DENNIS KUCINICH MEETS WITH HIS DELEGATES AT JULIE HALL IN BOSTON ON JULY 25TH - COMMENTS BY LENORE LUSCHER [via "kucinich4president" Yahoo Group]

“It’s challenging to run INSIDE the Democratic Party!” Dennis spoke to his delegates Sunday afternoon in the atrium of Julie Hall at Emmanuel College, where many volunteers are staying for the convention in Boston this week. But first, he listened. He politely declined Convention Coordinator Tim Carpenter’s suggestion that, since time was short, he first make a few remarks. Dennis wanted to hear what the delegates had to say to him. There is an almost unanimous strong desire among Kucinich delegates to vote for Dennis in the first round, though supporting John Kerry in the campaign for President.

For an hour, Dennis listened intently, taking notes, as most of the delegates present had their one-minute say. “I’m hearing my own words come back to me,” he said at the end. “We have to say simultaneously: ‘We are the Party’ and ‘The Party is becoming us.’ “We stand at the start of the convention, and some say there is no path. There will be one, once we create it. “While we support Kerry, we’re not in any way backing down from what we stand for. You know, 9 out of 10 of all the delegates at this convention already agree with us on just about everything. This morning, the New York Times reported that 9 out of 10 delegates polled oppose the war! In that case, they’re probably nine-and-a-half out of ten in favor of universal single-payer health care.” Kucinich then talked about what is called “cognitive dissonance,” the holding (by many voters and Kerry delegates) of mutually opposing positions simultaneously, adding that we can help clear up this conflict. “I have to hold our position in the Party, in order to keep pressing for change. We’ve come to the heart and soul of the Party, and THEY need US. We have credibility inside the Democratic Party,” Kucinich said.

He finally held up the two pages of notes he had made before coming, the beginnings of what he plans to say this week, followed by page after endless page of notes he had just made as he listened to the delegates’ concerns here this afternoon. Tomorrow (Monday) afternoon, before the convention opens, he will meet again with his delegates to work out strategy for exactly how we can bring the concerns of all the progressives across the country before the convention. The hallway and stairs overlooking the atrium were filled with volunteers watching the proceedings, and Dennis asked at the end to hear from some of them, too, before he left. The meeting ended with heartfelt singing of “Imagine,” followed by a spontaneous chanting of “Peace Now!”  Lenore Luscher