Ben,

Your point is well taken, but you need to understand the REALITY not the FANTASY of the situation.

I am 100% behind Dennis's proposed policies, and I have seen him live three times. I have shaken his hand and met him personally. While I FULLY support his ideas, I do NOT feel like he EVER had the public presence and ability to communicate with the mainstream. It IS important to push Dennis's agenda, as it is sane and responsible and ritious. But he barely got 1 % average of the vote. You can blame the media or whatever, and you would be right, but it aint going to do shit. The FACT of the matter is that it is Kerry vs Bush. Not Edwards, not Dean and certainly NOT Dennis or Leonard. We DO need to support the activists like them ( I do not consider either one of them VIABLE candidates) but activists, as they are bringing up the REAL issues and holding the truth on high. THIS IS VERY VERY IMPORTANT. But the reality, for whatever your judgement may be about it, (and you would probably be right) is that it is shrub Vs. Kerry, and that is definitetly the overwhelming choice of the American people. I do NOT believe it is just a media manipulation and that Kerry is being shoved down our throats. You need to wake up to a few things that most progressive and left folks especially are out of touch with. The American people do not think like Santa Cruzan's or even Californian's. It is a big country out there. You can't have it your way just cause you know it is right. We have to deal with the reality of the situation. Bare with me here:

I initially also though the it was a skull and bones "coup" and that it was all being orchestrated so they covered it from both sides. I now believe strongly that that generalization is not only not true, but does not serve us now, in our final hour of chance to derail the most dangerous adminstration in the history of the planet. So you can whine all you want about storming the convention and RAMMING YOUR CHOICE DOWN THE PEOPLE'S THROATS, but Ben, the American people did not choose Dennis. It is NOT about Dennis Ben, it is about Bush versus Kerry, and if you want to wake up and smell the roses and help to divert the biggest calamaty that has ever happened on the planet (what will happen with
"four more years" is FAR worse than the first four. It will be a fucking nightmare of untold purportions. It will make the first four look like a trial run. Seeing clearly and STRATEGICALLY is vital at this moment.

Consider this. The agenda's that are close to your heart (peace, healthy environment, sane foreign policy etc etc) is going to take ongoing activism and eduation and work.

You have two choices: You can continue your good activism to move this country back to a place of sanity under the right wing bush agenda or you can continue your good work under the Kerry administration. That's it! Those are your ONLY two choices!! WHICH WILL IT BE???

We could argue for fucking months about the media black out on Kucinich, Skull and bones, the fact that Kerry is wealthy elite or whatever, and sorry but it doesn't mean jack shit! It's just political masterbation at this point.

See the Larger picture, and consider what I am saying here. I am not saying that Kerry is perfect, but neither are you! Neither am I!

He is going to be walking into a very dangerous and complex situation and I am FULLY convinced that Kerry is going to make a FAR better president than bush. What do YOU think.

The time for your approach is over. Your words sounds infantile and immature "storm the democratic..." give me a fucking break. Are you a baby or a mature acitist.

Remember, ONLY two choices, like it or not:

continue working for justice under the bush regime or under Kerry.

Think about it. Every moment you waste thinking Dennis or anyone else can defeat bush is delusional. As much as I love Dennis' policies, all three times I heard him I cringed. CRINGED!!!

You may be blinded by your devotion to truth, and did not notice that Dennis does not nearly have the presence and communication skills to communicate OUTSIDE of the left. I saw this early on. One of the most left wing anti bush talk shows in the bay area had him on his show a while back and said he was absolutely NOT impressed with Dennis Kucinich. What to say to say of the average American.

Bay area, left wing, activist types (which I am fully one) are generally VERY out of touch with people outside our bubble.

Take a trip around the country and meet real people from all walks of life, not just hippies or activists or Santa Cruzan's or whatever, and get a clue about what is going on in this country.

We are fortunate to have an outspoken, vietnam vet and vietnam WAR PROTESTER, who is passionately, and very sincerely committed to exposing the Bush lies and right wing agenda and bringing a sane and far far more liberal balanced agenda to this country.

It may not be heaven on earth, but it may significantly derail the right wing agenda.

Kerry is NOT bush, and he is NOT a right wing idealogue. The generalizations and lack of differentiation as well as your obviously being out of touch with the rest of the country outside of those who support your world view exibit an imature level of perception and a lack of vision of the larger picture. It's not JUST about the Iraq war, it is the whole picture.
Please consider.

There is much work to be done. Thank you