Giving to Kucinich What Is Kucinich's

There is no doubt that if you are looking for the "peace candidate", you can look no further than Dennis Kucinich. He has been the proverbial canary in the coal mine about war and defense spending since he has been in Congress.

In the CR Gazette, it was reported that "Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, criticized fellow Democratic presidential candidates today for waging a "fake debate" over the war in Iraq, saying they are masking their support for the war.

"You cannot claim you are for peace and vote to fund the war," Kucinich told The Associated Press. "It's totally contradictory."

Kucinich was at the Iowa Statehouse where he met with House and Senate Democrats. He conceded his long-shot status but said public anger about the war in Iraq could work to his advantage."I'm certainly a long shot in this race and I understand that," he said. "I'm in a singular position. All these other Democrats have voted to keep the war going." "

As for me, the war is not the only "singular position" that I will base a vote on. We need to deal with improved foreign relations, poverty issues, health care (and, again DK should be commended for promoting uiniversal health care), education, and the very precarious state of the global environment. I happen to think John Edwards can do a better job pushing this agenda. Others will disagree, of course.

We may be able to do without Dennis Kucinich as our president, but we owe him a debt of gratitude for his continual courage and integrity in helping the mainstream to embrace ending the war and universal health care. We would actually be doing the country a disservice if people ignored Dennis Kucinich as he campaigns--he has an important voice and even more important ideas.