This is my candidate!

And this why he remains my candidate, even though he ended his 2008 Presidential campaign in January:

Rep. Kucinich calls for Bush impeachment, by JoAnne Allen, Reuters.

Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich defied his party leadership on Monday by calling for the impeachment of U.S. President George W. Bush for launching the Iraq war -- but his move was not expected to go anywhere. [Because none of his colleagues--the 434 other members of Congress elected by the American people--will support him.]

The Ohio representative outlined his intention to propose more than two dozen charges against Bush on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Kucinich, a former presidential candidate, accused Bush executing a "calculated and wide-ranging strategy" to deceive citizens and Congress into believing that Iraq posed an imminent threat to the United States.

He outlined 35 articles of impeachment, including the current administration's actions regarding Medicare, the Iraq War, Hurricane Katrina and September 11, 2001. He stood up for over three hours tonight, addressing five people in an otherwise empty House. The entire speech was covered on CSPAN.

Over on CNN, Anderson Cooper had a discussion with two black men and one white man about whether Barack Obama should point out that in addition to possibly being the first black President of the United States, he would also be the 14th Scottish-Irish President. Tomorrow Anderson will hear opinions from Colin Farrell and a box of Lucky Charms.

I'll look for a transcript of the Articles so you can read for yourself why the Bush administration should be prosecuted. Also from the Reuters article,

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has repeatedly said she opposes trying to remove the Republican president who leaves office next January because such an attempt would be divisive and most likely unsuccessful.

So we should simply let documented criminals run free because it would be "divisive" and "unsuccessful" to prosecute them? I know that's not an exact quote from Speaker Pelosi, but that it the sentiment she has repeatedly expressed. Here's an exact quote:

"I have said it before and I will say it again: Impeachment is off the table," Pelosi, D-Calif., said during a news conference.

I wish Speaker Pelosi would visit some veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan; the soldiers and Marines going through post-traumatic stress disorder; the 4,000+ dead Americans, the hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis, and the millions of displaced people who can never go home to their country again; the families affected by the loss of a mother or father or brother or sister or daughter or son due to war; the 9/11 rescue workers plagued with chronic respiratory failure; the women serving in the U.S. military who are "more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq"; and the residents of New Orleans who 1) still can't go back home and 2) are being poisoned by formaldehyde-soaked trailers.

I wish she would tell them to their faces that we can't impeach the people squatting in the White House because it's too tough. Like math. Or starting an illegal war. Oops, that one's easy.

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Now I can't vote for anyone in the primary.

Kucinich Drops Out, The Nation via Yahoo! News. Emphases mine.

. . . [Dennis Kucinich] has been a forceful critic of the Bush Administration, opposing the Patriot Act and spearheading the motion to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney. He is the only candidate to have voted against the Iraq War in 2003 and has voted against funding it ever since. Of all the serious candidates, only he and Governor Bill Richardson propose a full and immediate withdrawal from Iraq. And only Kucinich's plan sets aside funds for reparations. Moreover, Kucinich has used his presidential campaigns to champion issues like cutting the military budget and abolishing nuclear weapons; universal, single-payer healthcare; campaign finance reform; same-sex marriage and an end to the death penalty and the war on drugs. A vote for him would be a principled one [despite what my friends and associates have said]. But for reasons that have to do with the corrupting influence of money and media on national elections as well as with his campaign's shortcomings--such as its failure to organize a grassroots base of donors and web activists--a democratic mass movement has not coalesced around Kucinich's run for President.

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Two lovely people I've never met.

We need more people like these on our screens and in our government. And by "these" people, I mean intelligent individuals who want to move our country and its citizens forward. People who think about social, cultural and political issues, and who encourage others to do the same.

Separate But Equal

After watching most of the Visible Vote 08: A Presidential Forum on Logo last night, I have now chosen my candidate: Dennis Kucinich. I don't care that some say he looks like "a cross between a hobbit and mole" and that he's "soooo left that he’ll never get nominated." He is indeed "idealistic and amazing," which is more than I can say for the other candidates, aside from Mike Gravel. They had the gall to show up to the LGBT forum, tried to convince the room that civil unions were just as good as straight marriages, and then got defensive when the queer moderators challenged their bigoted beliefs. Senator Obama had the nerve to bring up his miscegenating parents as proof of his understanding of fighting for equality, then got all mad when Jonathan Capehart from the Washington Post asked him, "how can you run as a candidate of change when your stance is decidedly old-school?" I haven't watched the Hillary part yet, so I can't comment on her.

So far, here is my second favorite part of the forum, 18 minutes of love and hope:

Kucinich at HRC Logo Dem Forum



Did you hear what he had to say about health care? Yep, that's right. Coverage for all.

My first favorite part of the Logo special? The gratuitous shots of NPH in the audience. This week I've been watching Season One of Doogie Howser, M.D., courtesy of N.S.B. If I had watched the show when in first came out in 1989, I would have been so in love with Neil Patrick Harris. The only thing stopping me from watching his latest series, How I Met Your Mother, is . . . the rest of the show. I don't need anymore white male focused heteronormative fantasy shoved down my throat. Hence, I will not be seeing Superbad (shocker!) no matter how much Dustin and Dan will probably love it and anything else Apatow pulls out of his tuchis, and no matter how cute Michael Cera totally is.

I did like NPH in Stark Raving Mad, though. What, you don't remember that NBC show with the former child star all grown up and doing something wacky? With his lookalike brothers?

Sunshine and Overcast Drizzle

The raininess: I took my first practice full-length GMAT in my room today. It was so hard. I kept freezing on the work problems and the reading comprehension. I almost didn't finish the Quantitative section. I think I did okay on the Analytical Writing Assessment, which I only recently discovered doesn't count in your Total GMAT score. I have four weeks until the real exam, so I can do better. I am going to continue studying diligently. I need a hug.

#

Sunshine: I was reading The Argonaut last night for the first time in years, and I came across this article, Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich is keynote speaker at West L.A. Democratic Club, by Helga Gendell. I should read this free newspaper more often. Here are some choice excerpts:

Kucinich said he wants to be a healing president, end the occupation of Iraq, and restate America's position in the world...

...On nuclear weapons, he said that it's not for the U.S. to pick who should or shouldn't have nuclear power, asking, 'Do we want the threat of extinction for our children and grandchildren?'

Kucinich advocates getting rid of all nuclear weapons, referring to the non-proliferation treaty that provides for all nuclear weapons to be abolished.

On abortion, Kucinich said that the ruling on partial-birth abortion by the Supreme Court 'was very destructive, and that Roe v. Wade has to be protected to protect women's rights to privacy and the right to decide, working with their doctor.'

America needs a culture that affirms life and heals, providing for pre-natal and post-natal care, a living wage, economic opportunities and giving people the right to make choices, he said.

Regarding immigration, Kucinich said, 'It's a great shame that slave labor is allowed to exist and that system needs to be stopped.'

'No fines should be paid (by immigrants), no one should be made to go back, and we should stop scapegoating immigrants,' said Kucinich...

...The education system is becoming dangerous, creating a two-class society, and education has become a privilege rather than a right, said Kucinich.

On the subject of student loans and tuition, the question is always, 'Where will we get the money?' said Kucinich.

No one asked, 'Where will we get the money when we went to war in Iraq and borrowed money from China to fight,' Kucinich said.

And my favorite part:

Another audience member asked if the candidate is still supporting a 'Department of Peace' to look at society's issues ' domestic violence with spousal and child abuse, school violence, gangs, guns, racial violence, anti-gay violence and police clashes with citizens ' and Kucinich said he had proposed a bill and that 62 members of Congress already support the idea.

I don't understand why all the mainstream coverage mocks Dennis Kucinich as a funny-looking kook with crazy ideas. He's no John Edwards, but he does have valid facts and opinions to add to the political discourse. I don't fully understand why NOW is endorsing Senator Clinton when Senator Clinton still hasn't apologized for essentially authorizing the illegal occupation of Iraq. Peace is good for women. War is not. I hate that I had to get informed about a two-time Presidential candidate by accidentally reading an article in the middle of my local newspaper. I should be getting this on my TV, front and center.