WASHINGTON (CNN) - Rep. Dennis Kucinich will announce he is abandoning his long shot bid for the White House in a news conference Friday, his campaign confirms to CNN.
In an interview with the Cleveland Plain-Dealer earlier Thursday, the Ohio Democrat said he plans on “transitioning out of the Democratic Presidential primary race" to focus on a "new direction."
His spokesman tells CNN the former presidential candidate is now gearing up for his congressional re-election campaign. Kucinich faces four candidates in a Democratic primary for his seat on March 4, and has faced criticism for devoting much of his attention to running for president.
In his interview with the Plain-Dealer, Kucinich said he will give a much lengthier statement Friday.
This was Kucinich's second bid for the White House - he first ran in 2004. The latest CNN Poll showed him drawing 3 percent of support among registered Democrats nationally.
– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
From CNN Politics
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This is a sad day for America. He is the ONE person that actually stood up for his beliefs. The people that mock him (Liberals/Democrats) should reach deep down and think about the his courage to tell the truth. Did Obama, or Clinton, or Edwards, or Dodd........ have the courage to try and impeach Cheney and Bush? You know it is the right thing to do. Who did NOT vote for the Patriot Act? Who has not voted for the War in Iraq? The people that call themselves liberals should look at his record and what he stands for.......then reflect on what ,and who you support. Let's just hope that you have the insight to NOT support a Clinton presidency. Those who mock Kucinich should really take a good look at what they believe. The world would be much better off if he were President. PEACE as a foriegn policy stance!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow! Why would anyone NOT want this? Those of you who did not support Dennis, .......you are just pawns of the media and the sad, sad state of this country.
Oh dear...he found out the UFO's in Texas weren't real aliens after all, and lost all his support from the skies.
Got news for ya Dennis...they couldn't have voted if they were, cuz they'd be ILLEGAL aliens.
>He was one of a few good people in the running and we are worse off for his loss (remember that he asked people to get behind Obama in Iowa if he didn't garner 15% at the caucuses.. who else would say something like that?).
Lots of unviable candidates. As an Iowan and precinct captain, I will tell you that there is a lot of horse trading going on during the melee that is caucusing.
I was disappointed that Kucinich told his supporters to back Obama, because Edwards is actually more progressive than Obama. Besides, Obama didn't need the supporters – he bussed in plenty from across the border to get his numbers in Iowa.
Again, as precinct captain, I had been door to door in my ward and I knew who lived there. The number of "new" residents who showed up on caucus night was not exciting; it was appalling. They were plants, plain and simple.
FWIW, Kucinich had one (as in singular) campaign staffer on the payroll to cover his campaign efforts in Iowa. He did not take the campaign seriously and his numbers reflect that.
I think he is a fine person, and I am glad that his opinions and policies helped shape the debate, but I'm not sorry to see him go. Please do the honorable thing and endorse Edwards, Rep. Kucinich.
Kucinich's speach on MKL day blew me away. He had some really awesome things to say that this country needs to hear. Without someone protecting our civil rights and constitution like Mr. Kucinich we would be in even a bigger mess. I love his biodiesel bus and his thouhtful progressive ideas. He is a realist. I supported his attempt at changing this country for the better. I thought I will do something good for my son and support Mr. Kucinich. I hope the day will come when we can have the kind of future he believes in for this country.Strength in Peace from Norman Oklahoma
Oh don't be too dismayed America......I'm sure Dennis
will be beamed up to higher platitudes!
I have never seen this guy. Dennis something...
This is a sad day for our democracy (plutocracy). Thanks CNN for all your help! Your getting to be worse than Faux!
As a long-time Dennis Kucinich supporter, I was shocked and bewildered by his endorsement of Obama in Iowa. True progressives, liberals, leftists - unite behind John Edwards!
George, New Orleans, LA: will you let him pick out your clothes too...and pick out who you marry...or pick out what you eat? Please, dont vote at all until you grow up.
Mr. kucinich, Thank you for offering your service to our nation.
Sam, it will happen when the Sun rises from the West. John NY, just wait 12 days more, could you?
Kucinnich said he would support married between man and man,, woman and woman.
wow....i wonder how all 1% of the voters in america will feel. maybe they will go to a good cause like the obama or Paul campaign!
Too bad! Let's hope Ron Paul can hang tough.
I would have been excited about the future of the parties if Dennis and Ron could have ran against each other. Imagine, politicians that are not CFR Bilderburg puppets. I know it's to much to hope for, that is why they are getting forced out with the media being obedient to the secret orders, as while as the remaining contenders. While we are told "What an exciting race" this is, the reality is boring predictable changeless change retoric that serves only the same special interests as always.
now who am i going to vote for...
EXACTLY! It's so biased because of the big media outlets like cnn not representing each canidate equally! What a shame he really would of done a fantastic job! We'll miss you Mr. Kucinich.
I am too conservative for most Republicans in the presidential race, but I will say this about Dennis: courage of his convictions and faithfulness to his beliefs. I admire and applaud that. The late Paul Simon, Senator of IL, was like that. You could be on the opposite side of an issue, but he knew what he believed and could defend it to the end. While I must admit Dennis would scare me as President, we need his voice and I don't think he'll be going away anytime soon.
The one and only candidate who spoke my views, and now he's out. The remaining field isn't terribly palatable, quite frankly. I was looking forward to being able to vote my conscience on Super Tuesday for a change, and now I'm going to have to choose among a fairly disheartening list of candidates.
Mr. Kucinich, good luck with your congressional race, and know you will be sorely missed by those of us who believe the presidential race, and indeed the country, needs the message you bring.
I've heard that he has said he will not endorse another candidate. I actually prefer it that way - make the voters use their brains, and not be led like sheep in one direction or another. I was actually a little disappointed he endorsed anyone as second choice in Iowa, regardless of who it was.
In 2012 we will wish Dennis was elected.
Ralph Nader told Wolf Blitzer that his favourite Democrat contender were Gravel and Kucinich; if neither of those two got the nomination it would encourage him to run.
DENNIS did all he could for the people who really CARED!
Will miss him and Elizabeth. hope he wins the OH seat again.
Got to follow those brave boys Mike and Ron now!
Too bad. I was all set to vote for him, too. Oh, well. There's always the Green Party...**SIGH**.
Well, there goes America's only chance at a socialized health care plan.
But then, real change scares the young soul population of this land. They much prefer living in the past, doing what's already been done before (and didn't work), being addicted to stress hormones and not realizing it, feeding those hormones every morning while downing caffein and sugar, projecting that stuff on each other while they compete with everyone on their way to a job that they hate, coming home in the evening, and watching various forms of violence on tv while drugging themselves silly with alcohol and whatever else is convenient .
We need to seriously look at what works in more civilized nations ( some European nations, for example), and adopt those, instead of relying on a corrupt system, morally bankrupt and sold out to "special interests".
We need more than a "2-party system"- and it needs to not be bankrolled by corporate greed.
After Bush "won" the first time (lost the popular vote)- I heard no one commenting on whether it was time to abolish the Electoral College or not- pity, that was a definite warning flag.
America's in denial of how bad things have gotten. Maybe it's a good thing- maybe things have to get worse before they get better.
Quesiton is- how much worse?