Kucinich Wins DFA Online Poll

Now that Dennis Kucinich has finished first in a major survey of Democratic activists, perhaps Democratic party bosses and their media acolytes will have to back off their efforts to marginalize him.

No, Kucinich's top-place finish in the Democracy for America online survey that attracted serious attention from major campaigns and drew more than 150,000 voters does not mean the anti-war congressman from Ohio is on a fast track to the nomination. But it does mean that Kucinich is displayed an ability to attract meaningful support from the party's activist base and that his "Democratic-wing-of-the-Democratic-Party" message has appeal.

Kucinich did not secure the 66-percent of the vote required to gain an official endorsement from DFA, the group founded by supporters of former Vermont Governor Howard Dean's 2004 presidential bid and their allies on the party's left flank. But he easily bested the other candidates and the unannounced "contender" who led in the early voting, former Vice President Al Gore.

The final totals were:

Kucinich 31.97% 49364

Al Gore 24.77% 38242

Former Senator John Edwards 15.6% 24078

Senator Barack Obama 13.86% 21403

Senator Hillary Clinton 4.21% 6504

Governor Bill Richardson 4.09% 6309

Other 2.05% 3171

Senator Christopher Dodd 1.56% 2415

Senator Joe Biden 1.12% 1723

Former Senator Mike Gravel 0.77% 1182

Kucinich beat the other candidates among voters from the first caucus state of Iowa and the first primary state of New Hampshire. He also won the early caucus state of Nevada, while Obama won the early primary state of South Carolina.

Notably, Gore won New York state.

And what of the "front-runner" for the nomination? Hillary Clinton lost every state in the DFA survey, which saw 95 percent of voters back someone other than the New York senator.

It is no secret that the powers that be in the party leadership and the boardrooms of the major networks have fixated on Clinton as the likely nominee. Nor is it any secret that the party and media bosses would prefer to drop Kucinich from the roster of Democratic contenders who must be invited to join debates and participate in major events such as the Iowa Democratic Party's Jefferson-Jackson Day dinner. Gravel was excluded from the most recent Democratic debate at Drexel University and moderator Tim Russert did everything he could during the course of that debate to read Kucinich out of the running.

But Kucinich's poll numbers in formal national and state surveys actually went up after the Drexel debate. The congressman is polling ahead of Dodd and Biden -- as well as Gravel --in most national surveys of likely Democratic voters. The same is true of many surveys from early caucus and primary states. And, with the DFA result, he can now point to an impressive finish in a test most of the major contenders took seriously. While Kucinich certainly campaigned hard to get votes in the DFA poll, Obama, Edwards, Richardson and Dodd made significant efforts -- by sending emails and cutting videos -- to encourage their backers to participate in the survey. As such, Kucinich's win is meaningful -- and it should become at least a bit more difficult to dismiss the congressman's win, and his candidacy.

Comments (31)

1. Well...as noted on another thread...

   according to HSUBFOOLS' analysis of DFA polling when GORE was ahead...

   Dennis Kucinich is going to win the Democratic nomination and become President!

   heheh

   Posted by Mask at 11/06/2007 @ 10:02pm

2. I wonder how many times DK voted for himself.. :)

   Posted by ACook at 11/06/2007 @ 10:21pm

3. take a good look at them jo mammaries. They'll be you in thirty years.

   on the way out

   Posted by Will C. at 11/06/2007 @ 10:48pm

4. KUCINICH'S HEROIC CHENEY IMPEACHMENT EFFORT TODAY...

   Made up my mind. In another article, John Nichols pointed out that the closeness of the final vote made it at least a moral victory for Kucinich (my term for it, not Mr. Nichols'). It's definitely Dennis for me in the primary now and, who knows? It may be that Her Majesty is after all upsetable, if not by Dennis at least by Obama or Edwards (my second choice after Kucinich).

   And folks, consider this. If Kucinich really starts rising in the polls (as I suspect that he may) as a result of his impeach Cheney push in the House, look for the media shitstorm to descend on him full bore with stories about his UFO experience, ALL THE WHILE GIVING THAT IDIOT GIULIANI A PASS ON HIS DRAG QUEEN frolicks. I do so love the American mass media for their thoughtful coverage of the political scene....

   Posted by w_m_bear at 11/06/2007 @ 11:48pm

5. according to HSUBFOOLS' analysis of DFA polling when GORE was ahead...

   Dennis Kucinich is going to win the Democratic nomination and become President!

   Posted by MASK 11/06/2007 @ 10:02pm

   So now Kucinich has all the other atributes of Gore because he really also won the poll as a write in candidate? No, of course not, only Al Gore still stands as the unique individual amongst the others, just as before, the only non-declared candidate.

   What Frita's observation above does resolve and makes way too obvious to all, is that recurring song she whistles whilst she psychotically posts useless blogs 24/7: "If I Only Had A Brain".

   Posted by hsuBfools at 11/07/2007 @ 12:10am

6. What is interesting is Gore's 2nd place in the "activist" poll. Since he might be doing just about the same within the whole Dem electorate we can conclude he is the only one that may have serious possibilities of beating HRC.

   Posted by Frank42 at 11/07/2007 @ 12:53am

7. Congratulations to Kucinich and The Nation: Integrity.

   Posted by kparcell at 11/07/2007 @ 07:44am

8. Posted by HSUBFOOLS 11/07/2007 @ 12:10am

   Now...how did I KNOW that since Kucinich won the DFA poll, and not Gore, that "amazingly" HSUB would suddenly tell us it was meaningless?

   heheh

   Posted by Mask at 11/07/2007 @ 08:41am

9. As I recall the first call vote had a majority in the house to move forward with the articles. Only because of a lot of arm twisting and threats did the majority in the house subside enough for the measure not to pass.

   All that dismiss the effort to remove hsuB/cHeney via impeachment as a valid endevour have bought into the warped psychotic world view that is supporting new cons servicing dic'tator philosophy. It is they that must be dismissed as enemies of freedom and our US Constitution.

   Make no mistake, if one is against impeachment of hsuB/cHeney-- one is anti-US Constitution and pro-Dic'tatorship. It is they that aim to destroy our nation from within with their fear of our freedom and our laws that would sustain it.

   Posted by hsuBfools at 11/07/2007 @ 08:49am

10. Posted by MASK 11/07/2007 @ 08:41am

    And as usual, Frita chose to be as meaningless as the straw she spews.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/07/2007 @ 09:04am

11. Posted by HSUBFOOLS 11/07/2007 @ 09:04am

    If Gore had won that DFA online poll (again, how many times do you think the same people voted?)....what would your response have been?

    Not the same as when Kucinich won it and was so easily dismissed by you with "So now Kucinich has all the other atributes of Gore because he really also won the poll as a write in candidate? No, of course not..."

    Kucinich ATLEAST has the balls to actually enter the race and RUN for President, and not leave his campaign to a couple of bloggers discussing "Well, Al has this option...or this option...either way he'll easily sweep as soon as he announces", while The Candidate himself keeps teasing (at worst) or declining to run (at reality).

    But in the end, it does prove something....EVEN WITH Gore in the mix (which is NOT going to happen...there, said it and you can save the post)....Kucinich is more popular with the liberal base than Al.

    You can't even deny that...because you spent all last week telling us how the DFA online poll was so indictative of Gore's popularity.

    Well...guess what? He LOST to Dennis. So...if Gore WERE to enter the race, the DFA folks have already decided they ...want somebody else!

    Posted by Mask at 11/07/2007 @ 09:56am

12. hmm, I wonder if Al Gore met with Cindy Sheehan? That might shed some light on things.

    Posted by Will C. at 11/07/2007 @ 10:07am

13. Yeah, Kucinich is kinda out there on the fringe, but someone has to play shortstop, right? And besides, have you seen his wife? He must be doing SOMETHING right....!

    Posted by leftofcenter at 11/07/2007 @ 11:52am

14. In 30 years I will be dead, and hopefully so will you..

    Posted by JOMAMMA 11/07/2007 @ 12:21pm

    Trust me jo mammaries. I can live without you.

    Posted by Will C. at 11/07/2007 @ 12:23pm

15. I am amazed at the cynicism about Kucinich on these posts to the Nichols' blog, which I thought quite a fair assessment of his viability. I suspect that there are a lot of bashers out there who make routine visits to this website to act as spoilers. However, I think the DFA poll was quite significant, and if others would bother to go and check the data results, state by state, they might be surprised. This poll effectively shows that the progressive, grassroots voters are not split in their evaluation of the candidates--they are singularly behind Dennis Kucinich and his clearly articulated platform. I am grateful that The Nation, without prompting, ran this blog on the day the results of the DFA poll were released, the result of 150,000 votes cast. This was a significant message from the core of the Democratic party, and the party hacks will ignore it at their peril. Hillary will not get the progressive vote!

    Posted by Striver at 11/07/2007 @ 12:33pm

16. As I've stated before, I think Kucinich is great, and wholly back his ideas. But darn it if I don't have a little bit of realism that tends to question the relevance and/or significance of a poll with an outcome that is vastly contrary to every other poll I've seen anywhere! So Kucinich is popular among the hard left, we already knew that. Oh, but now he's the MOST popular? I guess I'm glad I learned that particular fact today!

    Posted by MATTMAN at 11/07/2007 @ 1:27pm

17. D elusional F oolish A ss?

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 11/07/2007 @ 1:51pm

18. Uh Oh, I just saw Mattman's post above mine. Boy I'm gonna get it now! Boom! Boom! Rat-a-Tat-tat-tat-tat. BamBamBamBam!!

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 11/07/2007 @ 1:53pm

19. Posted by CHIP THORNTON 11/07/2007 @ 1:53pm

    Boy, I'm not sure how to take your insinuation there. Did you READ my post?

    Posted by MATTMAN at 11/07/2007 @ 1:55pm

20. D elusional F oolish A ss?

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON 11/07/2007 @ 1:51pm

    Come on dude, you can do better. I don't THINK you can...I KNOW you can!

    Posted by MATTMAN at 11/07/2007 @ 1:57pm

21. I'm tired today. Oi vey! Sue me!:)

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 11/07/2007 @ 2:28pm

22. Boom! Boom! Rat-a-Tat-tat-tat-tat. BamBamBamBam!!

    Posted by MATTMAN at 11/07/2007 @ 2:39pm

23. "...Kucinich has a reputation for stupid charges. His expertise is in creating economic disaster..." Posted by MARKCANYON 11/07/2007 @ 06:26am

    Can you please site some specific examples of your above mentioned claims? (and PLEASE don't give me some Tim Russert-like bullshit about him "bankrupting Cleveland"...)

    Posted by alhidalgo at 11/07/2007 @ 4:34pm

24. Posted by ALHIDALGO 11/07/2007 @ 4:34pm

    AL, a word of warning, MARKHIMMLER is literally, not "Godwin's Law" hyperbole, but an actual...neo-Nazi.

    Posted by Mask at 11/07/2007 @ 4:46pm

25. "...AL, a word of warning, MARKHIMMLER is literally, not "Godwin's Law" hyperbole, but an actual...neo-Nazi..." Posted by MASK 11/07/2007 @ 4:46pm

    MARKHIMMLER...MARKCANYON? Neo-Nazi? WTF does have to do with my post? Can you please explain?

    Posted by alhidalgo at 11/07/2007 @ 5:15pm

26. Posted by STRIVER 11/07/2007 @ 12:33pm

    It shows that there are lots of liberals out there who want to BE liberals. However, the "regualr" polls indicate the obeisance to the need to back a more winnable pony. I fear it will continue as such until we (if ever) get "real" campaign reform....like public funding or "like funds" only (If NGOs want to pay into a pot for the campaign - great - but it gets split evenly between all the "real" candidates {meaning only that they must have met whatever state level requisite to be on the ballot])

    Posted by leftofcenter at 11/07/2007 @ 6:34pm

27. Posted by ALHIDALGO 11/07/2007 @ 5:15pm

    Trying to alert you that you're not dealing with some mainstream Right-winger or even some Hard Right-Pat Robertson fan-Nuke the Muslims type....you're dealing with an honest-to-gosh NAZI SYMPATHISER in MARKCANYON, who ENDORSES the Holocaust... and you should brace yourself for what answer he might give you.

    To reference:

    BLOG | Posted 10/05/2007 @ 5:23pm Prison Reformers Finally Set Free by Matthew Blake

    "For one bright moment that came to view well enough in Europe when there were no people of color to confuse the picture. Then the right people, for once, were locked up, and put on Death Row, and sent to gas chamber. For a short moment the picture was clear and honest folks knew what to do."----Posted by MARKCANYON 10/06/2007 @ 1:15pm

    Posted by Mask at 11/07/2007 @ 7:55pm

28. Democratic Activist---Dennis Kucinich---now thats mainstream America----Dennis Kucinich --Democrat nominee for Captain of the Enterprise---BEAM ME UP Scotty.

    Posted by Len Mosse at 11/07/2007 @ 9:02pm

29. Well...guess what? He LOST to Dennis. So...if Gore WERE to enter the race, the DFA folks have already decided they ...want somebody else!

    Posted by MASK 11/07/2007 @ 09:56am

    Again and as always, Frita looses sight of the importance of people not accepting the choices provided and the level of desire for someone beyond that. Is there any other candidate in either party that garners as much attention that they are in the top teir w/out being a candidate, no. That Al Gore looses a lot of votes in polls by not entering the race is beyond obvious and your faulty logic seems to leave you only with assbackward conclussions so rediculous they must be exposed as such.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 11/08/2007 @ 01:27am

30. Yes, Kucinich definitely succeeded in having his supporters come vote in their poll. As his pleas and emails and postings read "Democracy for America needs to know" and it "would shock the pundits if we son this poll".

    It does however show that it is his supporters that voted for DK, not the DFA members.

    But, DFA said they were asking their supporters to come vote, as they showed by their emails and blog posts.

    Something to keep in mind that Al Gore did not have. Because he wasn't a declared candidate, and he received all those votes as "OTHER" and Written in, he didn't have DFA pushing him as a candidate as the other others. And, quite the opposite. Their new Exec Director actually sent out an email stating "Al Gore is leading, but he can't get the endorsement because he isn't a declared candidate" So, they actually did the opposite for Al Gore votes, than all the other candidates.

    It definitely does show, power to the supporters!

    Posted by LDP at 11/08/2007 @ 2:06pm

31. Funny how this became all about Al Gore. Just like the Kucinich supporters that went around trashing Al Gore on the DFA poll. I guess they only see the way to get support is by lying and attacking their rival.

    And yes, Al Gore is apparently all the candidates rival. He has the most support than all the candidates running.

    I guess we're all tired of these folks making it all about THEM, instead of true Leaders and Statesmen as Al Gore is, who shows it's about the many.

    Time for a COOL change Gore 2008

    Posted by LDP at 11/08/2007 @ 2:10pm