The Love Song of Dennis J. Kucinich

December 5, 2007 1:57 PM

Their days are filled with these sorts of moments, as when they go out for Chinese food and the fortune in Dennis's cookie tells him he has "integrity and consistency." ("Isn't that amazing?" Elizabeth says.) And then they turn the fortune over, and Dennis's Chinese word is "hat," and amazingly, Elizabeth just bought a hat before lunch.

The Love Song of Dennis J. Kucinich
posted by Kattullus (79 comments total)

Awww, it's like Gollum married Arwen.
posted by Justinian at 2:06 PM on December 5, 2007 [11 favorites]

He's been married three times? And he married his current wife, of 30, after knowing her a total of 4 months?

If this is Dennis "Love Song", it's the radio edit.
posted by Pastabagel at 2:09 PM on December 5, 2007

Well, I guess you could say that he dared to eat a peach after all.
posted by whir at 2:10 PM on December 5, 2007 [2 favorites]

Thirty-year differences can work - my mother-in-law is a good example. [NOT A MOTHER IN LAW JOKE]

My father in law looks less like a minor Benny Hill character, though.
posted by athenian at 2:11 PM on December 5, 2007

God. One of my BIGGEST pet peeves is the writer Libby Copeland. Do a post search for her articles and you'll read the most vapid, useless collection of pieces ever.

And I'm not the only one to feel this way! In D.C. someone has gone around tagging the ground with the phrase: "What does Libby Copeland Believe"

See this "Rising Star's" wikipedia page...

barf....
posted by stratastar at 2:14 PM on December 5, 2007

"I responded, 'Now you know why I think I can be president?' " Dennis says. "If I can marry this incredibly brilliant, beautiful woman, I mean, why wouldn't I think I can be president of the United States?"

Ok, that explains everything. Dennis Kucinich is a 13 year old boy.
posted by psmealey at 2:15 PM on December 5, 2007 [3 favorites]

Daily Show: Is America Ready for a FLILF?
posted by DaShiv at 2:25 PM on December 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

Eh, I like this story. It appeals to my sensibilities as a superstitious hack journalist.
posted by limeonaire at 2:25 PM on December 5, 2007

Daily Show: Is America Ready for a FLILF?

They should speak for themselves... Barbara Bush was H-O-T hawt... in a Civil War Era ironclad kinda way.
posted by psmealey at 2:31 PM on December 5, 2007

Well, I guess you could say that he dared to eat a peach after all.

A well placed "out" would have earned you a favorite.
posted by Falconetti at 2:40 PM on December 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

I thought that was pretty goddamn sweet.
posted by billysumday at 2:41 PM on December 5, 2007

me too, billysumday. left me downright misty-eyed, even (but then, i'm just a 13-year old boy at heart--well, probably closer to a 4- or 5-year old actually).

politics notwithstanding, i think all the knee-jerk kuninich-haterz are just jealous. and jaded.
posted by saulgoodman at 2:46 PM on December 5, 2007 [2 favorites]

Meh. I used to think "Kucinich, kinda creepy but decent politics". Then he said he'd consider Ron Paul as veep, and now I think "Kucinich, kinda creepy and batshit insane to boot".
posted by sotonohito at 2:53 PM on December 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

Gross.
posted by k8t at 2:57 PM on December 5, 2007

making important decisions based on whether or not a person seems creepy or makes you feel icky doesn't seem like the best approach to decision-making to me. but what do i know. the article mentions kucinich had gastrointestinal problems throughout his life--and you know who else had gastrointestinal problems throughout his life, so--ha, ha!

i could care less about kucinich the politician now that i know about kucinich, the happiest man on earth.

IMO, the world needs at least a few people that happy and unclouded by the glib cynicism that's eating our society apart from the inside. glad to know there's at least one unrepentant idealist left in the world, a sort of anti-Putin to bring some balance to things. ironic that someone forced to shine shoes to make ends meet as a kid was able to maintain such a sense of hopeful optimism when so many people from more privileged backgrounds sink down into base cynicism for no apparent reason at all. but then i guess pettiness has always been a luxury of the well-situated.
posted by saulgoodman at 3:07 PM on December 5, 2007 [22 favorites]

the Kuciniches do have different tastes in music. "He really likes polka," she says

I love that man more and more with each article I read about him.
posted by Item at 3:16 PM on December 5, 2007

He's crazy. She's crazy. But they're so cute together. It's nice to read a Potential First Spouse love story that doesn't sound like campaign boilerplate.
posted by dw at 3:22 PM on December 5, 2007

Why is idealism so frowned upon in politics? I'll admit Kucinich comes across a little 'weird' sometimes, but his heart is in the right place and I would take a short guy who believes in universal human value ANYDAY over a cowboy that doesn't appear to blink an eye in the face of hubris-incited tragedy. He *GASP!* even seems human.

Things do not need to always be as they have been.
posted by rooftop secrets at 3:24 PM on December 5, 2007 [2 favorites]

She has a tongue piercing. When asked if she would remove it in the event that she became first lady, Kucinich replied that she considered it too much a part of her to do so.


hubba.
posted by mds35 at 3:39 PM on December 5, 2007

you know, a race between michelle obama, bill clinton, elizabeth edwards, elizabeth kucinich, etc., would be much tougher for me to decide than the actual race. that's really not right.

"I responded, 'Now you know why I think I can be president?' " Dennis says. "If I can marry this incredibly brilliant, beautiful woman, I mean, why wouldn't I think I can be president of the United States?"

does nothing satisfy you, sir?
posted by spiderwire at 3:54 PM on December 5, 2007 [2 favorites]

This is mostly a poorly-written, superficial fluff piece.

Less than four months later, they were married. He is 61. She is 30. He is short, at 5-7, and she is -- wow, she just keeps on going. And they are happy, so happy, that to see them together holding hands, grinning wildly, is to understand why they talk as if the universe has a plan for them.

*eyeroll*
posted by cmgonzalez at 3:54 PM on December 5, 2007

I'd like to see more politicians with love stories like that. A guy like that has everything and can't be bought. Okay, he's a dreamer and maybe not up for the fights at that level, but you know he believes in what he's saying rather than in the profit behind saying it.
posted by notashroom at 3:55 PM on December 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

rooftop secrets: Why is idealism so frowned upon in politics?

'Idealism in politics?' No. This sort of ooey-gooey, lovey-dovey, fruitcake-tinged mushfest is frowned upon in general. Now, kattullus, I do believe you owe me a towel to wipe all this vomit up.

DaShiv: Daily Show: Is America Ready for a FLILF?

Well, I'm not going to click that, as if the title is correct it's sexist trash, but it's one more reason not to watch such empty and useless television shows as The Daily Show.
posted by koeselitz at 3:59 PM on December 5, 2007

saulgoodman Creepy counts for a lot, but you seemed to overlook the main objection: Kucinich, a *Democrat*, said he thought Ron Paul a nutbag *Republican* would be a good vice president.

rooftop secrets Re: Idealism: see above. He can be as idealistic as he wants, but seriously suggesting Ron Paul as his running mate isn't idealistic, its fucking stupid.

I mean, it isn't even as if he suggested taking a sane Republican as a running mate, he specifically mentioned Ron "batshit insane" Paul.

Before you go off on the "creepy" and "icky" comments, you might want to consider addressing the fact that Kucinich has some truly massive political problems.
posted by sotonohito at 3:59 PM on December 5, 2007

Towel, koeselitz, towel? You don't have one?!

Douglas Adams is crying in heaven.
posted by Kattullus at 4:12 PM on December 5, 2007

koeselitz and sotonohito -- I may not have made myself clear, but in my comment I was referring to the idealism of his policies, not of his relationship. However, I don't mind him loving his wife either, although it seems to bother you all.
posted by rooftop secrets at 4:15 PM on December 5, 2007

What's not to like? Kucinich is the most choice candidate of all the candidates. I picked him early on, and I'm more glad and more glad with every passing day. I like him because he is formidably substantive as well as stylishly human. All I wanted was a candidate for whom I could vote, and about who in doing so I could feel good.

Best Kucinich-related moment I'm had this year? Wearing my new KUCINICH for President t-shirt at this year's International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight. At one point, astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria was standing talking with Elon Musk (as well as a number of other astronauts, including Dan Barry) when I came around the corner.

And upon reading my t-shirt, he noticeably glitched for a micro-second, thereby attracting the entire group's attention to the message I sported. It was one of the high points moments of the event for me.

[Incidentally, from the podium at the introductory track, Michael had commented earlier about being able to tell the difference between "Old Space" (NASA) and "New Space" (Virgin Galactic; SpaceX) because Old Space wore ties, and New Space wore t-shirts.

Ceremoniously, he then removed his tie.]
posted by humannaire at 4:22 PM on December 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

Here's the thing... she's definitely an attractive girl. But what makes her more attractive and noticable to people is the visible contrast. She appears to be in a genuinely happy relationship with someone who, to most people's first glance, seems totally unworthy of her. His age and unattractiveness should've kept him from having any chance with her. But since they didn't, it appears there's some kind of unseen magic going on between them that somehow ups her beauty value. Standing next to him, she almost glows like an angel.

I'm just thinking the perception of her beauty would be way different if she was dating Brody Jenner or Colin Farrell or something. But YMMV.
posted by miss lynnster at 4:24 PM on December 5, 2007

sotonohito writes "I mean, it isn't even as if he suggested taking a sane Republican as a running mate, he specifically mentioned Ron 'batshit insane' Paul."

As always with you, this is really about Ron Paul. Don't worry - he's not gonna win.
posted by krinklyfig at 4:28 PM on December 5, 2007

saulgoodman: IMO, the world needs at least a few people that happy and unclouded by the glib cynicism that's eating our society apart from the inside. glad to know there's at least one unrepentant idealist left in the world, a sort of anti-Putin to bring some balance to things. ironic that someone forced to shine shoes to make ends meet as a kid was able to maintain such a sense of hopeful optimism when so many people from more privileged backgrounds sink down into base cynicism for no apparent reason at all. but then i guess pettiness has always been a luxury of the well-situated.

rooftop secrets: koeselitz and sotonohito -- I may not have made myself clear, but in my comment I was referring to the idealism of his policies, not of his relationship. However, I don't mind him loving his wife either, although it seems to bother you all.

Look, friends. Idealism is cheap. Very, very cheap. I'm all for believing in things, and I think it's great that you do. But this article pissed me off because of the apparent lack of a critical or rational eye to keep it in check, not because I hate happiness.

And he wants to gush to me about the stars being in alignment? Great. I'm glad he believes in it. But as somebody who's less that half his age, and who's been in my current relationship a good year longer than this twice-divorced 'idealist' who happened to take on a wife between campaigns, I can tell you: love isn't about this gooeyness, and neither is marriage. He can call me in ten years when he's made this one work.

I used to live in Santa Fe, too, and I know how nice it is to ignore the world and turn off reality. But true spirituality takes discipline, not foofiness and a whiff of fruitcake. I was drawn to Kucinich after that UFO thing, and I might still vote for him, but I won't pretend it's because I admire him as a person.
posted by koeselitz at 4:34 PM on December 5, 2007

Also, yes, whoever wrote this article is distinctly awful.
posted by koeselitz at 4:35 PM on December 5, 2007

glad to know there's at least one unrepentant idealist left in the world

Well. Two. Duhbya is an unrepentant idealist.

Depends on WHICH ideals.
posted by tkchrist at 4:38 PM on December 5, 2007 [1 favorite]

hubba.

I'll see your "hubba" and raise you a "hummana hummana hummana."

But what makes her more attractive and noticable to people is the visible contrast.

Among other things, standing next to him makes her look eight feet tall. I mean wow, she just keeps on going.

MetaFilter: foofiness and a whiff of fruitcake.
posted by kirkaracha at 4:42 PM on December 5, 2007

You love Dennis Kucinich
posted by homunculus at 4:44 PM on December 5, 2007

Enough about world peace. Tell us more about your tongue piercing.
posted by homunculus at 4:57 PM on December 5, 2007

Also, yes, whoever wrote this article is distinctly awful.

I think we can agree on that ;-)

I'm all for believing in things, and I think it's great that you do.

Spoken like a true cynic.

But as somebody who's less that half his age, and who's been in my current relationship a good year longer than this twice-divorced 'idealist' who happened to take on a wife between campaigns, I can tell you: love isn't about this gooeyness, and neither is marriage.

I tend to think a lot of the "gooeyness" you refer to is manufactured by the media, and that it's simply a case of him actually showing some human emotion towards his wife as opposed to the robots that tend to accompany the other candidates. Remember Gore's famous smooch? At least Kucinich's "gooeyness" doesn't feel fabricated.

As for how long he's been with her... I'm not sure what you're trying to say here. I've been with my current s.o. for almost six years and still love her, probably more than I did in the first couple years. You say you've been with someone for three and half years, and your implication is that it isn't going as well as Kucinich's relationship appears to be going. Is this Kucinich's fault? As 'someone half his age', who are you to be telling him what love should be or is for him. I mean, in reality what does that have to do with anything? Isn't love different for everyone?

I'm not trying to pick a fight here. I just am tired of people disguising blatant cynicism as 'realism' (whatever that means, and I'm not saying you ever claimed to be a realist). I think there are basic human ideals that have been lost in our society though, and I think Kucinich is coming the closest to expressing those ideals in mainstream politics. And when faced with the importance and magnitude of these ideas, jumping on the snark bandwagon because of some poorly written fluff piece about his currently successful love life seems petty and intentionally obtuse.

But, that's just, like, my opinion man.
posted by rooftop secrets at 5:04 PM on December 5, 2007 [3 favorites]

sotonhito:

Creepy counts for a lot,

in a sort of "the wisdom of repugnance" way, you mean?

but you seemed to overlook the main objection: Kucinich, a *Democrat*, said he thought Ron Paul a nutbag *Republican* would be a good vice president.

I'm not into debating the politics of this stuff anymore, and my original comments didn't relate to Kucinich the politician (unless you consider calling him the anti-Putin a political statement). I won't argue one way or the other for Kucinich the candidate.

But I do think Kucinich is a good, intelligent, if somewhat left-of-center guy (in the non-political sense) with an amazing life story and a refreshingly uncynical perspective on the world. He also occasionally has good ideas, not that the middle-brow, tragically unimaginative popular-kid types who usually run things in politics ever seem to notice. Too busy patting themselves on the back and picking on the awkward kids, as always.
posted by saulgoodman at 5:36 PM on December 5, 2007

For those of you who think Kucinich is "good" or "interesting", he's also a fucking political idiot. Outside of his district here in good ole' Cleveland, he's pretty much reviled as being a populist fuckwad. The funny part is that he's done little for his district, but the residents love his grandstanding antics.

Batshit insane, lousy politician, good manipulator.
posted by tgrundke at 5:44 PM on December 5, 2007

Well, I'm not going to click that, as if the title is correct it's sexist trash

No, it's comedy. There is a difference.
posted by rocket88 at 5:51 PM on December 5, 2007

If Dennis can make it work with Elizabeth, he can make it work with Ron Paul. Problem is, we won't know if he's really making it work with Elizabeth until he's been married to her longer than either of his two exes.
posted by wendell at 6:06 PM on December 5, 2007

Every night and TWICE on Sundays.
posted by briank at 6:15 PM on December 5, 2007

Greatest Moments in World Peace

Shirley MacLaine, Special Secretary of State for Conscious Light in the first Kucinich administration, flies to Tehran to meet Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. She brings crystals and stinky water. She inspects the small badly dressed man's aura. During the photo op she tells the assembled reporters that the Iranian leader has a shining soul and that they will work well together. Ahmadinejad takes a moment to give his condolences about President Kucinich's marriage. "I guess I saw it coming," he says. "Just look what happened to the last spiritual 60 year old who fell for a much younger English lady dedicated to international causes. But I kept my mouth shut." The meeting, originally scheduled for two hours, lasts well into suppertime. Ahmadinejad gushes that he has seen The Apartment at least 20 times. He delights in MacLaine's stories about working with Billy Wilder and Jack Lemmon. She leaves with a signed declaration that the Iranian nation fully supports a homeland for the Jewish people. Already Ahmadinejad has booked a hotel on the Israel Riviera for his next vacation. "In my past life," he tells Al Jazerra, "I was Moses".
posted by TimTypeZed at 6:37 PM on December 5, 2007 [5 favorites]

your favorite politician sucks.
posted by saulgoodman at 6:53 PM on December 5, 2007

Best Kucinich-related moment I'm had this year? Wearing my new KUCINICH for President t-shirt at this year's International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight.

Right on. No snark intended, but that about sums it all up.
posted by fourcheesemac at 7:03 PM on December 5, 2007

If Dennis can make it work with Elizabeth, he can make it work with Ron Paul.

Rule 34.

Seriously, let's get some political slash fanfic in with the rest of the bread and circuses.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 7:24 PM on December 5, 2007

I think he rocks. You people are just to cynical to open up to the mystical mumbo-jumbo. His consciousness raising and seeing synchronicities everywhere is less dangerous than G.W. Bush, who apparently thinks Almighty God speaks to him personally.

I'd rather have a Secretary for Conscious Light than continue to see half the federal budget go towards bombs any day.
posted by MythMaker at 7:25 PM on December 5, 2007

Also, yes, whoever wrote this article is distinctly awful.

Really?? That was my favorite part -- how perfectly tongue-in-cheek the article was. Am I so bad that I read the entire article as being lightly mocking and sarcastic when it really wasn't?
posted by salvia at 10:55 PM on December 5, 2007

All y'all being harsh about his idea of having Ron Paul as a running mate are really missing the whole damn point. A very large problem in American politics today is the insane levels of partisanship that have infected civil discourse since the 80's. While I haven't inspected Paul's issues to judge him on his libertarian credentials, to the extent that he is libertarian, he provides a very excellent balance against Dennis' strong liberalism, while keeping things heavy in the civil liberties arena, which is good for us all.

Wake up, people, from the 20+ year nightmare that has been American politics, and realize that ending the partisanship is the best thing that could happen. And frankly, America needs a liberal idealist with shocking, far-out ideas. As far down the drain as we've got, only the far-out is going to fix it.
posted by Goofyy at 11:20 PM on December 5, 2007

re homunculous's link: Sarkozy stealing his lunch money. heh.

But I'm going to re-register as a Democrat so I can vote for him in OR's closed primary.
posted by girandole at 11:39 PM on December 5, 2007

Television interviewer: "Can we see it?"
    Elizabeth: "No, you can't. Sorry."
        Dennis: "That's my privilege."

Well played, sir!

Given that after twenty-odd years my wife and I are still sops for one another, and figure we're soulmates, I can kinda believe the story. When I met my wife I just knew she was the one.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:42 PM on December 5, 2007

saulgoodman wrote "and my original comments didn't relate to Kucinich the politician" WTF? We wouldn't be talking about him if not for his political asperations. If he were, say, the owner of an accounting firm, as opposed to a presidential hopeful, neither you, nor I would ever have heard of him and wouldn't be having this discussion. The only thing to talk about, especially WRT voting for the guy, is Kucinich the politician.

As for my "creepy counts for a lot", in this era, when presidential elections are insanely televised, debates are all but nonexistent, and its all about selling the candidate like they were a bar of soap, creepy counts for a lot. You can argue that it *shouldn't*, and I'll agree, but it does. A lot of Bill Clinton's victory can be ascribed to the fact that the man, much as I lothe him as a Republican-lite, had an amazing amount of charisma.

"But I do think Kucinich is a good, intelligent, if somewhat left-of-center guy (in the non-political sense) with an amazing life story and a refreshingly uncynical perspective on the world. He also occasionally has good ideas"

And here I'll disagree strongly. A good, intelligent person wouldn't propose taking a rabid opponent of all his proposals aboard as veep. It shows that Kucinich is one of the "surrender first, never fight" type Democrats. And on that basis alone I think he shouldn't even be considered for President.

Goofyy You should, I think, look at the causes of the dread "partisinship" you seem to be so repelled by. Here's a hint, it wasn't us on the left who started it.

Cast your mind back to the early days of 2001, do you remember the very first thing the Bush administration did that involved partisinship after taking office? The very first thing they did was to get up on national television and smear Clinton with vile lies about his staff trashing the White House.

Right now when I see people use the word "partisinship", in a negative sense, its *always* in the context of Democrats not rolling over and giving the Republicans everything they want.

What happened to affect civil discourse since the 1980's? Lessee, there was the rise of Rush Limbaugh and his particular brand of hate, inuendo, and attacking 13 year old girls. Limbaugh cleared the way for dozens, scores, of even more vile right wing commentators to come on to the scene and accuse liberals of being America hating traitors.

Then there was the incredibly civil way the entire right wing half of the nation went completely insane and started accusing Bill Clinton of being a murderer, a rapist, a drug addict, and a traitor. And the way that same half of the nation began spewing some of the most deranged, hate filled, vitriol against Hillary Clinton (even back when she was just first lady, well before her Senate run).

Stop me when I get to *anything* Democrats or liberals have done to lower the tone of political discourse, or encourage the mean ole' hyperpartisinship that makes you cry.

And now we have today. Where the Republicans in the Senate have pretty much filibustered any proposal to the left of Darth Vadar, where there is an entire industry devoted to spweing hatred, FUD, and just plain scaremongering about liberals, and where twits like you wring their hands about how awful the partisinship is.

When one political party is playing "we'll try to get away with absolutely everything we can, we'll smash your every proposal, choke you off at every step, try to tear down everything you hold dear, and attack you as viciously and personally as possible" the people on the other side shouldn't be saying "aw gee guys, no hard feelings, let's be pals".

Let's get this straight: The Republicans don't want bi-partisinship, they want surrender. What they call "bi-partisinship" or "compromise" means "the Democrats give in on every point, and give us everything we want".

So, yes, in the current environment of Republican originated hyper-partisnship, and Republican originated vitriol, hatred, and scaremongering, we don't need some twit like Kucinich who thinks it'd be just keen to have a Republican vice president. We need someone who will, and I know you'll wring your little hands and call for the fainting couch here, fight back.

We need, in other words a fighter. And Kucinich, with his pathetic little "gee, my fortune cookie is startlingly accurate" cuteness, is not a fighter.
posted by sotonohito at 4:47 AM on December 6, 2007

sotonohito: i'm sorry but all i heard when i tried to read your comments was "wtf?" followed by a long series of those vague wom-wom sounds all the grown-ups in peanuts cartoons make.

this story about kucinich and his wife appealed to me personally because i, too, love my wife (though we're not as lovey-dovey by half as they are), and i too believe in the possibility of extraordinary meaning and beauty.

this article is about kucinich's life and the love story behind his marriage to his current wife. if you want to talk about kucinich's political asperations [sic] that's a different topic. he doesn't have aspirations to be a congressman; he already is one. that's why he gets articles written about him in the washington post and you don't. wow, considering how much of a loser some here have suggested kucinich is, by my count, that's at least three things he's achieved that most people never do (upward social mobility, love, and fame).

how many impossible things did you do before breakfast this morning?
posted by saulgoodman at 6:47 AM on December 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

sotonohito: i'm sorry but all i heard when i tried to read your comments was "wtf?" followed by a long series of those vague wom-wom sounds all the grown-ups in peanuts cartoons make.

yeah, what saul said.
posted by shotgunbooty at 8:25 AM on December 6, 2007

saulgoodman wrote "i'm sorry but all i heard when i tried to read your comments was "wtf?" followed by a long series of those vague wom-wom sounds all the grown-ups in peanuts cartoons make."

Um.... What? Does this mean "gee, you made some good points so instead of debating them I'll pretend you weren't making any sense at all, ha ha, what a dufus you are?"

Pretty lame comback cousin.

and then....

"his article is about kucinich's life and the love story behind his marriage to his current wife. if you want to talk about kucinich's political asperations [sic] that's a different topic. he doesn't have aspirations to be a congressman; he already is one. that's why he gets articles written about him in the washington post and you don't."

I'll address your last, and most puzzling point, first. You seem to be operating under a mistaken impression, namely that I'm somehow jealous of the fact that Kucinich is more famous than I am, or am ever likely to be. That is simply not true, I'm quite content to be obscure. The other is that

But the larger point, and yet again one you've sidestepped discussing by attempting to insult me personally, is that Kucinich is not simply a famous guy who had a puff piece written about how great his third marriage is. There are 435 members of the US House of Representatives. Kucinich is getting the attention he is for exactly one reason: he's running for President.

Which brings us to the most bizarre thing you said, and after reading the Charlie Brown wom-wom bit that's saying a lot. I quoted it earlier, but it bears repeating:

he doesn't have aspirations to be a congressman; he already is one

He has aspirations to be a *PRESIDENT* you insufferable twit, and that's why he's getting articles written about him in the Washington Post, and the other 434 sitting representatives aren't, as you know full well.

Absent that reason the story simply wouldn't exist. Therefore, contrary to your bizarre statement that the article in question isn't about his political aspirations, it is. It the sort of puff piece that is fairly standard from journalists sympathetic to a particular politican, and we'll see dozens more in the same vein about every other candidate; along, of course, with the vasly more numerous hit pieces.

The political goals of Kucinich are not a separate topic, they are the sole reason the puff piece was written, and therefore discussing them is prefectly relevant, proper, and appropriate.

What you're trying to do is avoid a substantive discussion so you can revel in the cuteness of the puff piece, and you're obviously perfectly willing to stoop to personal insult to avoid discussing the real issues surrounding Kucinich's run for the Democratic nomination.

But do keep up the deliberate misunderstandings, the pointless personal attacks, etc. People need to see what twerps his supporters are so they can vote for a real candidate. Even Clinton would be better than Kucinich; she's a Republican in disguise but at least she's not seriously talking about trying to get a real Republican running mate...
posted by sotonohito at 9:12 AM on December 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

this article is about kucinich's life and the love story behind his marriage to his current wife

Oh give me a break...this is wife number 3, and she was 27 to his 58 when they were married. The love story? Three months of "courtship" followed by a star studded celebrity wedding. My wife and I have had arguments that lasted longer than that.
posted by JaredSeth at 9:34 AM on December 6, 2007 [1 favorite]

sotonohito ftw.
posted by joedan at 9:42 AM on December 6, 2007

So, this is a wonderful love story because he managed to find someone young, intelligent and beautiful who would marry him? And he seems like a nicer guy than some old sleaze who finds a hot young woman who in turn wants at his money.

So is it settled: finding someone young, beautiful and intelligent is what counts?
posted by kigpig at 10:19 AM on December 6, 2007

koeselitz: I'm all for believing in things, and I think it's great that you do.

rooftop secrets: Spoken like a true cynic.

No. Spoken like somebody who values truth over belief and steadfast, rigorous thoughtfulness to ecstatic enthusiasm.
posted by koeselitz at 10:45 AM on December 6, 2007

Spoken like somebody who values truth over belief and steadfast, rigorous thoughtfulness to ecstatic enthusiasm.

Well I don't believe that belief in what is right and the "truth" are mutually exclusive. And as for enthusiasm... what great change has been accomplished without it? I'm not even saying that I am all that enthusiastic for Kucinich the candidate, but I am enthusiastic about many of his policy stances. And how will these issues ever change if no one is enthusiastic? We can rigorously think these things to death and never do a thing. Sometimes true change takes a little blind enthusiasm in simple ideals, while ignoring the rational, well thought out roadblocks that are in place.
posted by rooftop secrets at 10:56 AM on December 6, 2007

Elizabeth Kucinich is not just young and beautiful and intelligent, she is a genuinely lovely person who seems to take a real interest in not only her husband. but in the people he represents.

Kucinich's constituents are not the wealthiest people on earth -- I should know, I'm one of them -- and in fact, he's got a lot of relatively poor areas in his district. He lives in one near us. What other candidate for president is actually currently living in a lower-to-middle-class neighborhood? What other candidate would?

Kucinich is a much better person than this country deserves to have as president. His gorgeous wife has the educational background in economics and third world debt relief I don't see on, say, Ann Romney's resume. So yeah, screw the cynics, I like Dennis Kucinich and I'm glad he's happy. He deserves it.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 12:54 PM on December 6, 2007 [2 favorites]

Kucinich on Kucinich's health plan
posted by homunculus at 2:17 PM on December 6, 2007

And Kucinich, with his pathetic little "gee, my fortune cookie is startlingly accurate" cuteness, is not a fighter.

sotonohito, I got two words for you: Muny Light.

Love,
Native Clevelander and Kucinich Constituent,
bitter-girl.com
posted by bitter-girl.com at 2:40 PM on December 6, 2007

bitter-girl Well, obviously something changed between 1978 and today, because today he wants to roll over and invite a nutbag Republican to be his running mate. Shame he seems to have lost his will to fight sometime in the past 29 years, the 1978 Kucinich seems like he was impressive.

And, like I said earlier, he seemed ok right up until his Ron Paul moment. But, and I know it's petty of me, somehow when he invited one of the enemy to be his veep it just took away any enthuiasm I might have had for the man.

That would be the same Ron Paul who has claimed that abortion is never medically necessary (guess he hasn't heard of Olga Reyes), the same Ron Paul who wants to ruin the economy with his insane gold standard scheme, the same Ron Paul who helps crush unions, the same Ron Paul who voted to prohibit gays from adopting in DC, the same Ron Paul wants to abolish the estate tax, and the income tax (but leave payroll taxes in place because he apparently wants to screw poor people as hard as possible), etc.

I think the 1978 Kucinich would be appalled at his future self.

I mean, is it too much to ask that a candidate for the *Democratic* nomination for President not propose a *Republican* running mate for himself? That one thing lost me, completely, utterly, and irrevocably, and I'm stunned that it hasn't lost him every other Democrat.

Seriously, why are you supporting him? I mean 1978 was a long time ago and he's obviously changed for the worse since then.
posted by sotonohito at 3:22 PM on December 6, 2007

That would be the same Ron Paul who has claimed that abortion is never medically necessary

Seem to be forgetting that Kucinich was also against abortion up until 2002. So perhaps he does not share the same concerns about Ron Paul as his supporters seem to. Arguably that might have been a huge factor in how someone so seemingly far left got into office anyway.
posted by kigpig at 3:55 PM on December 6, 2007

The same Ron Paul who represents one of the exceedingly few choices for Republican leader who isn't a long-time corporate whore and who represents the Republican folk who are every bit as fed up with the destruction of the US's form of government as Kucinich's own supporters.
posted by five fresh fish at 6:41 PM on December 6, 2007

five fresh fish Yes, but he's a *REPUBLICAN* and Kucinich is running for the *DEMOCRATIC* nomination. Why is this somehow impossible for people to understand? I don't want a Democratic presidential candidate who invites the frickin' enemy to be his veep.

Have you people been asleep the past 8 years? Haven't you seen what having Republicans in the White House has done? Trillions of dollars of debt, vicious class warfare against the middle and lower classes, US cities destroyed, the Constitution shreaded, and a new Vietnam. And you think its ok that Kucinich wants to invite one of those evil thugs to join him in the White House?

I mean WTF?!? How can saying "hey, I'll completely surrender every Democratic goal, put a Republican thug a heartbeat away from the presidency, and leave a Republican as the president of the Senate, because hey there's no possible way the Republicans would take that as an opportunity to walk all over us they're nice people" be anything other than an "ok, you've lost your mind and my vote" moment?

Have you lost your mind?
posted by sotonohito at 3:40 AM on December 7, 2007

Deep breath.

Let me try to explain without so much vitriol.

To me it looks as if Kucinich, when he suggested Paul as his running mate, chose to surrender a good portion of his hypothetical victory before he even achieved the nomination, much less the popular vote. To me that says he's not a fighter, and his will to fight in 1978 doesn't get him points today.

In the current political climate, where the Republican party is using its every reource to keep making America worse, the very idea of a Republican mole in a theoretically Democratic White House is physically repugnant to me. If the Senate elections go poorly we could wind up with a closely divided Senate, one in which the veep's tie breaking vote could be critical, and one in which the veep's role as president of the Senate could also be critical. Further, while its popular to deride the position of veep as meaningless, the vice president does have a considerable amount of power, not to mention a position in the Cabinet.

At any time inviting a member of the party that opposes pretty much everything you stand for to share power seems foolish, in the current environment of Republican originated hyperpartisinship, powergaming, etc it seems to be literally insane. Whatever else he is, whatever other political convictions he may or may not have, Paul is a member of the Republican party.

Paul has cast a few decent votes, but he's also cast some really vile votes. Yes, he's opposed to the war in Iraq, but that's just because he's an old style isolationist, and I'm not a single issue voter. He's also a tireless worker against civil rights, especially gay rights, he's done his level best to batter down the wall of separation between Church and State, etc. He's not the right man to be any Democrat's vice president.

I'll take a corporate whore Democrat over a Democrat who wants to surrender the office of the vice presidency to a member of the party of Bush. I'd prefer to take neither, but unfortunately that doesn't seem like a choice I'm being offered this time around.
posted by sotonohito at 3:58 AM on December 7, 2007

rrrggg. hit post instead of preview, only had one paragraph left.

Which brings me to my question. You obviously don't agree that Kucinich's desire to surrender, long before the election, a good portion of his power to the enemy is an automatic disqualifier. My question is why? Would you take the time to explain that, becuase I simply don't get it.
posted by sotonohito at 4:04 AM on December 7, 2007

Explain Kucinich's "Ron Paul faux pas" in 200 words or less...

Whatever else Paul IS, he is generally seen as an enemy by the "Establishment Corporatist" Republicans who control the party. Kucinich decides "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" and sees an opportunity to reach out to other anti-corporatist voters, even outside his own party. (Of course, if that's a prelude to a third-party campaign, he needs to be hit over the head with the Nader stick - repeatedly) It must also be noted that the Vice President has damn little Constitutionally-granted power, and if Paul is the true Constitutional Purist he claims to be, he would (unhappily, I'm sure) restrain himself from taking on a Cheney-esque role. That also makes it very unlikely Paul would ever accept the offer, but it gives Kucinich a chance to get the attention of Paul supporters and siphon off some of those who joined the parade over the anti-war theme and are most uncomfortable with die-hard Libertarianism.

Crazy like a fox.
posted by wendell at 11:49 AM on December 7, 2007

Yes, but he's a *REPUBLICAN* and Kucinich is running for the *DEMOCRATIC* nomination. Why is this somehow impossible for people to understand? I don't want a Democratic presidential candidate who invites the frickin' enemy to be his veep.

I fail to see how Republican voters for Paul, swayed to elect Kucinich because he has offered them some amount of representation in the next administration, count as the enemy.

Kucinich and Paul provide representation for all those people who are sick to death of this lousy corporate-owned governmental system that has become corrupt and incompetent to its very core. I think that is the majority of the population, but unfortunately a majority that is split between two equally lousy parties.

The USA desperately needs a break from its past. The corruption is endemic in both parties. Obama, as refreshing a change as he is, is a leading candidate for the party only because he has the backing of the very same set of sleazeballs as every leading candidate has had. He's a nice guy, for sure, but I'm afraid he's going to be the same puppet to the powers behind the curtain.

Kucinich and Paul appear to be the only real opportunity to break that cycle. If it means they have to agree to work together despite belonging to different parties and having some fundamental differences of opinion, so be it. There is a lot more to be lost by repeating the same broken electoral system than there is by trying something new.
posted by five fresh fish at 11:27 AM on December 8, 2007

Ah, s'ok. Neither of them will win, anyway. So it's fun to watch you freak out a little. I'm not backing Kucinich in the presidential election -- it would suck to lose him in the House for our neighborhood -- but man, this is like getting upset that Mike Gravel got shut out of a debate. Much as I like his honesty and candor, he won't win either.

And besides, I could never vote for a pro-life candidate without holding my breath til I turned MeFi blue.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 11:17 PM on December 8, 2007

Best Kucinich-related moment I'm had this year? Wearing my new KUCINICH for President t-shirt at this year's International Symposium for Personal Spaceflight.

Right on. No snark intended, but that about sums it all up.

Yeah fourcheesemac, at that moment at this year's ISPS it was me, PayPal co-founder Elon Musk, VP of Operations for Virgin Glalactic's Alex Tai, and Jay Jordan, alongside a group of at least six veteran NASA astronauts.

Which is my point. Kucinich is my choice because — by my actions — I am choosing to associate myself with the future. It is a future which my colleagues and I believe to be loads of fun. (And personally, loads more than other candidates are outlining.)

"UFOs?" Heck, I'm more concerned when I speak with people who haven't seen something in the sky interesting yet unidentifiable. For many of us astronomers and researchers and teachers, the sky is loads more than "what's up?" For many of us, it's the best game in town.

A candidate who even admits to looking at the sky is news to me.
posted by humannaire at 1:09 AM on December 9, 2007

five fresh fish Republican voters for Paul aren't the enemy I was refering to, if they realize the insanity of the Republican party and want to come to the reality based party I'll welcome 'em with open arms. Paul himself is the enemy. He is an elected Republican, he caucuses with the Republicans, and if he's in the White House I fail to see how it would be reasonable to expect him to do anything other than give the Republicans every advantage he can to help them defeat any progressive legislation Kucinich plans on backing, pushing, or advocating. He'd be a spy in the White House plain and simple.

Further, Paul's goals, objectives, and vision for America are radically, perhaps even totally, at odds with mine. He's simply not on my side. He's anti-choice, anti-freedom, pro-theocracy, pro-aristocracy, etc. Kucinich is supposed to be the great True Liberal running this time around, that he'd consider sharing power with any sort of conservative, much less on as apparently rabid as Paul, is simply insane.

Yes, Paul opposes the war in Iraq. Great. Fine. Whoopee. That doesn't make him my political ally on any other topic.

Finally, you're buying into the Republican spin that there's this mysterious, disconnected from any action they've taken, evil *PARTISINSHIP* that's killing America. Bullshit. There is hyperpartisinship today, and its been wholly created by the Republican party and its spokespeople (both official and un-). This hyperpartisinship, however, is interesting in that its never discussed, mentioned, or spoken against in the context of the Republicans beating up on the Democrats, or demanding ever more insane legislation. No, this strange hyperpartisinship only gets mentioned when a Democrat dares to suggest that possibly, maybe, the latest insanity to be proposed by the Republicans isn't, maybe, quite, perfect. Then everyone reaches for the smelling salts and the fainting couch.

And Paul has been a willing, nay an eager, participant in that scheme.

So, to my way of thinking any Democrat who invites a Republican into his White House is nothing more than a traitor, and as such not only doesn't deserve my vote, he deserves a primary challenge to get his insane ass out of Congress. If he likes the Republicans so much he wants a Republican to be Vice President, there's a perfectly good political party for him to join: the Republicans.

Yes, I'm fed up with the fact that the Democrats are such a money party. No, the solution to that isn't to give insane Republicans any power, or voice, or anything else, in a Democratic White House.

If it means they have to agree to work together despite belonging to different parties and having some fundamental differences of opinion, so be it. There is a lot more to be lost by repeating the same broken electoral system than there is by trying something new.

Um. No. Just no.

There's vastly, infinately, more to be lost by letting the Republicans claim even a symbolic victory in '08 then there is to be lost in letting the money cycle contine. Abortion rights, gay rights, the entire US Constitution, etc.

These aren't "differences of opinion" that can just be set aside, its the whole problem in a nutshell. And, finally, if you think Paul is opposed to corporate oligarchy, I think you're as nuts as he is. Paul *LOVES* corporate oligarchy, he votes to protect and strengthen it every chance he can, remember Paul voted against allowing stockholders to cut executive "compensation".
posted by sotonohito at 2:59 PM on December 10, 2007

Kucinich booted from Iowa debate
posted by homunculus at 10:07 AM on December 13, 2007

Keeping Kucinich Quiet
posted by homunculus at 10:36 PM on December 17, 2007

Liz Kucinich Talks Drug Reform With 22-Year-Old MD Patient
posted by homunculus at 7:55 PM on December 21, 2007

'Long Shot' Kucinich Buries Democratic Rivals in Nationwide Poll Among Independent Voters
posted by homunculus at 10:54 AM on December 29, 2007

Kucinich Asks Supporters to Back Obama
posted by homunculus at 5:34 PM on January 1, 2008

Bill Moyers interviews Kucinich
posted by homunculus at 6:57 PM on January 4, 2008