In Michigan, Kucinich just can't quit

CLAWSON, Mich. -- The law of unintended consequences has thrown the book at Dennis Kucinich and sentenced him to 15 minutes of fame.How else to explain how a single-digit candidate, ignored by the news media, dismissed as marginal by opponents and dropped from a televised debate, tries unsuccessfully to pull out of this state's abortive Democratic primary and, instead, ends up as queen of a broken prom?Quick history: Kucinich, a Democratic congressman from Cleveland best known for his hard-line opposition to the Iraq War, front-line promotion of national health insurance and his sometimes exotic views on everything from spirituality to UFOs, tried to drop out. He was not alone. All of the Democratic candidates had pledged not to campaign here after the Democratic National Committee sanctioned Michigan's party for moving its primary up to Jan. 15 in violation of party rules.Most of the candidates -- Hillary Rodham Clinton a notable exception -- pulled their names from the ballot. Kucinich tried. He really did."To me, it seemed easy enough," he said Sunday. "Just don't file petitions."But this is Michigan, meaning things are rarely as they seem. Write-in votes must be pre-approved by candidates. Democrats are allowed to vote with the Republicans. Toyota is now the No. 2 American automaker.To not get on the ballot, a candidate has to file papers. Kucinich says he sent a signed letter saying he didn't want to be on the ballot. It was rejected."When they refused it, I decided I would take it as a sign," Kucinich said.So, a congressman from Ohio who posted 1 percent in the New Hampshire primary is the sole Democratic presidential contender on the ground here, and he's drawing crowds, if only for the novelty.Sunday, Kucinich church-hopped across the Detroit metro area. He showed up at Plymouth United Church of Christ, swung by Second Ebenezer Baptist, held court at St. Andrew's Episcopal. He even did late lunch at a hotel called the St. Regis.When last spotted, he was headed to a Hindu temple, a private fund-raiser and a speech before a likeminded crowd at the Justice Caucus fund-raising dinner.Clinton might be the presumptive favorite, and Barack Obama's camp is pushing to pin her ears back by urging people to vote "uncommitted," but whenever the press here needs a Demo-quote, Kucinich cannot be avoided for comment."It's the antithesis of an election," Kucinich said of the Obama "uncommitted" strategy. "I mean, people going in to vote and not making a choice?"Kucinich offers no illusions about winning Tuesday's Democratic primary. In truth, nobody wins, beyond the popularity contest, because the DNC has stripped Michigan of all 156 of its convention delegates.But Kucinich is convinced that if he can turn a ballot for him into the protest vote over a flummoxed primary, he can also push his messages on everything from the Iraq War to the North American Free Trade Agreement to U.S. industrial policy."People say, 'Are you electable?' " the vegetarian Kucinich said over a plate of pasta, squash and zucchini. "I tell them, 'Yes, I am -- if you vote for me.' "It remains to be seen whether Michiganders will vote for Kucinich. Turn out for him, they will.Hundreds packed into St. Andrew's in this Detroit suburb to cheer him."He's the only nurse on the battlefield in Crimea right now. He's the only one talking to us," said Mike Whitty, a business professor at University of Detroit Mercy and a Kucinich supporter.(Dennis B. Roddy can be reached at droddy(at)post-gazette.com.)(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)