Wed 7/14 @ noon
Why, Dennis, why? Or have you too given up trying to figure out what’s up with this erratic Cleveland political figure and just settled back to observe the crazy ride, which you can do by listening to a livestreamed City Club forum this week?
Once Cleveland’s youngest mayor (1977-79), whose brief term in office was known for administrative chaos, the city’s default, a recall election he barely survived, and his eventual defeat by George Voinovich, Kucinich went on to reinvent himself as a congressman best known for being the darling of dreamy far-left progressives with such proposals as a federal Department of Peace.
They supported him in two quixotic presidential campaigns (2004, 2008). In 2008, Cleveland’s corporate community, still angry after almost 30 years, took advantage of his district’s disgruntlement about his presidential runs and put up a primary candidate against him, an effort which failed. Ultimately, it was redistricting that did him in, when the map pitted him against Toledo Democrat Marcy Kaptur.
He tried to make a comeback by entering the 2018 Democratic primary for governor, losing to Rich Cordray. He recently wrote an 700-page tome about he legendary battle to save Muni Light (now Cleveland Public Power). And now he’s taking another shot at being mayor of Cleveland — this time bidding to be Cleveland’s OLDEST mayor. Once again, he’s got people scratching their heads as he recently sent out a mailer describing Cleveland as a violent hellhole whose streets need to be flooded with cops, a nakedly racist appeal to white voters.
Heaven only knows what he’ll say in the City Club forum where he’ll be interviewed by City Club CEO Dan Moultrop. Listen to the livestream here and find out. If you have questions — and who doesn’t — tweet them to @TheCityClub or text 330.541.5794.
cityclub/a-conversation-with-dennis-kucinich