The Daily Background

Kucinich throws his support to Obama in Iowa:

Democratic Presidential candidate and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich opened the New Year by publicly asking his Iowa supporters to vote for him in the caucuses this Thursday, and suggesting that if he did not make the 15% threshold, their second ballot should be for Senator Barack Obama. “This is obviously an ‘Iowa-only’ recommendation, as Sen. Obama and I are competing in the New Hampshire primary next Tuesday where I want to be the first choice of New Hampshire voters.

“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.”

Interesting. Viability is usually 15%, although in some cases in Iowa, a candidate is not considered viable unless they have 20% of the vote. Marc Ambinder (link above) cautions that “Last cycle, the Edwards and Kucinich campaigns agreed to tell their supporters to join each other’s preference groups if one or the other didn’t make “threshold.” Edwards advisers now believe that the deal hurt them more than it helped them.” This really shouldn’t be an issue this time however, since A) Obama did not strike a “deal” with Kucinich to give him any of his supporters should he not reach viability in any precincts, and B) Obama’s campaign is convinced they’ll be viable in 100% of Iowa’s almost 1,800 precincts.

Obama, who talked with Kucinich via phone after the announcement, reacted “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. I encourage all Iowans to take part in the caucuses this Thursday – not because it will be good for any one candidate, but because it will be good for our party and the future of our country.”

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