In Defense of Dennis Kucinich

Disclaimer: In 2004, Dennis Kucinich made a campaign stop in Iowa City before any other candidate for the presidency. Both myself and my wife went to meet him. We appreciated what he had to say, particularly regarding the war. Ultimately, we did not support him, and supported Howard Dean instead.

However, fast forward to this past week, when to my amazement while watching the Democratic debate, Tim Russert choose that venue to intentionally diminish Kucinich's candidacy by stating "The godmother of your daughter, Shirley MacLaine, writes in her new book that you've sighted a UFO over her home in Washington state. That you found the encounter extremely moving, that it was a triangular craft silent and hovering, that you felt a connection to your heart and heard direction in your mind. Now, did you see a UFO?"

I did not hear him ask Hillary Clinton if she had ever seen the ghost of Elvis. I did not hear him ask Barack Obama if he had ever seen a ghost of Abraham Lincoln. I did not hear him ask Bill Richardson as Governor of New Mexico, if he had seen a space alien in Area 51. Nor did I hear him ask Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, or John Edwards if they had ever had been to a palm reader, participated in a seance, or practiced Voodoo.

Russert's question struck me as lazy journalism on a number of fronts. One, what does it have to do with Kucinich's ability to serve as president--as Russert mentioned at least 14% of the US public has sighted an Unidentified Flying Object, (as well as apparently 3 million Canadians and more from a collection of historic polling)? Was it germane in the context of other questions that were asked of other candidates? Was it fair to ask the question only to Kucinich?