Kucinich Steers Supporters To Obama

Kucinich Steers Supporters To Obama

In an echo of his last minute announcement in 2004, Dennis Kucinich has offered advice to his supporters on where they should go if he's unviable.  But John Edwards, who got Kucinich's provisional backing in 2004, didn't get the nod this time.

"Please caucus for me as your first choice on Thursday with enthusiasm, as an indication of your strong commitment to the principled politics on which this campaign is based," Kucinich told his Iowa email list.  "If for some reason I do not make the 15% threshold in caucuses, I ask you to cast your second round ballot for Senator Barack Obama."

Kucinich has been polling in low single digits and campaigning little in Iowa, and likely to be well below the 15 percent viability threshold in most places. But in a neck and neck race, a delegate here and there could make a big difference Thursday night.

The 2004 Kucinich-Edwards alliance has been credited with helping Edwards to his second place finish and hurting Howard Dean.  Despite their similarity on issues, especially the war, there was hostility between the Dean and Kucinich camps, as Kucinich supporters felt Dean had unfairly claimed the role of top peace candidate.

Dennis Ryan of Iowa City is backing Kucinich as his first choice, but won't follow his candidate's lead in round two.  "I'll probably go for Edwards," Ryan said. "Obama's great, but he doesn't focus on the class issue the way Edwards does, so I like Edwards better."

The Obama campaign quickly embraced Kucinich's support -- their press release landed in in-boxes before the Kucinich announcement itself. “(Kucinich) and I have been fighting for a number of the same priorities -- including an end to the war in Iraq that we both opposed from the start, reforming Washington and creating a better life for America's working families," Obama said in the statement.