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Dennis Kucinich: C'mon, You'll Miss Him When He's Gone

Adding to the list of improbabilities this man of vision sees, it's ain't just UFOs--it's Ron Paul as his running mate. Paul spokesman Jesse Benton tosses some cold water:

"Dr. Paul and Rep. Kucinich are friends and there is a lot of mutual respect," Paul communications director Jesse Benton said in an e-mail when asked whether a running-mate spot on the Kucinich ticket would be attractive to Paul. "They have worked, and will continue to work, together on the ending the war and protecting civil liberties.

"However, Ron wants to substantially cut the size and scope of the federal government. There are too many differences on issues such as taxes and spending to think a joint ticket would be possible."

Esquire's November profile of Kucinich is my favorite--most fun, most surprising, least cringe-inducing--candidate profile I've seen in a non-political mag this season, mostly because Kucinich is, unlike most of the rest of them, actually an inherently interesting character with a unique background. And because he says things like this:

"There's a reality....that stands within existent reality, what's apparent. But there's something just behind it that holds that reality together, kind of in those interstitial spaces. There's another reality there. The way I look at it, translating it into social action, is that that other reality is waiting to be called forward, and made, and set into motion." Kucinich is just warming up. Next come Shelley's Prometheus Unbound, the encyclicals of Pope Leo XIII, Rerum Novarum, the Apostle's Creed -- in Latin -- and the "nexus where spirit infuses matter and transforms it. That's where I live."

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Comments to "Dennis Kucinich: C'mon, You'll Miss Him When He's Gone":

joe | November 27, 2007, 3:01pm | #

Can you imagine how much better this country would be if Ron Paul was a typical Republican and Dennis Kucinich was a typical Democrat?

I just like the idea of Tom DeLay and Chuck Shumer being back-benchers who can't get money from the party at election time.

Guy Montag | November 27, 2007, 3:11pm | #

So, this is what Matt Welch was talking about when he was in the live chat with Nick at WaPo?

Granted, Dr. Paul and Mr. Kucinich do sound like they are from the same planet . . .

Episiarch | November 27, 2007, 3:13pm | #

I just like the idea of Tom DeLay and Chuck Shumer being back-benchers who can't get money from the party at election time.

joe, this may be the only time I say this, but: I like the way you think.

Reinmoose | November 27, 2007, 3:24pm | #

"There's a reality....that stands within existent reality, what's apparent. But there's something just behind it that holds that reality together, kind of in those interstitial spaces. There's another reality there. The way I look at it, translating it into social action, is that that other reality is waiting to be called forward, and made, and set into motion."

buuhhhhhhh....what?

Taktix® | November 27, 2007, 3:30pm | #

Reinmoose,

It's very difficult for people from his planet to translate into human speech. He's actually explaining the meaning of life and the secrets of the universe, but our primitive languages don't have the words to describe the concepts.

Or something...

Rimfax | November 27, 2007, 3:31pm | #

I didn't understand a word of it. He must be brilliant.

Reinmoose | November 27, 2007, 3:31pm | #

Taktix® -

Ohhhhhhhhh... I see.....
*scratches head*

sixstring | November 27, 2007, 3:39pm | #

Awwww, Denny, you had me at "interstitial."

joe | November 27, 2007, 3:39pm | #

Nobody who talks like that can be President.

Now, Secretary of Defense...

Fluffy | November 27, 2007, 3:43pm | #

Come on, it's not that confusing. It's garden variety Platonism / Idealism.

There is a hidden perfect reality, of which our apparent reality is merely a reflection, or perhaps a distorted mask. When you seek the Good, you are working to bring this hidden reality forward into our own blighted world of appearance.

Pro Libertate | November 27, 2007, 3:43pm | #

joe,

Head of FEMA. I assigned the occupant of that office UFO-defense duties in my libertarian president Top 100.

Cleaner44 | November 27, 2007, 3:49pm | #

Ron Paul is steam rolling his way to the Republican nomination. He dominates in straw polls, debate polls, fund raising, web traffic and grass roots networking. I have created a website to support this statement.

Please visit www.thecaseforronpaul.com and judge the evidence for yourself.

Franklin Harris | November 27, 2007, 4:01pm | #

"There's a reality....that stands within existent reality, what's apparent. But there's something just behind it that holds that reality together, kind of in those interstitial spaces. There's another reality there. ..."
Man lives in the sunlit world of what he believes to be reality. But there is, unseen by most, an underworld -- a place that is just as real but not as brightly lit. A Dark Side!

Dennis Kucinich | November 27, 2007, 4:03pm | #

I would like to clarify my statement thusly:

42.

Dennis Kucinich | November 27, 2007, 4:05pm | #

Alternately:

Do not analyze my gibberish! Simply gaze upon Mrs. Kucinich!

dhex | November 27, 2007, 4:09pm | #

Can you imagine how much better this country would be if Ron Paul was a typical Republican and Dennis Kucinich was a typical Democrat?

it would sure be a fuck lot more interesting in the original sense and not what it means now, i.e. "wow look at all the bodies in that 22 car pileup."

TLB | November 27, 2007, 4:12pm | #

Here's one of DK's "CampaignUpdates":

youtube.com/watch?v=0rzzZpK07Q8

If you too were waiting for KevinTrudeau to rush on stage, you aren't far off.

joe | November 27, 2007, 4:32pm | #

dhex,

Do you really think there would be more bodies?

I don't get it. Look at 9/11. Look at Iraq. Look at Iran. Look at the national debt.

Reagan proved that deficits don't matter!. We're fighting evil. I'm supposed to think Paul and Kucinich are loonies? Screw ups? Malevolent?

Why am I supposed to be more afraid a Dennis/Paul world than a Cheney/Reid world?

Pro Libertate | November 27, 2007, 5:07pm | #

joe,

You misread dhex' meaning. Please report to Room 101.

joe | November 27, 2007, 5:10pm | #

Yeah, I must have. That doesn't sound like dhex.

Pro Libertate | November 27, 2007, 5:11pm | #

No, I mean he said the opposite of what you thought he said.

It's okay, Room 101 isn't so bad in the 21st century.

Dennis K's roomate | November 27, 2007, 5:26pm | #

Yo, quit bogarting that shit, Dennis!

P Brooks | November 27, 2007, 5:34pm | #

Was Kucinich educated by Jesuits?

J sub D | November 27, 2007, 5:40pm | #

I just like the idea of Tom DeLay and Chuck Shumer being back-benchers who can't get money from the party at election time.
joe, this may be the only time I say this, but: I like the way you think.
Concur.

loupeznik | November 27, 2007, 6:31pm | #

Joe:
"Nobody who talks like that can be President.

Now, Secretary of Defense..."

How about Fed Chairman

BakedPenguin | November 27, 2007, 6:37pm | #

Fluffy - your explanation @ 3:43 was phenomenal.

Adam W. | November 27, 2007, 7:19pm | #

As nutty as Kucinich may be, he must be doing SOMETHING right: his wife's smokin'

Terry | November 27, 2007, 8:09pm | #

Adam W. Kucnich's wife is both blind and insane.

"Dr. Paul and Rep. Kucinich are friends and there is a lot of mutual respect," Paul communications director Jesse Benton said "

How is that possible? If Paul had any principles he would secretly kill that kook Kucinich.
That is why nobody likes politicans anymore.

Space Toast | November 27, 2007, 9:16pm | #

The only reason people compare them with each other is because they don't understand either: Ron because he fails to deliver crowd-pleasing versions of "no government is good government," and Kuuk because he's a vapid nutjob (whom I simply paraphrase with "teh chemtrails!").

3W | November 27, 2007, 9:19pm | #

As usual with politics lately; the only decent candidates are long-shots.

It's sad because the 2008 election will be the first one in which I will be able to vote (18, woo!).

KoWT | November 28, 2007, 6:54am | #

Andrew Napolitano will be Paul's running mate

jimmy | November 28, 2007, 5:07pm | #

it's nice that some think of kucinich as kind of kooky and fun. those of us who lived in cleveland during his reign of terror know better. besides being more inept than possibly any big-city mayor in history, he was an arrogant power-hungry SOB, and politically crass to the max (flip-flopping from one extreme to the other on abortion, shamelessly supporting an anti-flag-burning amendment, anything to get elected). his two presidential candidacies have been nothing but ego trips.