Netroots hero and Iraq War veteran Paul Hackett says presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich verbally lashed out at him during a 2005 conversation, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.
In a 2005 Ohio special congressional election that drew intense attention from the progressive internet community, Democrat Hackett narrowly lost to Republican Jean Schmidt in a heavily Republican district. But he did so without help from fellow Ohio Democrat Kucinich. Hackett said that the day after winning the primary for the seat:
"(Kucinich) started his conversation off, which was pretty much a unilateral conversation, him to me while I was driving in my car in the 2nd Congressional District, by saying 'I would rather see Jean Schmidt get elected to Ohio's 2nd Congressional District than you. Because you are wrong on Iraq, you fought in Iraq, you're a Democrat in name only,' and a host of other issues."
Hackett shared the story in a conference call with reporters while endorsing Kucinich's 2008 primary opponent Rosemary Palmer. Palmer's son was killed while serving in Iraq.
Kucinich's office does not deny the story, telling the Plain Dealer:
"Congressman Kucinich thanks Mr. Hackett for his service to our country. Congressman Kucinich will continue to fight for and represent the people who elected him to office -- the residents of the 10th Congressional district."
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