January 24, 2008
Plain Dealer: Kucinich To Exit Presidential Race
UPDATED.
Presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich is bowing out of the Democratic primary race, his hometown paper is reporting. According to Openers, the political blog of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, Kucinich will explain his "transition" out of the race at a news conference around noon tomorrow in Cleveland. He promises a "rather lengthy statement" on his reasons for dropping out.
In an exclusive interview, Kucinich also said he would not be endorsing one of his Democratic rivals in the primary race, perhaps a surprising decision considering that he had urged supporters to back Barack Obama as a second choice in the Iowa caucuses. See the Plain Dealer's interview here.
In recent weeks, Kucinich has been spending much of his time and energy trying to maintain some kind of role in an increasingly whittled-down Democratic field. In particular, he has vocally (and in some cases legally) contested his exclusion from several televised debates.
But in recent days, the Ohio congressman's attentions have turned back to his home turf, where he faces primary challenges from Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman and North Olmstead Mayor Thomas O'Grady, among others.
Kucinich sent out an e-mail and video message to supporters yesterday asking for help in his quest to retain the congressional seat he has held since 1996. "Right now I'm under attack by corporate interests," Kucinich wrote. "And so what I'm asking you to do is to help me stay in Congress, so that I can continue to represent the people of my community, the state of Ohio and the United States of America."
One of his challengers' criticisms -- that he's been too focused on his Quixotic quest to impeach President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney -- doesn't appear to be stopping Kucinich from staying on message. He has vowed to renew that effort next Monday, as Bush prepares to deliver his final State of the Union address.
But in ending his presidential bid, Kucinich leaves his fellow impeachment-hungry liberals without a kindred spirit in the Democratic primary race.
Posted at 4:35 PM
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Campaigns, Democrats, Dennis Kucinich, WH 2008
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