Obama to Name Kucinich Running Mate

Word from within the Obama New Hampshire campaign is that the Illinois Senator plans to announce that Dennis Kucinich will be his running mate after the New Hampshire primary.

According to a source close to Obama New Hampshire campaign chair, Ned Helms, Obama believes that among potential VP candidates, Dennis Kucinich is the best voice for the kind of fundamental change Obama is promising voters.

"Dennis has always been the 'worker bee' in this fight to end the war and change the way American works," said Danie Zeiss, an Obama insider from Sanbornton.

A key factor in Obama's decision is the generous offer Kucinich made in Iowa to have his supporters switch to Obama if he, Kucinich, did not reach a certain threshold of voters during the caucuses.

As reported on The Raw Story:

Obama was pleased with the development. "I have a lot of respect for Congressman Kucinich, and I’m honored that he has done this, because we both believe deeply in the need for fundamental change," he said in a statement. "He and I have been fighting for a number of the same priorities -- including an end to the war in Iraq that we both opposed from the start, reforming Washington and creating a better life for America's working families."

My own speculation is that aside from the ideological connection this is payback from Kucinich to the Clinton campaign for discussing with John Edwards the idea of dropping Kucinich and other "marginal" candidates from the debates.

Kucinich was livid.

The Kucinich for President Campaign is expressing "outrage" over rival candidates Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, who "were overheard collaborating on a strategy to eliminate other Democratic candidates from future debates and forums.....Candidates, no matter how important or influential they perceive themselves to be, do not have and should not have the power to determine who is allowed to speak to the American public and who is not," the congressman said. Imperial candidates are as repugnant to the American people and to our Democracy as an imperial President."

According to our source in the Obama campaign, the Senator will not formally name Kucinich until after the New Hampshire primary in the belief that Obama already has enough momentum to win the Granite State. Kucinich will be of better use to him in the weeks running up to the big February 5 contests, the source told us.

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