Kucinich '08 Dem Mantra: 'No Strings' On Me

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich closed his appearance at the AFSCME Democratic presidential forum shouting a rousing campaign theme, "You need a president with no strings." And then he chanted, "No strings, no strings, no strings . . ." He stretched out his arms and did a pirouette. He invited the audience to look him over. No strings.

It was great TV on C-SPAN.

In Carson City, the Cleveland congressman was fiery, mincing few words, saying he saw through President George W. Bush from the beginning and opposed the Iraq War when senators Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd and John Edwards did not. He said he put together a group of 125 opponents in the House and viewed all the information that the senators saw before they authorized the war. He said they now ''claim they were tricked, deceived and misled by George Bush. Here's one person who wasn't. Now think about the consequences when you are tricked, deceived, misled by George Bush." Kucinich let the word Bush roll off his tongue in such a way that it seemed anybody with half a wit could not be fooled by anybody with that name.

Kucinich was blunt about the cause of the war -- not weapons of mass destruction in his view -- but oil. "We have to stop trying to steal the oil that belongs to the people of Iraq. If Iraq had not had oil, it is highly unlikely we would be there."

None of the other candidates were anywhere near as blunt. "I was right from the beginning on this," Kucinich said, "and if people want real leadership, I'm ready." He talked about trade and healthcare for a few minutes, said he would cancel NAFTA, and then told the Carson City union crowd to look him over. "No strings."

Demo Prezzie Forum: 3 p.m. EST Today In Nevada

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Ohio congressman Dennis Kucinich doesn't register in the presidential primary polls, but his Web site makes the boldest statement anywhere on the Democratic campaign trail about opposition to the Iraq War. While everybody else uses words and position papers, the House member from Cleveland's West Side has placed a 1960s-style peace symbol on his homepage KUCINICH 2008.

It graces the second zero in 2008, a clever and dignified method to proclaim the campaign's over-riding message. By the way, the first zero in 2008 is filled with a map of the western hemisphere. Not flashy. But an unmistakable way to state upfront the Kucinich candidacy is a crusade for world peace.

As for the AFSCME forum in Carson City, Nev., will Kucinich scorch Hillary, John Edwards and Obama for voting to fund the Iraq war? Obama won't be attending, but that may not matter to Kucinich, who has gone nowhere in any polls. The forum might give him a chance to make a splash.

AFSCME's announcement doesn't indicate that the war will be a topic, but it's hard to imagine that nothing will come up. The union says only that some 500 "members and retirees from Nevada will ask the candidates where they stand on today's pressing issues: Will they pledge to support a vibrant public sector workforce? What will they do to protect Social Security and ensure that every American retires in dignity? How will they make college more affordable for poor and middle class families?"