In the past, Kucinich has said his presidential aspirations bring attention to the needs of the 10th district, but this time -- sitting with challengers to both sides of him -- his argument was a strictly local one.
Kucinich: "I've served this community well. I've served it not only in many capacities, but my office handles over 10,000 requests for services a year. We take care of people."
Kucinich's chief rival Joe Cimperman, who has built his opposition around some early campaign theater and a commercial that chides Kucinich for his presidential aspirations, took the first shot at the incumbent.
Cimperman: "Unlike the incumbent, Mr. Kucinich, I haven't been absent from northeastern Ohio, I've been here every single day working diligently for the people of my community."
For most of the debate, Cimperman chose to build on his record of accomplishments as councilman for Cleveland's Ward 13. He said when elected he would hire an economic development director whose only job is to bring home jobs to Northeast Ohio. He stressed his success working with all interests to bring 5,000 new jobs to the city and two health clinics in his district.
Bite: "And I'm going to bring that kind of know-how and being able to collaborate with labor and business and residents to bring home economic development to this community."
Cimperman won the Cleveland Plain Dealer's endorsement this time out and the endorsement of Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. Kucinich has the support of the AFL-CIO and the Cuyahoga County Democratic Party.
Barbara Ferris, who is taking her second run at unseating Kucinich, used a question TO KUCINICH ABOUT HIS desire to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney to challenge his effectiveness as a legislator. She noted, correctly, that in his six terms only one Kucinich-sponsored bill has made it into law.
Ferris: "When he introduces legislation it gets put into committee and essentially dies."
Kucinich defended himself, saying that most of his time was spent in a Republican led congress. He later listed house bills for a department of Peace, Universal Pre-Kindergarten, and not-for-profit healthcare as legislative accomplishments -- measures that have yet to be passed into law.
Taking out his pocket copy of the constitution, Kucinich insisted that his drive to impeach Mr. Cheney – or for that matter, president Bush -- isn’t frivolous, it’s crucial.
Kucinich: "The only way you separate a president or vice president from being a king is to hold them accountable to this constitution."
On domestic and foreign policy issues, Kucinich’s opponents were mostly united in their positions, and their opposition to the congressman’s views. .
Cimperman, Ferris, Rosemary Palmer and North Olmsted Mayor Thomas O'Grady, agreed that trade policies had to be more equitable, but none supported Kucinich in his desire to cancel the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Each said should be some form of a phased withdrawal from Iraq, but none supported the Kucinich plan for immediately withdrawing U.S. troops and letting an international peace keeping force stabilize the country.
And, the challengers agreed that hospitals should be taxed unless they could prove their service to the poor and other charitable benchmarks. Kucinch disagreed. He wants much more wide-ranging reform.
Kucinich: "The answer is no because we should have a not for profit healthcare system. That’s what I’ve been proposing."
The five democrats will debate again February 19 at the Crowne Plaza in a sold out event sponsored by the Cleveland City Club.
Kymberli Hagelberg, 90.3