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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political Researcher



Sean Penn to endorse Kucinich

Posted: Friday, December 07, 2007 1:32 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: ,

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Sean Penn will endorse Kucinich this afternoon at a press conference in San Francisco, a source close to the Hollywood actor said. He will also be speaking on "the Constitution, the media and Dennis Kucinich," the source said. Expect a political speech.

Penn has donated $4,600 to John Edwards' campaign and $2,300 to Kucinich during this cycle, per FEC campaign finance data.

In March of this year, Penn wrote in a WorldNetDaily column that, "As things stand today, I will be voting for Dennis Kucinich, who has fought this war from the beginning. You might say Kucinich can't win. Well, we have an opportunity to re-establish the credibility of democracy as viewed by the world at large."

Penn is set to deliver "a blistering indictment of political leaders and an impassioned endorsement of Presidential proportions," according to a Kucinich press release.

More: "Penn and Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich have been close friends for years, but the Kucinich campaign was not involved with Penn in preparing the remarks he plans to deliver today. 'Sean Penn is a good friend, but he's also a very intense, independent-minded person,' said a spokesman for the Kucinich campaign. 'He's going to say whatever he's going to say.'"

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YAY!

I thought for sure he'd endorse Gravel. This is a real coup for Dennis and will mark the beginning of the Kucinich Juggernaut!


Van
Who cares what an actor with no concept of what real life is don't these celebrities realize they turn off voters...What a moron this guy is, please Sean don't endorse Obama when he gets the nomination endorse Rudy that way we'll take back the WH
Who cares, just another celebrity who needs face time.
If Huckabee can move up from the bottom then why not Kucinich.
Kucinich would definitely get the nomination after this endorsement.
Fluff!  Maybe we could all save space and time if instead of givng each of these endorsements individual coverage, First Read would just keep a running scorecard of who was endorsing whom and post at the end of the week. Then, those who care about such things would be satisfied; those who don't care wouldn't waste their time reading that particular article.
LOL. We know he is definately going to be president now. WOW...what an endorsement.....
First Chuck Norris, now Sean Penn... and of course we should remind people about Rudy's tough talk on Iran... all while ignoring perhaps one of the most consequential issues in the Presidential race... the NIE and Ron Paul's principled opposition to bombing Iran.
Dead Man Walking
I thought the guy was going to endorse Hillary Clinton social healthcare...hahahahaha
Well...I guess this doesn't suprise me. They are both crazy.

Hey Dennis....how about you do your job here in your district instead of making a fool of yourself and all of the people who voted for you. AGAIN.

And next time you go before the Plain Dealer, tell the truth this time.

Thanks buddy.
Lek and Bee have a lot of similarities don't they?



Van
WOW!!  Another meaningless celeb indorsement like Babs, Chuck Norris and Oprah, et al.  What a joke, especially as, in this case, it regards a back-of-the-pack runner (isn't Kucinich running at less than 2% nationally leading only that kook from Alaska?).
Dot: Penn has strongly politized himself like Bono or Michael Moore, that's the significance of their endorsement.  Strangely enough, I dislike all three of them.  It's not like George Clooney or Brad Pitt.  An Oprah endorsement is also significant for two reasons: 1) She usually makes a point not to, and thus must feel strongly about her opinion and 2) She is Oprah.  I think everybody hopes that nobody will vote based on a celebraty endorsement, but it is a great way to have people take another look at a candidate.  Thanks to Penn, Kucinich actually got mentioned.  Ha!
oh man, this makes me so happy :D

thank you dennis, i dont know if people understand how badly we need you not only in the whitehouse but especially through the primaries.

you're the only one keepin them honest up there.

december 15, 2007
Kinda goes hand in hand with Dennis's UFO sightings...Sean Penn's endorsement should hurt Dennis since Sean is a big Hugo Chavez fan.
I'll never forgive Sean for what he did to Madonna therefore, his endorsement of Dennis means I'll surely not vote for this guy.
People may not like Sean Penn - clearly the posters here - but don't hold it against Dennis Kucinich. Americans ought to take a serious look at all the so-called fringe candidates. It is Ron Paul, Tom Tancredo, Alan Keyes, Mike Gravel, and Dennis Kucinich that are genuine and substantive, not the corporatist, establishment darlings playing the wedge issues.
I wonder why people listen to celebrity endorsements.  Do we really need to listen or care about these people who may not have a full understanding of what is going on?  We need to be a fully informed electorate and do our own research.  It is nice that Kucinich does have support, but I don't think that this is going to get him far.  
This just in:

Tickle Me Elmo endorses Jeb Bush for President. And just in time for the holidays!

May the dynasty continue.........

"Hehe! That tickles!"
Unnamed sources claim that Jeff Spicoli, bangin' Ridgemont Surf Champ, will present Kucinich with the last remaining guitar pick, given to him by Mick Jagger. From where Mick was coming from, that's where Jeff is coming from. Rock On, DK!
In other news:

In order to verify the existence of life outside of Earth, the Kucinich campaign today also revealed the endorsement of Optimus Prime. When asked by reporters why he chose Kucinich over Senators Clinton and Obama, Mr. Prime said "I've never really been too fond of Bill, but that Elizabeth Kucinich - now she's a looker."
Sean Penn endorsing Dennis Kucinich is great, but let's not fool ourselves, he still has a big fight ahead of him.  All of you bloggers who support Dennis should relate yesterday's events to others.  Describe how the media had obviously tried to prevent him from mentioning his health care plan (HR 676) with a tricked format where candidates are only asking each other questions.  Why would you ever ask you opponent a question that actually needed an answer?  You wouldn't, not in a debate, you wouldn't provide them the opportunity.  And Dennis was the last one to ask a question and thus far had not been asked a question by anyone else, so he asked himself a question.  Sure, he threw the format in the toilet, AND RIGHTLY SO!  He had to to be heard.  I hope he gets endorsed by more actors, but more importantly by all of you.  Spread the word.  
There is a message for Snow White's housemate and Spiccoli in these responses.

So?
Ohhhh...You are a meanie, J.


 LOL!


Van
(that tickles!)
Hmm. Mebbe Dennis and Sean can open up a UFO coffee shop in Roswell when Dennis doesn't win the nomination.
Citizen J

Thank you for that post about Elmo!  Loved it!
For Mr. Penn to speak on the constitution and how the present Admin has trampled it, while warming up to and endorsing Hugo Chavez really just blows my mind. If Pres Bush was to atempt to shut down opposition media, nationalize private companies,(although he probably would like to see oil companies and health care companies done, but would raise hell if entertainment companies were affected.)we would rightly have a revolt. Do these people have any idea what reality is? He is to the Dem party what the kooks from the church in Kansas are to the Republican party...
nsmsnbc

You are right-- these celebrity endorsements do cause voters to take another look at a candidate and in Oprah's case, she will insure a large audience for Senator Obama's event.  I lose sight of that fact sometimes.

I'll admit I am not as attuned to TV and movie stars as others may be--my TV viewing is limited and I watch mostly old movies. To use the vernacular of by gone years, that would mean I am not "with it."  Thank you for your insightful response.
Don't thank me, thank Elmo. I'm merely reporting the news.
Hey - I sure hope of you laughing at Dennis are wing nuts supporting the nut case that thinks God lives on a planet called Kolob, or wherever he came from to give the mormons magic underwear.
I am not a crook.
Reporter: "Sir, how does it feel to be the worst president in our history?"

Bush: "Well you know, that's just what you say. I've got about a million buddies who still like me. We're gonna have us a little bar-b-q down in Crawford come January. We'll have us some shooters, maybe some uh...what do you call 'em? Red Bull and vodkas? You know, a million is pretty big.

Reporter: "Yes, it is sir. But there are 300 million people in this country."

Bush: "What? Since when? You know, that just what those Democrats want you to believe. Look, I'm the Decider, ok? I've got a million buddies comin' to Crawford and that's that. so if you don't mind..."
This is just too easy, so, no smarta** comment.
He also endorsed Hugo Chavez.....
It's so sad to read some of your comments. You do not know anything about Dennis Kucinich, yet here you are insulting him. You get little sound bites from the media and you run off with them.

Didn't they teach you in school that you have to be able to critique and build good arguments?

Dennis Kucinich is right on the issues. He has a plan for universal HealthCare, he has plan to stop the war Iraq and bring our brothers and sisters home. He is the only candidate who voted against the Patriot Act and consistently has voted not to fund the war.

Unlike the other top three candidates that will not commit to ending the war before their first term, if elected.

Read information about him and I'm sure you'll see that he loves this country and wants only the best. Sadly, the media has shaped your opinions about a man that you clearly know nothing about.
Anyone who doesn't admire Sean Penn as not just a wonderful actor but as an outstanding human being (listen to what he has to say -- you might even learn something)  doesn't have a clue about what reality is and how without a Kucinich in our government to radically change the status quo, we will have reached the point of this country's complete and irreversible demise.
I thought for a long time Kucinich was unelectable because of his demeanor, but guess what?  He's the perfect Yoda out there to be fighting the dark forces  of evil which have made our country the evil empire
and you watch -- will take over all our liberties if we don't all wake up and do something about it.  Thank goodness for Sean Penn and Dennis Kucinich who have honesty and integrity on their side-- 2 qualities that used to matter in America.  
I'll never forgive Sean for what he did to Madonna therefore, his endorsement of Dennis means I'll surely not vote for this guy.
pat huntington ny

========

Sean did to Madonna what Bill did to Hillary. Both men turned their wives into ragging lunatics.
I hope to never be so brain dead as to look to Sean Penn for political advise. This endorsement is as useless as that of Oprah or Babs. Are the Hollywood types really so filled with self importance that they think they have to enlighten us poor stupid peasants. I think I will wait and to see who Paris Hilton endorses. After all she was the only one who voted in "last years" presidential election.
Sean,
THANK YOU for not giving a @#^%  about what these short-sighted folks are saying about your endorsement.  I am having a Fundraiser with Dennis   Sat. Dec 8th in L A, contact Dennis, Elizabeth, or Marcus for more info, would love if you could make it.
Sean,
THANK YOU for not giving a @#^%  about what these short-sighted folks are saying about your endorsement.  I am having a Fundraiser with Dennis   Sat. Dec 8th in L A, contact Dennis, Elizabeth, or Marcus for more info, would love if you could make it.
i'm sorry dennis missed out on the jennifer flower's endorsment.
Dennis Kucinich voted against invading Iraq in 2002.  He also voted against NAFTA and the Patriot Act (because he read it).
Dennis is for not for profit universal health care and a living wage for all working Americans.

Kucinich is the only democrat who is not beholden to corporate interests.  

Thanks Sean!
At least he is honest about wanting a socialist state. Which is more than can be said for the rest of the Dem candidates.....
If, by socialist, you mean a state that cares about its people, and isn't at the service of the highest bidder, then yes let the socialism begin.
Kucinich has more ideas that will benefit the people of this country than the other candidates combined. He's smart and honest, though not rich enough to buy TV coverage.
"If, by socialist, you mean a state that cares about its people, and isn't at the service of the highest bidder, then yes let the socialism begin."

Just like with Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Castro and Saddam?


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