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Posted: January 3, 2008 2:27 PM
Granite State-focused Kucinich Offers Iowa Boost to Obama
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Long-shot peace candidate Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, is spending the day of the Iowa caucuses pretty much ignoring the Hawkeye State.

Given the rules surrounding the caucuses — a Democratic candidate needs the support of 15 percent of people attending the meeting to remain in the race — Kucinich, who has been polling around 1 percent in the state, has instead decided to focus on the first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire next Tuesday.

In fact, Kucinich will be in New Hampshire all day meeting with voters in Durham and Keene.

Despite his decision to look beyond Iowa, he still had a message for his supporters — back Barack.

In a statement on his Web site, the congressman urged Iowa supporters to turn out and — assuming he fails to make the 15 percent needed to remain viable — support Illinois Democratic Sen. Barack Obama.

“I hope Iowans will caucus for me as their first choice this Thursday, because of my singular positions on the war, on health care, and trade. This is an opportunity for people to stand up for themselves. But in those caucus locations where my support doesn’t reach the necessary threshold, I strongly encourage all of my supporters to make Barack Obama their second choice. Sen. Obama and I have one thing in common: Change.”

Kucinich was careful to add, “This is obviously an ‘Iowa-only’ recommendation.”