Kucinich endorsed Edwards in Iowa back in 2004. What changed DK to Obama?

[RiverStone]

From 2004:

DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) -- Democratic presidential candidates John Edwards and Dennis Kucinich have struck a deal to support each other should one candidate fail to draw the minimum support needed to compete in Monday night's Iowa caucuses, Edwards campaign sources said.

The decision could give Edwards, a U.S. senator from North Carolina, a boost in the convoluted caucuses, the first major Democratic contest of the election year. An Iowa poll published over the weekend shows Edwards is in a tight race with the four front-runners. The same poll has Kucinich, an Ohio congressman, drawing the support of just 3 percent of likely caucus-goers.

"Both of us believe in a lot of the same things, and we like each other very much," Edwards said. "But both of us also recognize at the end of the day, caucus-goers will have to make their own decisions about this."

<snip>

Edwards and Kucinich have become friends during the campaign, sources in both campaigns said.

The deal was finalized Sunday, and Edwards and Kucinich spoke to each other about the arrangement several days ago, Edwards campaign sources said.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/01/19/elec04.prez.edwards.kucinich/index.html

From 2008:

SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- The Des Moines Register's Iowa Poll released late Monday shows Rep. Dennis Kucinich with the support of 1 percent of Democrats likely to attend Thursday's presidential caucuses.

So, it is not a huge victory for Sen. Barack Obama to receive the support of Kucinich in precincts where the Ohio congressman is not viable. Still, going into a close election, one never knows.

Kucinich said Tuesday that he would like his supporters to back Obama in places where they are not in large enough numbers to be viable. (Iowa Democratic Party rules require that a candidate receive support from 15 percent of caucus participants -- sometimes more -- to be deemed viable.)

“I hope Iowans will caucus for me as their first choice," Kucinich said in a statement. "But in those caucus locations where my support doesn't reach the necessary threshold, I strongly encourage all of my supporters to make Barack Obama their second choice. Sen. Obama and I have one thing in common: Change.”

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/news/politics/blog/2008/01/kucinich_obama_is_my_second_ch.html

On Edit: Subject changed to reflect a question

[snowbear]

1. Barack wasn't running at that time?

...

[adnelson60087]

2. He sees Edwards as the only real threat

to his acclaimed Progressiveness, or perhaps a stealer of his thunder. Either way, its sour grapes for DK. He lost my wife tonight because of this....

[maximusveritas]

3. He didn't endorse him. They just struck a deal to trade supporters

in order to help them both out.

It's unclear what deal was struck in this case if any, but Obama has not said he will send any supporters to Kucinich.

[RiverStone]

5. If not endorse - then support, assist, work together...

Whatever.

DK's intent as advertised was at least to denote a favorite, and at that time it was clearly JE. I'd assume if not a literal endorsement, then it was a symbolic one.

JE seems far more aligned with DK's anti-corporate views. With Obama pandering to the evangelicals, I'm quite surprise DK would lean Obama's way in 08 (or anybody at all so early).

At least he did not offer up Hillary as his number 2 choice!

[snowbear]

11. Here's the thing though...

He only allowed his supporters to shift over to Edwards (and this time to Obama) for the sake of that particular caucus.

It does show that he personally finds qualities he agrees with with Senator Obama.


Not really sure what his thought process is. but Kooch is ok in my book And he certainly knows the ropes!


Remember last time ... Kooch stayed active in the race right up till the convention!
~~ BTW ~ Good updates/info on this ons's convention in Denver - this is a great site:
They are still sighing up volunteers if you know anyone interested and has the time next Novemner.

Congressman Kooch will likely be there! === http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/

I sure wish we could all go !!!!!

Anyone interested in volunteering, or just find out general info... it's a great source!

[emilyg]

13. How can this help Kuch?

[Adelante]

20. It would depend on what the trade is

It certainly not the same deal as with Edwards. This is more of a single state endorsement than a horse trade to get delegates as it was with Edwards.

Perhaps Obama will endorse Kucinich in his House run? I don't know, but that might be a reasonable guess. Obama is backing Dennis's right to attend the New Hampshire debate, so that could be it. Obama might be more open to Dennis's health care plan than we know (I can dream).

That's how I see possible benefit to Dennis.

But.

I disagree with all of this crap about how Edwards is so God awful progressive and how could Dennis possibly betray his principles by giving support to Obama. It may be that Dennis actually believes Obama over Edwards. It may be that Dennis's experience in Congress has been more agreeable or productive than his experience in Congress was with Edwards. He may have trusted the centrist Edwards as at least sincere and disbelieves the "progressive" Edwards. It could be something that simple.

[TeamJordan23]

4. Obama, like Dennis, opposed the war from the start. nm

[cali]

8. Oh, c'mon. that's not it.

last time around Dennis supported Edwards who was gung ho on the war, over Dean who'd been opposed to the war from the start.

[cali]

6. It's amusing watching the Edwards supporters

feeling spurned by Dennis. I felt the same way in 2004 when he supported gung ho war supporter Edwards over anti-war Dean. Dennis is a politician. He's playing politics- just as he did four years ago.

[The Traveler]

9. I don't feel spurned by Dennis

Let's get one thing straight. In my view, Dennis. Kucinich. Is. The. Best. Man. Running. Period. :)

If the country were smarter, this would be a less controversial statement. So I have to go with a guy who has an outside chance of winning, and who is at least talking about the things I think are important. And that guy right now is Edwards.

I respect Dennis, but I think for myself ... and that is all Kooch really wants from any of us.

On edit: The use of the term "guy" in its contextual use as the generic person seems especially inappropriate given the candidacy of Ms. Clinton. I do not support Ms. Clinton, for reasons I consider valid. However, should she win the nomination I will indeed vote for her. We could do a lot worse than Hillary Clinton. We could do a lot worse than Obama. Actually, once again, we have a really superior field of candidates ... I just think Kucinich is way out in front on the issues that matter. Edwards comes in a middlin' close second.

[liberalnurse]

17. I never forgot their back room deal either.....

I was in Iowa then, working with the Dean Campaign in Des Moines, "The Perfect Storm". From that day on, each time I would see Kucinich or Edwards and Kerry for that matter, the reality of their deeds would briskly kick me back into reality. A very hard lesson was learned from that experience.

[karynnj]

26. Aren't you making too much of this?

The percent of people Kuchinich had would not even have moved Dean to second. I read on another thread that it gave Edwards an increase of 3%, which sounds high. Assuming this is correct and people moved blindly as commanded, it would then be Kerry 38%, Edwards 29%, Dean 21% - the main thing it does is make the Kerry win look bigger from (38,32, 18).

[Truth2Tell]

7. It's a strange thing.

And my guess is that it involves some sense that edwards betrayed him in some way or another. I'm not sure what the exact issue is but I suspect this is personal, and not about policy (how could it be :shrug:)

[sandnsea]

10. Kucinich as attack dog in NH debates n/t

[JDPriestly]

12. Edwards wasn't interested in making the deal because

it didn't help him that much in 2004. Besides, Edwards is running a different kind of campaign. He learned in 2004 that the most important thing is to be honest and be yourself. That means you have to be very careful about entering into "deals" that involve trading endorsements or other favors with other candidates.

I know a lot of Kucinich supporters, and they are very independent. They think for themselves. They will decide on who their second choice is for themselves. I doubt that very many Kucinich supporters are going to go to Obama beause Kucinich tells them to.

[Clark2008]

21. He learned to be honest?

:rofl:

If he was honest, he would be running as the conservative Southern Democrat he was for the entire time he was in the Senate.

[karynnj]

25. Many have claimed it gave him an extra 3%

He had 32%, so that would have made him 29% if he lost all of it. That looks far less than Kerry's 38%, assuming Kerry would get no Kuchinich people. It's still second as Dean was 18%. Also, if offered, it would give Edwards credibility as nti-war. I bet he would have lobbied hard for it.

[Yukari Yakumo]

14. Because, in this go around, there is some serious bad blood between JE and DK

Jul 13, 2007 12:35 pm US/Pacific

Kucinich Slams Dem. Rival Edwards On 'Integrity'

NEW YORK (CBS News) ― An angry Dennis Kucinich lashed out at John Edwards on Friday, saying his Democratic rival showed "a consistent lack of integrity" by suggesting fewer candidates should participate in presidential forums and then trying to explain his remark to reporters.

"This is a serious matter, and I'm calling him on it," Kucinich, an Ohio congressman, said in a telephone interview Friday. "Whispering, trying to rig an election, then denying what's going on and making excuses. It all reflects a consistent lack of integrity."

Kucinich's comments came after Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton were overheard Thursday discussing the possibility of limiting the number of participants in future presidential forums.

Sauce: http://cbs5.com/politics/Dennis.Kucinich.john.2.286490.html

[Diane R]

15. Great find. I think you nailed it, and it confirms my suspicion that Edwards is as fake as I've read

[Eurobabe]

16. Could have been that little tet-a-tet with HRC after CNN debate

about eliminating certain candidates? Gotta wonder, that was a tacky exchange, and it might come to fruition in NH on 1/5, ABC & WMUR are trying to winnow candidates of thier own accord. Democracy, pfffffft. Who needs THAT?

Or part of a bigger strategy to foil HRC from getting the mo from Iowa. :shrug:

[zalinda]

18. Yes, there is bad blood

but I'm not sure what the conversation was about, only that parts were over heard. I know Edwards wanted more debates. Maybe he wanted to split the number of candidates up so that every one would get a better chance to be heard. As it was in the debates, only 30 second sound bites were really allowed. Was it fair to all candidates, hell no. And if you check, Edwards was getting less time than Obama or Clinton, so he wasn't pleased with the set up.

Kucinich never had a chance, and he knows it. He got 1% of the vote in Iowa in 2004. What is he polling at now? He is coming off as a joke. People know him and people are rejecting him, and he's pissed. Edwards is clearly "taking" his people from him, and he doesn't like it one bit. His ego is getting in the way of making things better for Americans, he has become one of the establishment.

zalinda

[RiverStone]

19. He has partly bought into the establishment...

His recent vote for the "endorsement of Christmas" was very disappointing and quite establishment-like.

DK will always hold my admiration for his vocal and consistent anti-Iraq war and pro-impeachment positions. DK has a viable and important role in our party; but he needs to give it up on the pres thing.

The harder he tries to grab that brass ring, the more establishment he becomes. Simply based on positions alone (and in particular those JE has taken against corporate greed) - I can't fathom why DK would lean to Obama unless it's some kind of personal thing.

Maybe that simple?

[Adelante]

22. Kucinich was standing directly behind Edwards's shoulder

He heard exactly what was said. There is a photograph someplace. If Kucinich felt betrayed in what he overheard with his own ears, then that sense of betrayal by Edwards is justified.

Kucinich is no joke. Not to me and not to his devoted supporters. But I do think you have a point in that Dennis can't have been pleased so much of his traditional support has fallen off for Edwards this time.

I found the pic:

[zalinda]

24. Have you ever heard part of a conversation

and taken it the wrong way? I have and I'm sure many here on this board have. We don't know what the conversation was about, or the entire context of the conversation. Did Kucinich hear everything? Maybe not, maybe he did, I don't know. But, he seems to hold a grudge which doesn't bode well for a President.

zalinda

[ecstatic]

23. I really liked Edwards back then too. Things change nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

27. He thinks that Obama is going to win Iowa and wants to claim a part of the victory

Otherwise he would leave Iowa with zero delegates and nothing to brag about.