Why are the Neocons so interested in cleaning up Denny's racist past? John Ashcorft ordered US Attorney to defend Kucinich against defammation charges
"Ashcroft's Justice Department ordered the U.S. Attorney in Cleveland to defend a libel suit brought against the left-wing Congressman to defend himself from charges that he started his political career as a racist. That action saved Kucinich from having to hire high-priced attorneys to defend him." http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/010952.php

Josh Marshall's Blog makes reference to the Cleveland Magazine's 1972 article that started the controversy.

Censored commentary on the Green Party and its NAZI ROOTS

Parody of the Kucinich 'campaign' (Note: This site seems to be put up by right wingers, but Denny did give them the ammunition)

A Black Man says, Back in the day, Kucinish was a racist opportunist

Ballon Juice Blog

Daily Kos's account of Kucinich's Flip Flops on Abortion

Katha Pollitt "Regressive progressive, The Nation, May 27, 2002

Preserved Balloon Juice Posts readers call Dennis a "woo woo" and claim he's to far "out there" to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate

Others agree - Dennis' campaign will be a laugh riot to watch - and a big help to Dubya.

WAY WAY OUT THERE

Many Kucinich supporters are way out there
source -- http://www.kucinich.com/Way%20Out%20There.htm

"Moonbeam Congressman"
"Chris Griscom, whom he described as a close friend and adviser. Griscom is a well-known spiritual adviser whose Web site describes her institute as an "enchanting center for spiritual healing and multi-incarnational exploration."

Kucinich traveled to Galisteo, N.M., to meet her in the mid-1980s, a time when he was an unemployed politician.

The MacLaine factor

Kucinich's friend Shirley MacLaine, who is also the godmother of Kucinich's daughter, recommended he visit Griscom. MacLaine had featured Griscom in her then-best-selling book, "Dancing in the Light," describing how Griscom helped her communicate with trees.

At the time, Kucinich insisted that Griscom was not his spiritual adviser but a "teacher and a very good friend."

Kucinich also has built a relationship with John Hagelin, a Harvard-trained physicist and the Natural Law Party's 2000 presidential candidate.

Hagelin, who follows the teachings of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the leader of the transcendental meditation movement, attended Kucinich's presidential campaign stop last month in Fairfield, Iowa, home of the Maharishi University of Management.

Hagelin said Kucinich can count on getting volunteers from Fairfield.

"He's got a lot of natural silence, and an open and clear mind," said Hagelin. "A lot of members of both parties get this. Dennis Kucinich is a little bit more expressive, bolder and less political."

Hagelin is director of the Institute of Science, Technology and Public Policy at Maharishi University, whose Web site also promotes Kucinich's Department of Peace legislation.

The institute also claims it helped Kucinich draft legislation aimed at providing a possible solution to terrorism, following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Kucinich In the Early Days

Via Atrios, we come across Josh Marshall's Talking Points today on Dennis Kucinich --the former mayor of Cleveland who has decided to run for President. It seems Mr. Kucinich has had some dubious racial politics early in his career--or at least some that need explaining.

Basically, in the early days -- before he was running citywide, let alone nationwide -- Kucinich's political schtick was posing as the champion of the 'forgotten' white ethnic voters over against the rising force of black political power. Sort of a great white hope type, or great Slavic hope, if you will.

The source article is in Cleveland Magazine, and you can read a copy here. If the site is down due to traffic, try the cached version here.
Posted Wednesday :: February 26, 2003

Cleveland Magazine.com

The Worst Mayors (1820-1993)

Next, and seventh, is Cleveland's Dennis Kucinich (1977-79). Only thirty-one years old when elected, Cleveland's "boy" mayor had failings that were not the sins of venality or graft for personal gain, but rather matters of style, temperament, and bad judgment in office. Kucinich earned seventh place the hard way: by his abrasive, intemperate, and confrontational populist political style, which led to a disorderly and chaotic administration. He barely survived a recall vote just ten months into office, then disappeared for five weeks, reportedly recuperating from an ulcer. When he got back into the political fray, his demagogic rhetoric and slash-and-burn political style got him into serious trouble when he stubbornly refused to compromise and led Cleveland into financial default in late 1978�the first major city to default since the Great Depression. That led also to Kucinich's defeat and exit from executive office. Out of office, he dabbled in a Hollywoodesque spirit world and once believed he had met actress Shirley MacLaine in a previous life, seemingly confirming his critics' charges that he was a "nut-cake." After that, he experienced downward mobility, losing races for several other offices and finally ending up with a council seat; but more recently, he climbed back up to a seat in Congress. Bad judgment, demagoguery, and default also spelled political failure in the eyes of twenty-five of our experts, who ranked Dennis, whom the press called "the Menace," as seventh-worst.

The American Mayor
The Best & The Worst Big-City Leaders
By Melvin G. Holli
The Pennsylvania State University Press
Posted by: CLEVELAND (OHIO) on March 2, 2003 04:44 PM

This site is under construction - until I get all my links together
try a google search of "kucinich" + "racist"
"kucinich" + "Way out there"
"vedic defense shield"
"John Hagelin" + "Natural Law Party"