Kucinich Tops Progressive Democrats Poll

Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, whose pointed opposition to the war in Iraq and outspoken advocacy of impeachment of Vice President Cheney has echoed the sentiments of the Democratic base, continues to prevail in surveys of members and supporters of activist groups on the party's left flank.

Kucinich, who last month won the most votes in a survey conducted by Democracy for America, has now come out on top of an online poll of members of Progressive Democrats for America. Kucinich's strong showing in the PDA survey will not, in and of itself, bring the congressman any closer to the top tier of contenders in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. But it provides him with new arguments for why his campaign matters, especially to the party activists who do the heavy lifting at the grassroots.

Out of more than 15,000 votes cast in the PDA vote, Kucinich won 6,510 votes, for 41 percent.

Former North Carolina Senator John Edwards was in second with 41.68, for 26 percent.

Then came Illinois Senator Barack Obama with 13 percent, New York Senator Hillary Clinton with 9 percent, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson with 5 percent, Delaware Senator Joe Biden with 3 percent and Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd and former Alaska SenatoOhio Congressman Dennis Kucinich, whose pointed opposition to the war in Iraq and outspoken advocacy of impeachment have echoed the sentiments of the Democratic base, continues to r Mike Gravel with 1 percent each.

PDA's a solid group and their poll was run with great care to make sure that only members voted. As such, it's a good reflection on where particularly committed anti-war activists within the party are leaning.

It's also the product of an impressive process. As the vote approached, the PDA website featured a smart dialogue among backers of most of the candidates, which addressed issues and tactics in far blunter terms than most media discussions or the increasingly silly debates between the contenders.

Kucinich, who has worked closely with PDA since its inception in 2004, certainly had advantages with the membership. But Edwards backers were especially aggressive in arguing that he was the most electable progressive. And Clinton got solid support from Massachusetts Congressman Jim McGovern, who has been one of PDA's chief allies in the House.

PDA members tend to be concentrated in a number of large states, especially California, New York and Florida, the three states that contributed the most votes to the group's presidential poll. In the first-caucus state of Iowa and the first-primary state of New Hampshire, Kucinich topped the survey. It was notable, however, that Obama ran far better among Iowa activists than he did nationally, another small signal that the senator from Illinois is connecting with the base in a state that has become a must-win for him.

For Kucinich, the PDA vote provides another tool he can use to argue for his continued inclusion in the debates and for maintaining his underfinanced anti-war, economic-populist and Constitutional-renewal campaign in later caucus and primary states. There's no question that the congressman will continue to struggle for attention for so long as the Clinton-Obama-Edwards horse race is in play. But after the February 5 flurry of caucuses and primaries, which is likely to knock several of the more prominent contenders out of the running (if they survive that long), Kucinich can and should take advantage of the bully pulpits provided by later ccontests to continuing raising the right issues and pulling the party to the left.

The DFA and PDA poll results give Kucinich an additional measure of credibility as he reaches out to key activists, including Democrats who are currently leading toward other contenders, with an argument for considering his campaign as a vehicle for raising peace and justice issues throughout the nominating process – and for getting delegates who are committed to a progressive vision into onto the platform committee and the convention floor.

Comments (41)

1. Wow! A whole sentence about Edwards - congratulations!

   Posted by mararmstrong at 12/05/2007 @ 11:35am

2. Thank you for covering polls that don't pander to the not-so-Democratic candidates(Billary, Obama and Edwards).

   Kucinich is the only candidate that listened to the American people in 2006 who gave their top three reasons for voting Democratic as 1.) Leaving Iraq immediately; 2.) Universal Health Care; and 3.) Impeaching the president and vice president. All other candidates, other than Gravel, don't have the courage to even address those concerns.

   There is no real alternative to Kucinich for 2008 in the Democratic Party.

   Posted by LarryB at 12/05/2007 @ 11:43am

3. As long as Kucinich has no real $$$ to spend on TV, MSM will continue to bury him -- vide TV's discovery of Ron Paul as soon as he acquired a war chest.

   Sat Dec. 15 is the day to give Kucinich the wherewithal. Do it, you real Dems, put the $ where your liberal lips are.

   Posted by sloper at 12/05/2007 @ 11:54am

4. Kucinich clearly is the most progressive on the issues, but is not a viable candidate because he is considered too weird.

   Anyone who "gets heart connections and mental direction from UFOs" cannot be elected President of the United States.

   Obama is the closest viable candidate to Kucinich on the issues who has been a progressive his whole life.

   Edwards, as a former DLC centrist, is not credible as a progressive, despite his recent shift to the left on the issues in an effort to get the nomination.

   And we all know Mama Warbucks Clinton ain't no progressive!

   Posted by Metteyya at 12/05/2007 @ 12:00pm

5. HILLARY WILL INVIGORATE GOP AND DISPIRIT DEMOCRATS . It is possible that Senator Clinton is the best candidate. However, even though many may like the policies that Senator Clinton proposes, they should also consider her record, just as Senator Clinton insists. . The last Clinton Administration, when faced with the fact that protection rackets where assaulting, torturing and murdering people with poison and radiation, chose to avoid its responsibilities to incarcerate the criminals and to protect the citizenry. . Instead, they made a deal with the criminal gang stalker protection rackets to leave them alone and to consequently abandon the citizenry. . Do we want a President who sells out the citizenry for votes? . Do we want a President who sends a "crime does pay" message to society? . Would you vote for a President who signed nonaggression deals with the KKKlan or the Nazi party? Gangs that torture with poison and radiation are much like the KKKlan and Nazi Party. . We do not need a sellout President. We need a principled leader President. . If you are one of the few who do not know what the above refers to, do a web search for "gang stalking" to see the tip of the dirtberg. Please do it before you decide to reply to my post. Here let me make it easy for you: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22gang+stalking%22. .

   Posted by avraamjack at 12/05/2007 @ 12:02pm

6. Good for Rep. Kucinich.

   He's still not going to be the nominee.

   (BTW, in case anybody hasn't considered the possibility...there ARE actually a LOT of Democrats, that don't fall into the DFA/PDA mold)

   Posted by Mask at 12/05/2007 @ 12:13pm

7. Good for Rep. Kucinich.

   He's still not going to be the nominee.

   (BTW, in case anybody hasn't considered the possibility...there ARE actually a LOT of Democrats, that don't fall into the DFA/PDA mold)

   Posted by MASK 12/05/2007 @ 12:13pm

   MASK I was waiting for you to pipe in with something like that. I know of your love for Nichols and his backing of Kucinich and the impeachment issue.

   Posted by Wolfgang1 at 12/05/2007 @ 12:52pm

8. If Kucinich were to win the democratic nomination and then became the president of the United States, how long do you think the powers that be would allow him to stay alive?

   Posted by Wolfgang1 at 12/05/2007 @ 12:54pm

9. Mett,

   I fail to see how Edwards' policy position changes could be seen as an attempt to get the nomination. For one thing it is clear that his focus on poverty started during the '04 race, and that he was then already going against the DLC grain on domestic issues. For another all the position changes have made him less able to raise funds from the sources that Obama and Clinton are drawing from. The two frontrunners get lots of money from health insurance companies and from Wall Street. These are two sources that Edwards couldn't draw from, even before he accepted matching funds. He has made himself more popular with the base, but that itself brings up problems, since so many democrats seem to think that a candidate that the democratic base likes isn't electable. Edwards had the inside track on this nomination before his shift to the left, because he had name recognition and the ability to raise lots of money. Those two things seem to be all that explains why Clinton is doing so well now.

   As for Obama being a progressive see this:

   http://www.zmag.org/content/showarticle.cfm?SectionID=90&ItemID=14432

   (because it is ZMAG the tone is a little inflamatory and shrill, but that just makes it fun, like hot sauce in eggs)

   I was thinking of Obama as a backup (I think you can guess who my chosen candidate is) until he said he supported the Peru FTA, and then lied about its labor protections. It is a shame because on certain issues, like urban policy, he seems to have good ideas. Maybe he is doing the opposite of the Clintons, running as a centrist so that he can rule as a leftist. He has done a convincing enough job playing a centrist that I can't support him in the primaries or nationals.

   Posted by dentedpat at 12/05/2007 @ 1:01pm

10. Dennis Kucinich took Impeachment to the house floor on November 6, 2007. This is HRes333 now known as HRes 799. The spineless Democrats buried it in committee! Write to your Representative and tell them to push HRes799 forward or consider RECALL. This is not of the people, for the people and by the people!

    Dennis Kucinich is a champion and the only candidate that is for the people. Show your support by contributing to his campaign on December 15, 2007. You can do that at www dot december152007 dot com.

    For a human being that cares for human beings get behind Dennis Kucinich. He will not only change America, he will change the world! World Peace sounds good to me.

    With Dennis Kucinich HOPE BEGINS.

    Posted by Hope Begins at 12/05/2007 @ 1:03pm

11. Posted by WOLFGANG1 12/05/2007 @ 12:52pm

    Sorry, try to hold back the floodwaters of REALITY....but if you want a bunch of people sitting around talking about fantasy scenarios, the Star Trek Convention is right down the road.

    John Nichols though thinks that bringing up the "possibility" of warp drive and transporters is a useful endeavor...I don't.

    Posted by Mask at 12/05/2007 @ 1:21pm

12. Anyone who "gets heart connections and mental direction from UFOs" cannot be elected President of the United States.

    Posted by METTEYYA 12/05/2007 @ 12:00pm | ignore this person

    Isn't it a shame though that you can "get heart connections and mental direction" from a supernatural force rumored to have created everything we call 'existence' and not be considered a nut-job?

    Obama is running a campaign for 'change' but in truth, Kucinich's platform represents the most radical change of any. I really like some of his ideas but most of them cut too far into the pocketbooks of the wealthy so they'll never fly. I think he's blunt, honest, and if he comes off as a bit pissed off, then THANK GOD. At least someone is showing emotion. What I see though, is that he gets pissed and then....believe it or not....does something about it. Got to admire that. I admire someone who stands up for his own convictions.

    To be honest, that was once upon a time an admirable trait of G.W. Bush. While I didn't agree with his point of view, he had the gumption to feel what he was doing was right and go for it. Of course, when you are advised that action was wrong again, again, and again, then it goes beyond standing up for convictions and melts into the world of stupidity. That's where he is now, in my opinion. And, I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt that he actually felt what he was doing was right as opposed to a darker side of conspiracy theories (that are probably closer to the truth).

    With metta to Metteyya. :)

    Posted by FritztheCat at 12/05/2007 @ 1:24pm

13. Posted by DENTEDPAT 12/05/2007 @ 1:01pm

    Your defense of Edwards is admirable, but when a guy knows he can't "run" as a centrist and win the Democratic nomination and then changes his issues from his centrist voting record as a Senator to "appear" more liberal, it causes most reasonable people to yawn and say "we have seen this before" - move to the left to get the nomination and back to the center for the general election.

    Posted by Metteyya at 12/05/2007 @ 1:35pm

14. Posted by FRITZTHECAT 12/05/2007 @ 1:24pm

    I personally like Dennis and agree with him on nearly every issue. If he really were viable I would vote for him, or if we had the run-off (IVR) that KVH suggests, I would consider voting for Kucinich first and then Obama.

    But we don't have instant-run-off, and I cannot afford to waste my vote on someone who has no chance of winning. So I am going with Obama because I believe he really is a progressive at heart and will "govern" as one of the most progressive leaders of our time.

    Posted by Metteyya at 12/05/2007 @ 1:40pm

15. I actually like Kucinich. He has guts and is fair minded. I'd take a person like him which considers the existence of advanced life on other planets, way before ever considering someone that doesn't understand nor believe in science or evolution... Now talk about nut jobs.

    It must really piss off Kincinich's more ardent supporters that polling websites don't even posts his standing amongst the other dem candidates:

    http://www.pollster.com/08-US2-Dem-Pres-Primary.php

    Posted by hsuBfools at 12/05/2007 @ 2:02pm

16. http://www.pollster.com/08-US2-Dem-Pres-Primary.php----Posted by HSUBFOOLS 12/05/2007 @ 2:02pm

    Hey, hey...wadda ya know? That poll had a survey taken if AL GORE was one of the candidates!!!!!!

    Who'd a thunk that kind of info from ol' HSUBBY????

    heheh

    Posted by Mask at 12/05/2007 @ 2:21pm

17. Kucinich is truly the most naive and unrealistic of the candidates. NPR ran the whole show yesterday & we heard it in the office. Free this, Universal that, with no consideration of the consequences or the cost. Tax the rich, stop the war, again with no answer to the question "what do we do next" Perhaps its the reckless abandon of one who knows he can't win, but he seems to want to simply throw the dice on the table with no plan and see what happens. Foolish.

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 12/05/2007 @ 2:31pm

18. Posted by MASK 12/05/2007 @ 2:21pm

    Wow, Frita must of had to get a clean pair of panties after she did a search for Al-- since the link I posted above did not show any of his polls with the dems that were cited.

    Frita is permanently loopy now. Had to happen, her type get used up pretty fast.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 12/05/2007 @ 2:47pm

19. I've supported Kucinich since 2003 and have seen no reason to support anyone else. He is the one saying what people want to hear, but if you you count on the MSM you will never find that out. It's time that Kucinich supporters start talking about what they will do if next November's choice is Rudy, Hillary, Romney, Huckabee, or Obama. I don't even want to hear "lesser of two evils" again. I'm either going to support a Cynthia McKinney candidacy or see if it's possible to start a campaign to draft Paul and Dennis for a Unity08 ticket. One of the most optimistic things that has happened so far is that neither Kucinich nor Ron Paul pledged to support their party unconditionally. Both either say or imply that the candidate muct oppose the war. Another thing, Progressives have to start exposing Richardson for the fraud that he is. He was born filthy rich. He helped push NAFTA thru congress. His family profited from NAFTA. Then he has the nerve to acuse Edwards of class warfare. Richardson is already waging class warfare and his class is winning.

    Posted by lnh at 12/05/2007 @ 2:48pm

20. ...seems to want to simply throw the dice on the table with no plan and see what happens. Foolish.

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON 12/05/2007 @ 2:31pm

    Sounds more like you're talking about hsuB... At least Kucinich wants to use our billions of tax money here in the US and not in a foreign land killing our troops for no reason except to make hsuB/cHeney admin MIC buds, profits.

    Posted by hsuBfools at 12/05/2007 @ 3:11pm

21. What's Hsub?

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 12/05/2007 @ 3:49pm

22. Posted by HSUBFOOLS 12/05/2007 @ 2:47pm

    Uh-huh...look again-

    "2008 National Democratic Presidential Primary without Gore (see with Gore)"

    The bold was a LINK to another survey with Gore in the mix.

    But, hey HSUB, if you've finally given up on "Gore in '08"...happy to drop it as well.

    Uh...deal?

    Posted by Mask at 12/05/2007 @ 4:05pm

23. What's Hsub?

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON 12/05/2007 @ 3:49pm

    Not much, what's hsub with you?

    Posted by Mask at 12/05/2007 @ 4:05pm

24. MASK

    LOL

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 12/05/2007 @ 4:24pm

25. Posted by MASK 12/05/2007 @ 1:21pm

    Alrighty then Scotty. I know Kucinich doesn't stand a chance in hell or here on earth for that matter to win the democratic nomination. I was merely pointing out to his loyal followers that it wouldn't be a stretch to think he would get whacked if he were to be elected by some strange twist of fate.

    I actually like Kucinich and would vote for him over Hillary. I've stated before that Hillary is just a republican in democrat clothes. But, I think our choices are Hillary versus what ever the rethugs can throw out there. Paul, Huckabee or Romney. None of those choices look too appealing nor does the Hillary option. We're basically screwed in 08 and 08 hasn't even hit us yet.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 12/05/2007 @ 4:30pm

26. ......with no answer to the question "what do we do next" Perhaps its the reckless abandon of one who knows he can't win, but he seems to want to simply throw the dice on the table with no plan and see what happens. Foolish.

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON 12/05/2007 @ 2:31pm

    Chip, Why, that sounds a lot like the Bush administration.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 12/05/2007 @ 4:34pm

27. Posted by CHIP THORNTON 12/05/2007 @ 2:31pm | ignore this person

    I could have easily posted links, and still might, in refutation to every point you thought you were making. When what you were really doing was providing an insight as to why this republic is in such challenged state it is in.

    From memory; the mere processing costs, by physicians alone, amounts to 31% of our health care dollars. How much is that? $351,000,000,000 and change ... What can you do with that? Single payer health care.

    And guess whut? By the time you finish typing Dennis Kucinich and an "h" (wow, doesn't even have to be uppercase), you get all manner and kind of links, with, suggestions. What kind? Well, things, such as "hot wife," "home town," "home page," and (guess what?) fucking healthcare ... I'm surmising that maybe, just maybe, a broadcast of a candidates words, is, do to format and time constraints, doubtless, of a more, general nature. I'm also surmising that it is hoped, if one is in sympathy with the stated positions, that one will (in this age of the WWW, you're here so I assume you've heard of it) seek to be further informed. So as to garner said details. And not be so ass planted and conditioned to being spoon fed information, that one whines like a toddler with a deficit of Gerbers, instead of typing "Dennis Kucinich h."

    You know?

    Posted by V at 12/05/2007 @ 4:35pm

28. Thanks for straightening me out V. The comments were based on points you are not considering, though, some philosopical and some not. However, the next time I get ready to say something I thought I knew, I'll be sure to check with you first, old boy ;)

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 12/05/2007 @ 4:43pm

29. Oh, and sorry about the spelling. Just having a baad dae, I gess.

    Posted by CHIP THORNTON at 12/05/2007 @ 4:44pm

30. I was merely pointing out to his loyal followers that it wouldn't be a stretch to think he would get whacked if he were to be elected by some strange twist of fate.----Posted by WOLFGANG1 12/05/2007 @ 4:30pm

    WOLF, that is the literal and original version of the Aesop fable [en.wikipedia.org]

    Claiming that if Dennis WERE to get the Presidency, he'd get wacked by "the evil forces" (insert CIA, corporations, Texas oil men, Bildeburgers, Jesuits (a RESE fave), or the Greys from Zeta-II....no actually, given its Dennis, the Greys would probably leave him alone...heheh)

    Posted by Mask at 12/05/2007 @ 4:49pm

31. Posted by CHIP THORNTON 12/05/2007 @ 4:24pm

    It's "Bush" spelled backwards, CHIP. HSUBFOOLS one and only and last "joke", before he lost his sense of humor along with his mind.

    Posted by Mask at 12/05/2007 @ 4:50pm

32. Claiming that if Dennis WERE to get the Presidency, he'd get wacked by "the evil forces" (insert CIA, corporations, Texas oil men, Bildeburgers, Jesuits (a RESE fave), or the Greys from Zeta-II....no actually, given its Dennis, the Greys would probably leave him alone...heheh)

    Posted by MASK 12/05/2007 @ 4:49pm

    Never heard of it before you brought it up.

    Posted by Wolfgang1 at 12/05/2007 @ 5:18pm

33. Uh-huh...look again-

    "2008 National Democratic Presidential Primary without Gore (see with Gore)"

    Posted by MASK 12/05/2007 @ 4:05pm

    Frita, I was trying to spare you, since Al bothers you so much, that I posted the poll without Gore's numbers, and to a greater extent because my point WAS ABOUT Kucinich poll numbers not being included with the other dems.

    But now THAT YOU brought it up, why do they keep including Gore in polls, but then not also Kucinich? Do pollsters know something you don't or that you avoid and fear? Will Frita's explanation go as far as to suggest that there's possibly a CONSPIRACY?!?!?! (BWAHAHahahah)

    Posted by hsuBfools at 12/05/2007 @ 6:17pm

34. ER, ...that I 'linked' the poll without Gore's numbers,...

    Posted by hsuBfools at 12/05/2007 @ 6:23pm

35. If he moved to the left to capture the nomination he started about 4 years early. And when you make a fake move to the left it is best not to pick fights with the people who would have to fund you in your centrist presidential campaign. I am sure that Edwards probably thinks that public funding is a nice idea, but the reason he accepted it is because he pissed off the donor class to the point that he couldn't compete in the fundraising race.

    And I think someone who pisses off health insurance companies and Wall Street has exactly the progressive (to the extent that I or anyone knows what the word 'progressive' means now) bonafides your average Nation reader is looking for.

    Posted by dentedpat at 12/06/2007 @ 02:47am

36. Sorry, there was no need for my last comment. It just repeated the comment that Mett responded to. (I still think the points I have written twice now show that Edwards cannot be pinned as a fake progressive. Or as a fake populist. Or whatever word gets picked as the way leftists self-identify now that we seem to have given up on the term 'liberal'. The 'Progressive' label sucks though. Can't think of why we should be identifying with Teddy and Wilson.)

    Posted by dentedpat at 12/06/2007 @ 03:01am

37. So People, since the candidate has to win primaries, we have to stop talking and start doing. start calling registered democrats NOW urging they give him a look and vote for him in the primary. mention the "blind taste test" where he also came in overwhelmingly #1 among democrats AND independents. ask them to look at his web site dennis4president.com, the videos especially. tell them HE is probably their first choice. (stop calling soon due to the holidays and then pick up right after). get the list of registered dems from your board of elections. if 30 people make 10 calls a day for 60 days, it's 18,000 calls. if you really want dennis to win, start working for him to win and end the "he can't win" BS.

    Posted by criticalmass at 12/06/2007 @ 11:20am

38. It's now up to the power of the chair of the 'democratic' party, Howard Dean, to keep the progressive Dennis Kucinch's name in the forefront of the mix of candidates, and not to exclude him from the debates, as the race gets hotter.

    Posted by gliblips at 12/06/2007 @ 3:18pm

39. I am outraged at a current Washington Post 'poll' that eliminates Dennis from consideration as a Presidential candidate! I have just written an e-mail to the WaPo ombudsperson (ombudsman@washpost.com)

    I hope other supporters will look at this absurdly unfair poll so they can add their voices to mine:

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/interactives/candidatequiz /?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

    >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

    "A popular government without popular information, or the means of securing it, is but a prelude to a farce or tragedy, perhaps both." -- James Madison

    Posted by Aybayb at 12/06/2007 @ 4:07pm

40. It's very heartening to see how many people understand the very significant differences between Dennis Kucinich and the other candidates. If you want peace, vote for Kucinich. If you want a real national health care plan that covers every American and allows doctors and patients to make decisions without interference from the big insurance companies, vote for Kucinich. If you want good jobs at decent wages that stay within U.S. borders, vote for Kucinich. If you want a real sustainable energy future, vote for Kucinich. If you want your kids to be able to attend college without literally losing an arm or a leg, vote for Kucinich. Pretty obvious choice. Thank you to the real progressives in the Democratic Party for giving Kucinich the recognition he deserves. Now let's vote for him and get him elected! In Peace, Sharon Abreu

    Posted by sabreu at 12/06/2007 @ 4:57pm

41. check out iReachable online opinion poll too.

    http://www.ireachable.com/vote

    If you have not taken the poll yet check it out - it is simple, quick and informational.

    Posted by iReachable at 12/07/2007 @ 02:25am