Why did Kucinich throw his support behind Obama in Iowa?

I was wondering about this.

Can some Kucinich people explain why he chose to support Obama in Iowa (at least when DK didn't get 15%)?

Why did he choose Obama over say Edwards? Edwards seems closer in spirit to Kucinich?

Sigh

IT was very telling and Kucinich lost me with the talk about a run with Ron Paul

I think if DK can't get what he wants he'll explode and take as many as he can with him

is a maverick and wonderful on policy.

But he is not a leader. Very few in congress have followed him. And he continuously supports Republicans over Democrats. He has refused to support Democrats who run against his "friend" Republican Steve LaTourette, 14th Cong. District.

LaTourette was the deciding vote for CAFTA......but you will never hear Kucinich own up to that.

Dennis is of the "don't do what I do, but what i say" philosophy.


Those of us who know Dennis, are not surprised.

at a conference in Herzliya.

...for Obama seemed to be more anti-Edwards than it was pro-Obama.

I sense that there was a lot that went on behind-the-scenes between
K and E--to which we aren't privy.

K and O are in line on the Iraq war. Obama was against it from the onset.
Furthermore, Obama is a constitutional scholar. Part of his platform is
that our Constitution has been ignored and he does not agree with the "Unitary
Executive" mode in which Bush has been. Also, restoring Habeas Corpus is
a major priority with Obama. I'm sure these things were attractive to
Kucinich. Dennis carries around a copy of the Constitution, and Obama
spent a decade teaching students about the Constitution. Obama obviously
had a profound respect for what our Founding Fathers laid down--unlike
some politicians.

I'm sure others can provide more insightful answers, but that's my best
guess.

thanks for thoughts. I thought the same thing that there must be some kind of rift between DK & Edwards. But, I don't know. They did square off in the previous election, too. Maybe it goes back all that way. But, if there is a rift, I don't know what exactly it is.

Also, I was wondering if perhaps Obama made some back room deal with DK to get his support in Iowa. I think Dk throwing his support was significant to Obama. ALthough Kucinich didn't garner 15% he probably had 5-8% which was close to the margin of victory for Obama in Iowa. And, that win in Iowa certainly got Obama's train jumpstarted. Not surprisingly, you don't hear the mass media talk about this aspect at all.

It just seems that Edwards is more in line with a progressive path. He talks of taking on large, powerful, monied interests and how hard that is going to be. Edwards states that these interests are very entrenched and will stop at practically nothing to keep the status quo. I think Edwards is right about all that. Edwards seems like a better candidate for the normal, working guy than Obama, and so, as someone who has always liked DK, I was just wondering why he chose to throw his support behind Obama instead of Edwards.

...so he picked the best of a bad lot, and then offered only tepid, highly qualified support.

I'm with Kooch on this one-Edwards has made lots of money from the subprime mortgage industry that is currently throwing thousands of people out of their homes. Edwards should sell out and distribute his obscene profits to the victims. He can afford it, and it would prove that he is a man of the people after all.

That he trusts Obama more, while his language might not be as enshrouded in Liberal rhetoric, his record is. While Edwards has a very strong liberal rhetoric he also have a more conservative record.(AKA Kucinich favors the record over the rhetoric)

playing well with others..and he stands a big chance of losing his seat....

So obviously i can't read his mind, but i can make an guess

The above is my assumption on why he would support Obama over Edwards, to me it seems fairly logical

Kucinich is the anti-Obama, he sold his soul with that endorsement.

FWIW...

He was asked point-blank why he didn't send unviables to Edwards, seeing as he has the most progressive platform of the front-runners.

Dennis started in saying he's gotten to know all of the candidates, then he stopped short of criticizing Edwards and just said that Obama is very sincere.

I missed last week's Moyer's show

No evidence to back that up, just a gut feeling.

the war and will not support anyone who voted for it.
I personally like Edwards, but I won't vote for anyone who voted for the war if I have a choice to vote for someone who voted against it.

It's only been explained about a skidillion times in a brazillion posts

That's all Kucinich has ever said on the matter of Obama. When asked by Tucker, why not Edwards? Kucinich said it was because Obama is "sincere." Does it mean he thinks Edwards is not "sincere"? I think so.