongst the minority who were born here, Mr. Goodman is no more “from Rhode Island” than any of the rest of us immigrants from Minnesota,m Maryland, Maine, or Montana.
As for the comparisons to Fox, PUHLEEEZZZZ. Dennis is what he is and cartoons or mashups are certainly fair game. If you think TA is Fox like, you ought to read more here.
As for whether Dennis should run in the 1st, the answer ought to be NO!
Even if I were a fan of his (and that I am NOT), noone who is opposed to Boeing is going to win in Everett. As for my real views of DK .. and his ilk, you might read my reply to Billy.
I am afraid we disagree on what Kucinich stands for. But even more important I do not trust him, If Kucinich were sincerely interested in leadership, he certainly could move here and find a lot of folks who would listen to an follow him. He could achieve a lot more that way than by carpet bagging his way back into Congress.
Kucinich reminds me of the young Jesse Jackson … as compared to Hosea Williams and others who were less caught up in their own glory than in actually achieving things.It is very easy to be a showboat, it is a lot harder to slog through the battles.
Showboats risk very little. What of himself does Kucinich risk when he takes automatic progressive stands? When has Kucinich actually gotten anything done?
How do you know he is any more sincere in his views than Backmann is in hers? Malcom X, John Edwards, Benyamin Netanyahu, Glen Beck, Jane Fonda … all of these strike me as people committed to stardom.
Back at Kucinich, what good is it for him to support “progressive causes” if BY HIS ACTIONS he turns the 1st over to a Reprican or .. worse … undermines Inslee’s campaign against McKenna? Why would anyone who truly believed in the causes Kucinich espouses, take that risk?
As for his “progressive stands” … his stands may get your blood flowing but that is what Michelle Bachmann does for the Teabaggers.. The color of Kucinsh’s talk may be blue, the temper is wildly irrational. Here are a few specifics:
1. wars. There is a need for voices like Kucinich to drive the progress, but I am gratefull that a far wiser man is MY president. … we are on track to wind down Iraq, in Afghanistan/Pakistan Obama has quietly in two years pretty much destroyed el Qaeda as a threat . In Libya, the sands are running faster and faster, soon Gaddafi will be out .. all at a minimal cost to us. If all of this is not progress, what is it?
2. the economy … yes it is lousy and the Repricans arfe playing a VERY dirty game. BUT standing up for the New Deal and for Unions is NOT the same thing as arguing for magical solutions to all our problems. I WOULD vote for Bernie Sanders because he advocates well thought out ideas. Kucinich has yet to say anything constructive.
3. healthcare … if had to pick two libruls who do the most to derail any chance we have at healthcare reform it would be Jim and Dennis. Neither seems to have read anything about the real issues of cost containment that ANY health care solution must address. I would put their joint impact on policy closer to that of Glen Beck than to Ted Kennedy.
4. The Press … Where the hell is Kucinich on the NUMBER one opportunity we have NOW to get Fox? He is strangley quiet. I wonder is Kucinich may .. like Fox itself .. live of a tabloid approach to politics?
BTW …
I do object to your misuse of the word “ignorance.” Here is an offer .. if you think I am ignorant, then teach me! Show me facts that I have mis-stated or not known.
Otherwise, I hold up my virtual mirror to your ignorance.
As a resident of the 1st district I would prefer a democrat with a spine (Kucinich) over any one involved in the de-funding of education in Olympia by so-called democrats. The carpetbagger thing didn’t work on Inslee who moved from Yakima, just ask former 1st Dist.Rep. Rick White(R). While it may have been a swing district in the distant past it went 62% for Obama in 2008.
Does it take a spine to speak out when you are at no risk?
Ai Weiwei has a spine. Barack Obama has a spine. Churchill, Gandhi .. they had lots of spine! Hell, Gaddafi has spine! Murdock too!
Speaking out for good things does not impress me when yopur speeches are at noi risk to you and you accomplish little other than fame.
Kucinich? What is he risking? What has he accomplished?
How many Boeing workers will vote for DK when they hear his stand in defense contractors?
What do you think Dennis feels about Bangor, Everett, and Whidby Island?
Do you think he will stand with Microsoft employees on the need for more visas for talented Indians?
What have you heard from Denis about Group Health? How about his support for the NIH?
Where does he stand on medicare paying for John Bastyr?
BTW .. Did you know that Jay Inslee is turning down highly lucrative lobbying jobs to run for Gov? That takes spine!