Dennis Kucinich.(DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATE)(Biography)

"I am running fro President of the United States to enable the Goddess of Peace to encircle within her arms all the children of this county and all the children of the world."--D. Kucinich

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"Strength through peace," the theme of Dennis Kucinich's presidential campaign, reverses the motto of military preparedness that has long been the conventional wisdom in American politics. The six-term congressman from Ohio's 10th District, now in his second bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, would reverse national policy on a number of issues. He wants America out of Iraq, out of the NAFTA and WTO trade agreements, and out of the war on drugs, which he has called a boon to the "prison-industrial complex." Taking the opposite stand of many of his Democratic rivals, Kucinich has said he has never smoked marijuana, but favors decriminalizing it.

Today's 61-year-old vegan was the "Boy Mayor" of Cleveland 30 years ago, when at age 31 he became the youngest mayor ever elected in a major American city. In a well-publicized battle with several Cleveland banks, he refused to sell the municipally owned electric company to a private concern in which the banks had financial interests. By refusing to roll over the city's debt, the banks pushed Cleveland into default and Kucinich, after barely surviving a recall, was voted out after a single term. His supporters cite the battle as an example of the candidate's willingness to put principle over politics and credit Kucinich with saving ratepayers millions by holding onto "Muny Light," now Cleveland Public Power.

Abortion opponents may draw a different conclusion from Kucinich's reversal of his previous pro-life position shortly before he launched his first presidential bid in 2004. He attributed the switch to "a more intensive dialogue on the issue," leading him to "wholeheartedly support a woman's fight to choose." He has voted against both a federal ban on partial-birth abortion and a bill to restrict the transportation of minors across state lines for the purpose of procuring abortions. He has voted in favor of federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, but against human cloning for reproduction and medical research.

A determined antiwar activist, Kucinich still uses the Vietnam-era peace symbol on his signs and bumper stickers and has sponsored legislation to create a cabinet-level Department of Peace and Nonviolence. He opposed the 2002 resolution authorizing the president to take military action against Iraq and has voted against further funding of ...