Despite occupying the cellar in Gallup polls for more than two months, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, continued a dizzying three-day, 11-state tour Tuesday in Albuquerque to formally announce his bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
"This campaign will change America's role in the international community," Kucinich said to about 200 supporters during a fundraiser at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. "This campaign is practical because peace is practical."
At the fundraiser, 2002 New Mexico Green Party gubernatorial candidate David Bacon jumped the party fence so he could vote for Kucinich in the state's February caucus.
"To have Greens who are willing to publicly step forward and support this campaign is essential," Kucinich said. "I consider myself a Green Democrat."
But according to a New Mexico Green Party news release, most state Greens will not support Kucinich or any other Democratic candidate, but will instead favor their party's nominee.
Kucinich also squeezed UNM into his whirlwind Tuesday.
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"This campus community can make such a powerful difference," he said to a crowd of about 150 in the SUB.
Students for Kucinich sponsored the four-term Ohio congressman's stop at the University, which included American Indian dancers, who invited Kucinich to join in their ceremony.
Travis Kellerman, president of the student organization, praised Kucinich for staying at UNM longer than he was slated to.
"I think he really connected with people today," Kellerman said.
As one of only two Democratic candidates in Congress who opposed going to war with Iraq, Kucinich has been highly critical of the Bush administration.
He advocates scrapping legislation such as the North American Free Trade Agreement and creating a government-financed health care system. Kucinich also said the United Nations needs to step in and hand revenue from Iraqi oil over to the Iraqi people.
"No more Halliburton sweetheart deals," he shouted, referencing Vice President Dick Cheney's affiliation with the oil giant. The phrase echoed Kucinich's words during the Democratic presidential debate in Albuquerque last month.
More spending on education is another of his campaign promises.
Kucinich said if elected, he would push legislation to cut Pentagon spending by 15 percent and pour that money into creating free kindergarten for children 3 to 5 years old.
Eliminating Bush tax cuts for people in the top brackets, he said, would uncover funding for public college and university study.
Kucinich has struggled to keep pace with his higher profile, better-funded counterparts. His campaign office reported a paltry $1.7 million in contributions for the three-month period that ended in June, as compared to the $10.2 million collected by front-runner Howard Dean.
Figures for the next three-month period will be released tomorrow.
The other eight candidates have also consistently outranked Kucinich in opinion polls - he has garnered between 1 and 3 percent of the projected vote since August 25, according to Gallup.
Supporters, including Mimi Kennedy of the television show "Dharma and Greg," who is traveling with Kucinich, said the numbers don't matter.
"The reason he's not bringing in the money is the press isn't giving him the visibility," Kennedy said.
Also undeterred by figures, Kucinich said it is "the spirit of America" that keeps him going on the campaign trail.
