Cedar Rapids, Iowa- U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich opened a long-shot bid for the White House yesterday by altering one of his long-standing positions, promising Iowa Democrats he would be “pro-choice” on the question of abortion.
Kucinich, starting his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination in a state that will host the first major contest of the 2004 presidential race, said in answer to a question that “as president, I would protect that right [to abortion], and I would also make sure that appointees to the Supreme Court protected that right.”
In Congress, Kucinich, who represents Cleveland’s West Side and western suburbs, has generally voted against abortion rights and has consistently opposed federal funding of abortion for poor women, a record he acknowledged at a later stop in Iowa City.
What a surprise, another Democrat with presidential aspirations changes his stance on abortion. That is really going against the current and doing something that has never been done before. He is really separating himself from the pack of pro-aborts running for president.
What caused this epiphany that abortion isn’t murder? As always we get no explanation for this so-called change of heart. Just the usual hiding behind the word choice. This is just like Al Gore who said he was pro-life until he had aspirations for the Senate. I just find it hard to believe that anyone who was truly pro-life could change their mind so conveniently.
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I think it’s possible that someone truly pro-life could “convert” to pro-abortion thinking if he was intellectually ill-informed about the foundations for his pro-life belief. If he had only a vague idea of what happens in abortions; if he accepted a pro-life position because it was “the way he was raised”; etc, etc. Sounds an awful lot why someone who is Catholic can give it up for a more convenient or popular religious affiliation.
The Worst Mayors (1820-1993)
Next, and seventh, is Cleveland’s Dennis Kucinich (1977-79). Only thirty-one years old when elected, Cleveland’s “boy” mayor had failings that were not the sins of venality or graft for personal gain, but rather matters of style, temperament, and bad judgment in office. Kucinich earned seventh place the hard way: by his abrasive, intemperate, and confrontational populist political style, which led to a disorderly and chaotic administration. He barely survived a recall vote just ten months into office, then disappeared for five weeks, reportedly recuperating from an ulcer. When he got back into the political fray, his demagogic rhetoric and slash-and-burn political style got him into serious trouble when he stubbornly refused to compromise and led Cleveland into financial default in late 1978�the first major city to default since the Great Depression. That led also to Kucinich’s defeat and exit from executive office. Out of office, he dabbled in a Hollywoodesque spirit world and once believed he had met actress Shirley MacLaine in a previous life, seemingly confirming his critics’ charges that he was a “nut-cake.” After that, he experienced downward mobility, losing races for several other offices and finally ending up with a council seat; but more recently, he climbed back up to a seat in Congress. Bad judgment, demagoguery, and default also spelled political failure in the eyes of twenty-five of our experts, who ranked Dennis, whom the press called “the Menace,” as seventh-worst.
The American Mayor
The Best & The Worst Big-City Leaders
By Melvin G. Holli
The Pennsylvania State University Press
Excuse me, but Dennis Kucinich as a presidential hopeful? How outrageous a notion. This is the man, the mayor, who brought Cleveland to its knees financially. Under his “leadership,” the city went into default. We were broke by the time George Voinovich took over.
Voinovich brought the city back by working with corporate CEOs and visionaries in a consortium that helped bring renewed vibrancy to the city in terms of companies investing in real-estate development and manufacturing, revitalizing downtown after years of decline under Kucinich.
I can’t believe Kucinich’s constituents have been so gullible as to elect him for four terms as a congressman. What has he done for them – in Congress or as mayor?
Think back. The city had no money. Standard & Poors downgraded Cleveland’s bond rating during Kucinich’s outgoing year.
This man is to be considered to lead our great country? Get a grip, all you blue-collar workers and voters who cling to the hope that Kucinich is the answer. Forget it. He doesn’t know how to lead or to bolster an economy.
Laura Carrabine
Cleveland, Ohio
http://WWW.KUCINICH.COM
http://WWW.KUCINICH.COM