Democratic candidate to visit campus

A candidate for United States president is coming to CSU on

Thursday.

“He’s a serious guy with an incredible range of public service,”

said CSU Political Science Professor Scott Moore. “He has things to

say and he’s not going to tell you what you expect to hear.”

Dennis Kucinich, the candidate, is scheduled to hold a campus

rally in the Shepardson Building, room 118, on Thursday at 3

p.m.

Although John Kerry has secured the Democratic presidential

nomination, Kucinich continues to campaign.

“I tend to take more seriously people who are campaigning who

have the least chance of winning,” Moore said. “He’s got a message

and he believes in it.”

Kucinich generally takes liberal stances on issues such as the

World Trade Organization, the Iraq War, labor issues and

environmental issues. Due to his belief in sustainability, Kucinich

is even a vegan, meaning he does not eat meat or any animal

by-products like eggs and milk.

“He’ll probably try to poke a hole in the conventional wisdom,

and there’s no better place to do that than on a college campus,”

Moore said.

The College Republicans have reacted by not reacting.

“In all honesty, personally the guy’s a joke,” said Robert Lee,

former state vice chairman for the College Republicans. “His

policies are so left leaning the Democrat Party won’t listen to him

at all.”

Lee said Kucinich has no effect on college students in

Colorado.

“If he wants to kind of continue to feed his ego then he can

continue to spend his money, but he’s nothing that I or any other

Colorado Republican or any Republican outside of Cleveland have to

worry about,” Lee said.

Cheryl Beckett, a campaign worker for the Kucinich campaign,

said Kucinich is here more to bring light to issues than to

actually campaign.

“If he gets caucus support then they are basically able to say

that it has been shown that people are interested in these points,”

Beckett said.

According to Beckett, the media has ignored Kucinich.

“People are not getting any of the messages that are coming

forward,” Beckett said. “The media is making up its mind about who

they are going to support and bring forward in this presidential

election.”

Beckett said exposure could help bring Kucinich’s points to the

national democratic platform.

“He’s a person that’s worth hearing, because he’s proven himself

to be strong against corporate interests,” Beckett said.

Ashleigh McBeth, president of the Young Democrats, said they do

not currently endorse any one candidate because the Democratic

National Convention has yet to be held. Therefore, they do not

support Kucinich, but are excited about his visit.

McBeth encouraged students to open their minds and listen to

some of Kucinich’s ideas.

“Basically (the Young Democrats are) here to educate the

students,” McBeth said.

The Young Democrats have also helped publicize his visit in

minimal ways.

“I will definitely be there,” McBeth said. “He’s still one of

the government leaders. Running for president is a big deal.”