Detroit, Mich. – Dennis Kucinich can't get a fair shake, say his supporters. The media ignore him and the Democratic Party is unhappy with his insurgent candidacy. Corporate media are more interested in the personalities and maneuvers of the front-running candidates, turning minor incidents into big stories.

Just this past week NBC announced that despite meeting their earlier criteria for participation in the next presidential debate – finishing fourth in national polling – Kucinich will be excluded from Tuesday night's forum.

This inexplicable decision has his supporters in an uproar and sending thousands of e-mails to the media giant.

In a campaign stop in Michigan last Friday, the Cleveland-area representative seemed undaunted, however. Before an enthusiastic crowd of activist supporters, Kucinich showed a side to his personality and candidacy rarely portrayed in the media.

Humor, compassion, and a deep sense of morality were on display. In his opening, along with his standard themes of universal health care, ending corporate control of US political and social life, ending free trade policies, a green revolution, and the like, Kucinich called for reclaiming 'a deep sense of the basic principles that we feel as a nation – fairness, compassion, courage, and brotherhood and sisterhood.'


'Strength through peace' is the campaign's main slogan, but the emphasis is on peace. Kucinich's speech was sprinkled with moral claims about the disaster of war, much of which Kucinich derived from religious values.

Coming from a Catholic background but influenced by the non-violent philosophies of Dr. King and Ghandi, Kucinich's appeal to religious sources may not fit well with the evangelical Christian outlook, but it is honest and authentic in ways that the front-running candidates would love to be able replicate.

Religious and moral values aren't the only source of Kucinich's world view; his life experiences defined much of his character. Kucinich told his supporters that he was the oldest of seven children in a working-class family that never owned a home. His family rented homes and apartments, moving from place to place and when times were hard they sometimes lived in the family car.

'It taught me compassion,' he said. It taught him to value concepts like a full employment economy, universal health are, and access to higher education.

'We have to have a president with the understanding and vision to do it,' he said.

Kucinich claimed to share a middle-class outlook despite his congressional career. He owns a home he bought in Cleveland in 1971 for $21,000. Media estimates say his net worth totals less than $200,000, probably the value of his home. Despite six terms in Congress, Kucinich hasn't used his position to build his stock portfolio or fill his bank account.

'Elect a president that can't be bought,' he told the cheering audience.

Kucinich also showed his sense of humor. As he began his speech, someone in the crowd shouted out, 'How do you like Detroit?'

'How do I like Detroit?' he paused. 'Umm. Just a couple games behind Cleveland in the American League.' He then ran for cover behind the podium as Detroit Tigers fans hissed good-naturedly.

Taking questions after the speech, Kucinich spoke directly to issues facing youth and seniors, big industrial cities like Detroit, the unemployed and poor. He looked directly into the eyes of men and women and closely identified with their plight and asked them to join him in the fight for a 'new direction' for the country.

He was accessible and his supporters were eager to be near him and to hear his thoughts. They never seemed afraid to disagree with him or challenge him.

Indeed, one woman took over the stage to urge the crowd to fight for Kucinich's issues. Reggie McNulty, 84, appealed to her seniority to ask one last question as the time for the event ran long. Kucinich agreed and held the microphone as McNulty expressed her love for the congressman.

'Dennis Kucinich, I love you.' she stated. But I am too old to see much of what you are demanding to be implemented, she continued. She seized the microphone and delivered her own stump speech for several minutes, indicating what the Kucinich candidacy is all about.

McNulty said that we can win universal health care, mass transit, a full employment economy, peace and more if we the people are willing to fight for it. It is up to us, not presidents, she indicated.

While compassion, morality, and peace are the Kucinich campaign's main slogans, urging the people to fight with him for real changes is deeply integral to what Kucinich is all about.