When I worked for Dennis Kucinich’s presidential campaign in 2003, he routinely won the most applause at debates but was minimized or entirely left out of the next day’s stories in the corporate media. This meant that peace, and fair trade, and single-payer healthcare were left out too. At one debate at the University of New Hampshire, Kucinich pushed back.
Ted Koppel of ABC opened the debate with questions about endorsements. The second round of questions was about standing in the polls. The third was about the campaigns’ bank accounts. One had to wonder when, if ever, the debate would touch on, you know, what the candidates intended to do if elected. Kucinich cut Koppel off, saying:
“I want the American people to see where media takes politics in this country. We start talking about endorsements, now we’re talking about polls and then talking about money. When you do that you don’t have to talk about what’s important to the American people.”
The applause for this was so intense that the other candidates on the stage started joining in the media bashing. Kucinich had briefly changed the narrative from a horse race to a demand for decent political reporting.
That’s what he should have done on Wednesday when he flipped to support a disastrous health insurance bill. Rather than talking about the legitimacy of the presidency, Kucinich should have talked about the illegitimacy of the current narrative in the corporate media.
The major corporate news outlets, and all the smaller outlets that follow their lead, and all the partisan outlets that obey the White House, have created a false story that was clearly turning Kucinich’s own constituents against him. According to this story, of the dozens of Democrats and over a hundred Republicans not committed to voting for the insurance corporation bailout bill, only Kucinich’s vote mattered, so the blame would go to him if it failed, just as Ralph Nader alone was blamed for Al Gore losing the election that Gore won in Florida in 2000.
Kucinich was to be blamed for denying people healthcare by opposing a bill that makes the healthcare system worse. Now he’ll be credited with helping to provide people with healthcare, even though he’s done the opposite. I think he gave in to the power of a false narrative, and that he ought to have said so. When Kucinich fought with us for impeachment, and John Conyers refused to act, Conyers admitted that his greatest fear was of media hostility. When Kucinich pushes to end wars, other congress members tell us they cannot afford to challenge media nonsense about “supporting the troops.” The corporate media now run our government, and need to be called out.
I don’t think Kucinich flipped because of money, either direct “contributions” or money through the Democratic Party. I think, on the contrary, he hurt himself financially by letting down his supporters across the country. I don’t think he caved into the power of party or presidency directly. I don’t think they threatened to back a challenger or strip his subcommittee chair or block his bills, although all of that might have followed. I think the corporate media has instilled in people the idea that presidents should make laws and that the current president is trying to make a law that can reasonably be called “healthcare reform” or at least “health insurance reform.”
I don’t excuse Kucinich flipping his vote. I just want to find the right explanation for it. There may be many factors I’m unaware of. But I have no doubt that with real freedom of the press in this country it wouldn’t have happened. This sad incident is not an argument for ending the two-party system. That argument has been made overwhelmingly for many years. We must end that system. Nor is this an argument for campaign finance reform, although we won’t survive long without that either.
Nor is this an argument to give up on Dennis Kucinich, since we would clearly have a dramatically better Congress if we had 10 others as good as him. Kucinich’s cave in is most clearly an argument for media reform and for progressive investment in truly independent media.
David Swanson is co-founder of AfterDowningStreet.org and author of the new book Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency and Forming a More Perfect Union by Seven Stories Press. You can order it and find out when tour will be in your town by visiting davidswanson.org/book.
Dude sold out, put party before principle. Obviously his supposed convictions were merely hot air. At least I won’t have to hear you guys spouting off about how principled this guy is and how he’s always looking out for the little guy rather than his own party. You can’t say this bill is a huge sellout and bad for the country, vote for it, and then claim you held firm on your principles. It doesn’t work that way. He’s just another politician now, no more pedestal!
Agree with Bob 100%. It’s nice that Kucinich makes such earnest speeches and periodically stages a symbolic vote in the House, but this was an occasion that required real conviction — because for once his behavior was going to have real (immediate and crucial) impact — and he demonstrated clearly that he has none. It’s all talk. It’s all theater. (And he deserves even more contempt than the rest of the so-called “progressive caucus” for making such a spectacle of himself.)
I feel like an idiot for having believed in this man.
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This post was mentioned on Reddit by mustangmatt: I completely agree. I’m quite shocked he flipped on this. I can’t believe a man like Kucinich isn’t immune to Obama’s charm….
I campaigned for Dennis in 2007 and 2008. I wasn’t old enough to vote in 2004. This was my first election. People told me that he didn’t have a chance of winning and I was naive and responded that it didn’t matter if he had a chance, he stood for what was important. And that’s how I felt then and after wards. Until now. I spent 3 weeks in Iowa camaigning for him and now I just wish I had that time back.
I do not forgive those who know better. Those who know better have to be leaders. I do not forgive Dennis Kucinich.
On the other hand, I sent Dennis Kucinich a “Thank-You” e-mail this morning because I was so grateful and relieved that he will vote yes for the health reform bill. Like Dennis, I fully support and wish we were voting for HR676, but we are not. To get any reform is better than to leave the status quo. Dennis Kucinich and I are both ready for true healthcare reform but America apparently is not. So we will take what we can get. At least it’s something. At least it’s a start.
The DLC democrats are just better republicans we are a corporate nation and the DLC democrats are more rational to the corporations for now. It has never been about Dennis Kucinich the only time he needed support from Obama and Clinton was during the debate in Nevada and he got nada. So in corporate paradise do not expect to much even Rachael Maddow is unwatchable lately. When someone is trying to convince me there are two sides to this corporate nation they must think I am an idiot. Dennis Kucinich leave now leave with your integrity.
Has it occurred to you that compromise isnt the same as flipping? I also worked on Kucinich’s campaign in 03, and I still respect him. A lot of people (including myself) have been recently complaining about Republicans being the “Party of No,” so are you suggesting Kucinich should be the same way? The job of a politician is to honestly portray the facts and to represent the peoples will. He, perhaps more than anyone, has made it clear what this bill means and how it could have been better. But as confused as Americans may be right now, there is a majority who believes this bill is better than nothing. Its just that simple.
I am a constituent of Dennis Kucinich. Dennis has always shown that he listens to his constituents, cares about them and votes for them. The Health Care bill is not perfect but it is a first step. Dennis has always been a strong voice for Health Care reform and this will continue.
Go Dennis!
Dude’s got a super hot wife.
WABISABI PUT IT CORRECTLY. MR. KUCINICH KNEW THAT A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WAS NEEDED. THIS BILL WILL BE REFINED, BUT IT HAS ADDRESSED SOME BASIC REQUIREMENTS…UNIVERSALITY, INSURANCE REFORM AND PREVENTION OVER TREATMENT. THE ALTERNATIVE WAS TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD FOR ANOTHER GENERATION.