KUCINICH SETS UP SHOP, PROMISES CHANGE

Photo: Staff photo by Don Himsel. U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio,
embraces Linda Macia of Manchester while addressing a crowd brought
together for the opening of his Manchester presidential campaign office
Monday morning. Kucinich had just mentioned his stance on health care and
was taking questions when he turned his attention to Macia, who is
wheelchair bound and described herself as ill, and had brought up the issue
of medical marijuana use.

MANCHESTER -- How does a relatively unknown presidential candidate become a
familiar face?

He opens his campaign headquarters in New Hampshire, the all-important
first-in-the-nation primary state. Then he directly challenges his party's
current dark horse and media darling, predicting he will steal that niche
just in time for a primary win.

U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio achieved the first part of that strategy
Monday, when he opened his Manchester campaign office, his first in the
state. Now, he will embark on the more challenging part of the plan.

Consistently at the bottom of the nine-candidate Democratic pack in
national and state polls, Kucinich went right after former Vermont Gov.
Howard Dean -- the media favorite.

"Polls are simply a matter of what name is recognized today, but the
election is not today," he said. "What you see here, this turnout, is a
reflection of passionate people" who will determine the primary winner, he
said.

"As the issues are defined, it's going to be very clear that my campaign
represents the progressive alternative for Democrats. It's the progressive
alternative. It's the liberal alternative."

Dean recently made the cover of Time and Newsweek magazines in the same
week, the result of fund-raising success, a still-growing base of
grassroots supporters and the perception of some in the media that he
speaks straightforwardly on issues that differentiate him from the other
Democrats.

But Kucinich wanted the large throng of supporters and curious that packed
his Elm Street headquarters to know that he, not Dean, has the interest of
progressive liberals at the heart of his campaign.

He vowed to introduce legislation that would abolish the Patriot Act, a law
that he said undermines civil rights. He also wants to repeal the North
American Free Trade Agreement and cut defense spending so that taxpayer
money could better support domestic programs such as education and housing.

Kucinich promised to spend more time in the Granite State; this was his
third visit. And he vowed to peak at the right time, in February, by
campaigning hard over the next five months.

Brendan King of Tamworth is one of the progressive liberals Kucinich will
target. King believes Kucinich will catch on in New Hampshire and usurp
Dean because the former Vermont governor is "more moderate" on issues such
as health care, Iraq and drugs.

Linda Macia of Manchester said Kucinich is the first candidate she has met
who supports the legalization of medicinal marijuana.

She said Dean, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, Rep. Dick Gephardt of
Missouri and Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina "are busy flip-flopping."

"They tell you to your face (they support it) and do another," she said.

Macia, who uses a wheelchair, said she is allergic to prescription
narcotics and believes marijuana could help her.

She will, however, talk to other candidates before choosing which one to
back in the primary, she said.