Oregonian - Kucinich Blasts Trade Pacts, Insurance Companies

News Article

Oregonian - Kucinich Blasts Trade Pacts, Insurance Companies

Candidate - The Democrat tells a labor group that he'd repeal NAFTA, leave the WTO

JANIE HAR, The Oregonian Staff

SEASIDE -- Two-time Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich kicked off the Oregon AFL-CIO's convention on Sunday with a speech heavy on health care, trade and ending the war in Iraq.

The labor group's multi-day convention officially starts today with appearances by major Oregon Democrats, including Gov. Ted Kulongoski.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, another Democratic presidential candidate, is scheduled to speak Tuesday.

Kucinich, a congressman from Ohio, may trail better-known candidates in raising money, but he wowed the crowd of about 200 at the opening party at the Best Western Oceanview Resort.

They hooted and cheered several times during his 40-minute speech, especially when he hit hard on repealing the North American Free Trade Agreement and getting the United States out of the World Trade Organization, both moves popular with labor.

And they loved that he made fun of other presidential candidates for refusing to stand up to health insurance companies, which he says are driving health care into the ground.

"Somebody's running for president of the United States and they're saying they can't take on the insurance companies? Let me tell you, I'm ready for that," he said. "If you can't take on the insurance companies, who else can't you take on?"

As for the Bush administration, he said that he would put President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other top Cabinet members on trial for starting the war in Iraq. "To me, it's a matter of simple justice."

Kucinich lags far behind the front-runners, Sens. Hillary Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois, in raising money. But his supporters are adamant that he best represents the values of the Democratic Party.

A small knot of Kucinich supporters braved the rain to welcome him to Seaside. Among them was Lena Weil, a 36-year-old homemaker, Seaside resident and Kucinich campaign leader.

"I was a Hillary gal first just by default, and I decided to look into the other candidates," she said. "I looked at his voting record, and I was amazed. He's the perfect Democrat."

Oregon AFL-CIO President Tom Chamberlain said the group invited all the major presidential candidates, Democrats and Republicans. He said the union group won't endorse a candidate in the Democratic presidential primary.

Kucinich has visited Oregon at least twice this year, said state campaign chairwoman Claire McGee. Kucinich said he plans many more visits.

"We're going to be here a lot," he said. "I have a very big following in Oregon."

Afterward, he dashed back to Portland for a private $300-per-head fundraiser in a Hawthorne neighborhood home.

Source