Why are you not voting for Dennis Kucinich?

[antiimperialist]

Poll question: Why are you not voting for Dennis Kucinich?

Question to Democratic primary voters:

Why are you not voting for Dennis Kucinich?

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. But I am voting for him

Maybe that should be an option?

[antiimperialist]

2. Fine. I just included it n/t

[proud2BlibKansan]

6. And look at the results!

:)

[eleny]

11. Thanks!!!

[chemp]

3. He's the weakest in beating back the GOP

I love the man, but he cannot shake the "he's a kook" label.

[antiimperialist]

4. Yes, but would he be the weakest if he won the primaries

hypothetical match-up polls don't take that scenario into consideration.
They are based on what people know about Dennis Kucinich as we speak: nothing

[Occam Bandage]

18. It's not just matchups. Those that *do* know DK overwhelmingly do not like him.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/favorables/election_2008_democratic_candidates_running_in_2008_presidential_election

[bean fidhleir]

22. That looks like a rightwing site, to me. Small wonder they don't like him (nt)

[Occam Bandage]

27. Rasmussen's numbers aren't significantly different from Gallup's. nt

[bean fidhleir]

56. And Gallup is infamous for their rightwing bias (nt)

[ray of light]

5. this election year, being the antithesis to Bush and the Rethugs should make him THE MOST ELECTIBLE.

Even with the media lies, and a kook label, he's at least something we haven't seen in DC in years--an HONEST kook, and one who does the morally right thing! UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE and IMPEACHMENT.

Two reasons why he's closer to getting my vote than any of the top three contenders.

[msongs]

7. ok but does he go around quoting scriptures (selectively chosen ones only) like obama/huckabee? nt

[ray of light]

8. Given his policies he could.

"Thou Shalt Not Lie"

"Thou Shalt not steal"

"Thou shall love your neighbor as yourself"

Feed the poor..

[Occam Bandage]

17. Should, but doesn't. He has the worst personal numbers of any candidate from either party.

He has the worst net favorability and the worst net vote for/against figures.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/favorables/election_2008_democratic_candidates_running_in_2008_presidential_election

[liberalnurse]

9. He lacks negotiation skills.

He is just like *bush but on the left. It's always his way or nothing, feeling righteous on his point of view...

[Whisp]

13. what a crock...

that's all.

[liberalnurse]

20. What convinced me of this...

was when the House voted to bring home the troops. He would not vote for the systematic withdrawal which would at least bring some home...No, it was all or nothing....so no one is saved.

Just think, if a firefighter could not save the entire family in an inferno, would he let them all die? No, you save who you can.

Dennis is always this way....No balance, great ideals but he has tall walls.

[gateley]

23. That's my concern - he's inflexible because of his convictions. The SCHIP

bill is another example. We need to be realistic and understand that we need compromise to accomplish anything in Washington.

[Tesha]

36. Just like the current crop of Democrats, ehh?

> We need to be realistic and understand that we need
> compromise to accomplish anything in Washington.

Just like the current crop of Democrats, ehh? Yeah,
they're compromising like crazy and just accomplishing
things like gang-busters. Of course, the things they're
accomplishing are all coming from Bush's agenda and not
ours, but who cares, ehh?

Tesha

[Telly Savalas]

45. The current Congressional Democrats aren't comprising either.

They're simply letting Bush and the GOP walk all over them.

Compromise is a matter of give and take. Kucinich is unwilling to give. The rest of Congress is unwilling to take. An effective leader would achieve results by standing somewhere in the large middle ground between these two extremes.

[gateley]

66. A question was posed and I responded honestly. The question wasn't about

what the current Dems are and aren't doing -- I expressed a sincere concern regarding Dennis.

And I DO care, Tesha.

[penguin7]

54. This was a funding bill

Dennis Kucinich voted against every funding bill which is the only consistent position with getting the USA out of Iraq.

[Warpy]

10. I still don't trust him on choice

even though his awakening that pushing his own religion off on unwilling people is not the best policy seems to have occurred some time in 2002.

[PeaceNikki]

51. I share this fear.

And I agree with the points upthread about his lack of ability to negotiate.

[1corona4u]

12. Other.

[TreasonousBastard]

14. He's OK on the issues, but has no ability to do anything...

about them.

There's just no point in wasting time voting for him-- energy is better spent trying to influence other candidates that have at least one foot in reality.

[Occam Bandage]

15. Two reasons.

1. While I love his positions on the issues, I do not believe he would be capable of implementing them once elected.

2. I think he would get demolished in the General.

[cali]

16. None of the above. I may vote for him

It depends on how he's doing by the time my primary arrives. If enough people have voted for, I'll add my vote- to send a message to the Dem party, that this is not a fringe view on the issues. And I do think he's the best on the issues, but I don't think he'd be an effective president. What Washington did to Jimmy Carter, it'd do exponentially to Dennis.

[Hippo_Tron]

19. Issues aren't everything

[Telly Savalas]

46. Yup. If issues were everything, I'd just write myself in.

[Hippo_Tron]

53. Well I would too except that I don't want the job and am not old enough

Can I write you in?

[cboy4]

21. Voted for choice #2, although that's not written in stone.

I just feel Edwards will probably need the vote more than DK heading into my state's (CA) primary.

And since I don't care for Hillary or Obama . . . gotta take care of Edwards.

[EstimatedProphet]

24. Here's why:

Because the fact that he's developed a brainwashed personality cult who thinks he is the Savior of Humanity scares the fuck out of me. I honestly think that if Kucinich gets elected, his followers will try to set up concentration camps for all the people that voted for someone else.

I think this option needs to be put into the poll.

[Kucinich4America]

26. That would never happen.

For one thing, you would need a huge no-bid contract with Halliburton to build such camps, and Dennis would never do business with them. :)

[EstimatedProphet]

30. Good point.

[ronnykmarshall]

32. Snap!

[Occam Bandage]

28. I assume you're being satirical. That's ridiculous.

[EstimatedProphet]

29. Only slightly

This poll is an example. It assumes that Kucinich is supposed to be the nominee, and if he isn't it's because people didn't fulfill their duty in supporting him. I see that a lot here.

[PeaceNikki]

64. Seconded

:thumbsup:

[MonkeyFunk]

25. Same reason you're not voting for my candidate...

I don't think he's the best candidate.

[MadBadger]

31. I think hes too much like a pacifist.

[LWolf]

63. Good reason to give him a vote. n/t

[Kolesar]

33. Based on his accomplishments in Ohio...eom

[MethuenProgressive]

34. I decided to back a different candidate who has a snowball's chance in Hell.

My snowball's much larger than your snowball.

[MGKrebs]

35. If we were voting only for issue statements, I might vote for him.

But we're not.
For whatever reason, he hasn't shown any aptitude for many of the other qualities this process tells us about candidates: Organizational ability, message delivery, media relations, coalition building, and maybe stamina, willpower, and trust (measured by fundraising ability).

[Tesha]

37. Here in the Tesha family, two New Hampshire primary voters would very much like to vote for Kucinich

Here in the Tesha family, two New Hampshire primary voters
would very much like to vote for Kucinich, but we want to
stop Hillary Clinton even more because we're reasonably
certain that she'll blow the General Election *BIG TIME*
and even if she is elected, she'll be bad for the country
and very bad for progressives.

And so, if Edwards is running close to the front, we'll
vote for Edwards rather than Kucinich.

Sorry.

Tesha

[Zorra]

38. Because I does supports corporate run governments.

And Kucinich would change that.
:D

[Yukari Yakumo]

39. Easy

Because he would be a certifiable disaster. GE and the WH.

See also Post #9 and it's child posts.

He's a LW ideologue. He would be a Dem version of the Chimp except worse, the party is not lock-step unlike the Repugs, who ethnically cleansed their party of anyone who opposes the neo-con-artist doctrine. Nothing would ever get done because Kuch would never be satisfied with anything that arrives at his desk.

[slick8790]

40. Other: He'd be a terrible executive.

He lacks the ability to negotiate. With his "my way or the highway" approach, nothing will ever get done, and he'll do irreparable damage to the democratic party's reputation.

[bobbolink]

41. Because he dropped poverty as a priority. EDWARDS speaks for me now!

[Fried Bread]

42. You left out the real choice: because he has zero chance of winning.

[no name no slogan]

47. Then you must've voted for Reagan in '84 then, too

because Mondale had a snowball's chance in hell of winning.

[Fried Bread]

52. No, I vote for the nominee.

Nobody was beating Reagan in '84. The proper anology would be, say, voting for Mondale in the primaries instead of Gary Hart (who was seen as a more formidable general election opponent). Even still, both of the aforementioned candidates would fair better than Mr. Kucinich in any general election.

[bigwillq]

43. I am voting for him (nt)

[windoe]

44. I am voting with my conscience

and for Kucinich. He would steer the ship away from the precipice.
Edwards is a close 2nd. They would make an awesome team.

[NorthCarolina]

48. Being a Progressive

I could not possibly vote for any of the Republican-Lite, neocon elbow rubbing candidates that the DNC has put up and the controlled media pushes on us on a daily basis. My vote is going to Kucinich....period

[Yukari Yakumo]

55. Really?

[NorthCarolina]

58. Yep

REALLY...

I listen to, and read what he has to say, and I look at his voting record and all these things tell me the kind of man Kucinich is, and better yet what type of chief executive he would be. Thats the type of President I want, so yes REALLY, my vote is going to Kucinich....period.

[Skittles]

49. I voted for him last time, will vote for him again

I refused to vote for anyone who supported IWR - they make me sick. And Obama - he is OK but he just does not impress me.

[no name no slogan]

50. I knew there was a reason I liked you Skittles

:hug:

Worked my ass off for him in '04 (and my state went 13% for him, too), and planning on caucusing for him in '08.

[flvegan]

68. Me too.

[robcon]

57. None of those responses. Dennis is just naive.

Please read the Dept of Peace proposal on his site.

Kucinich would be eaten alive by leaders who do not act in good faith... in other words every other leader in the world.

I think he would be dangerous to have as president. He's the only Democrat I would not vote for.

[Armstead]

59. Because I want to see a stronger message sent by numbers

Dennis is great, and he represents me on the issues very closely.

But, alas, in terms of presidential candidates he's destined to be an also-ran on the farm team. He doesn;t have the personal traits to be a viable presidential candidate. And he would probably also be a failure as president, because of his lack of flexibility. (Many great people don't have those traits.)

Given that, I'd rather see progressives unite behind Edwards, whose message on economic justice and Corporate Power is closeest to DK's unabashed progressive populism.

if Edwards gets better numbers, it would bloster his chances of actually winning. And if not, having a larger number of progressive/liberal votes consoilidated for him would give greater clout, credibility and visibility to the basic message.

[skipos]

60. He wouldn't be a good President, imo.

Being good on the issues isn't everything.

[penguin7]

61. DKs deep understanding of the issues, his intelligence and wit

are apparently a liability.

[ecstatic]

62. Any friend of Ron Paul is an enemy of mine nt

[Marrah_G]

65. Because I do not think he would make a good president

(Then there is the added annoyance of his followers posting blatant push polls.......)

[2rth2pwr]

67. He can stand outside the fence and yell

but I don't want him anywhere near the real decision making.