Kucinich campaign makes last-minute play for Michigan

Elizabeth Kucinich, wife of Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, stopped in Traverse City over the weekend to urge voters to “vote from their heart” and “be idealistic” in the Jan. 15 primary.

She told supporters and other interested people that the complicated Michigan primary provides an opportunity for voters to tell the Democratic Party to stick to progressive values by voting for her husband.

Dennis Kucinich, Hillary Clinton and Mike Gravel are the only still-running Democratic candidates whose names are on the primary ballot here, and Kucinich is the only one to campaign in Michigan.

Tensions within the Democratic Party over Michigan’s move to hold its primary earlier in the year caused Clinton, Obama, Edwards and Kucinich to promise to forgo campaigning in Michigan.

Kucinich, apparently, changed his mind about this. In the days before the Jan. 15 primary, Kucinich and wife Elizabeth scheduled several campaign events across the state.

Continued -“Why should Michigan get written off? NAFTA caused jobs to leave this area, we need health care and education.” said Elizabeth.

“The mainstream Democratic party is uncommitted to change on the war and on health care.”

Supporters of Obama and Edwards — who withdrew from the Michigan ballot — are urging a vote of “Uncommitted” in the upcoming election.

Elizabeth, a British citizen who is observing an American presidential race for the first time, said she is saddened and amazed by how frequently people say that Dennis Kucinich represents their principles but that they are afraid to vote for him.

She said that Kucinich is the only candidate that never supported the war in Iraq or the Patriot Act and that he plans to create a universal health-care program and a federal “green” jobs program.

How to improve the floundering state economy while addressing ecological concerns was the central issue of the day for some politically engaged high school students who gathered at Horizon bookstore in downtown Traverse City for the Kucinich campaign event.

“What she said sounded right to me,” said Nell Cunningham.

“Michigan is in an economic crisis and we have the greatest natural resources, so much fresh water,” said Hannah Stone.  “But the environment goes hand-in-hand with the auto industry. If we don’t act now to cut down our CO2 emissions, there won’t be time. We need a new industry.”

For these students, Franklin Delano Roosevelt is a favorite president.

“He pulled us out of the Depression, founded the CCC, got us out of a war, and he had fireside chats,” said Michael Zimmerman.

While the Kucinich plan to stimulate “green” industry with a federal jobs program was seen as a positive step by these young people, they said they were pinning their hopes on Barack Obama.