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Kucinich's Secret Weapon ("6-foot-tall red-headed beauty" wife)
abcnews ^ | May 25, 2007 | JENNIFER DUCK and SUNLEN MILLER

Posted on 05/27/2007 10:55:32 PM PDT by Gondring

Kucinich's Secret Weapon

For Kucinich, Honeymoon Phase Begins Before Taking the White House

By JENNIFER DUCK and SUNLEN MILLER

May 25, 2007 —

There is no doubt about it, 2008 presidential candidate Rep. Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio, stands out.

Kucinich is the only candidate who wants to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney over the Iraq War; as he did in the 2004 election, he's proposing a Department of Peace, and has introduced a House bill calling for a universal, single-payer, not-for-profit health care system.

And if that weren't enough, the self-proclaimed peace candidate has a secret weapon.

Kucinich is the only candidate married to a woman 30 years younger and more than 5 inches taller than him.

This 6-foot-tall red-headed beauty is making her husband stand out now more than ever, and Elizabeth Kucinich is taking center stage on the trail, at Democratic debates and on her husband's Web site.

English Roots

Elizabeth Kucinich may not have the traditional biography that some political spouses possess, but that doesn't mean she's short on experience or goodwill.

Born Elizabeth Harper, she grew up in Upminster, England. The volunteerism bug bit her early on: Shortly after high school, she moved to India to work at one of Mother Teresa's homes for poor children. She also volunteered in a rural village in Tanzania, the British Red Cross Refugee's Unit and cared for detainees at London's Heathrow airport.

She attended the University of Kent, earning a bachelor of arts degree in religious studies and theology, and a master's in international conflict analysis.

Mrs. Kucinich worked at the House of Lords in London, which eventually led to a job, an ocean away, in Chicago.

'Terms of Endearment' at Shirley Maclaine's House

The then-Ms. Harper had been living in United States only a month before she traveled with her Chicago-based employer, the American Monetary Institute, to Rep. Dennis Kucinich's office. It was a meeting of chance that she would never forget.

Instantaneously drawn to each other, Mrs. Kucinich recalled, "I walked into his office. I saw him and I knew. I knew nothing about his political views. I couldn't even pronounce his last name, but I saw him and I knew."

Kucinich was instantly attracted to the young, spunky woman as well but didn't know if she felt the same about him. Then, with one click on his e-mail a few days later, he knew he had a chance with the English beauty.

The two exchanged e-mails daily and once again by rare chance discovered they would be in New Mexico for work at the exact same time.

The congressman invited Ms. Harper and her boss to lunch at "Terms of Endearment" movie star and friend Shirley Maclaine's home. Maclaine, who is godmother to Kucinich's daughter, asked the three visitors to stay the night.

Elizabeth Kucinich said it was that night that she knew he was "the one." After leaving Maclaine's house, they spoke on the phone and decided soon thereafter to get married.

She said she'll never forget that phone conversation.

She told ABC News, "Over the phone I said, 'I can't stop thinking about us and I think we should get married.'" The congressman had been thinking the same thing.

The new bride jokes that "He didn't actually propose to me until the day before the wedding. That's when he got down on bended knee."

The couple married in the public square of the congressman's hometown of Cleveland in 2005.

Talkin' About My Generation

At first sight, the couple stands out. She's tall; he's short. She's in her late 20s; he's in his sixties. She has a tongue ring, the congressman does not.

"Attention: Welcome to the next generation. The woman who has a tongue ring and wears pearls," Elizabeth Kucinich joked about her accouterment of nine years.

"Some of the blogs and things, they've called me a dirty hippie," she exclaimed in bewilderment to ABC News. "I've never thought of myself as a hippie chick. I am happy with who I am & it's an expression."

Elizabeth Kucinich, who is new to media critiques of her personal style, adds with a laugh, "I'm wearing pearls today!"

Buy One, Get One Free

The self-confident Mrs. Kucinich has been on the front lines of her husband's second bid for the White House.

She hits the campaign stump for the congressman while he's in Washington working his day job, and tackles policy issues head on.

"If you get Dennis, you get me," she said.

And she argues she's no novice to the campaign trail either. Her husband won re-election to the House in 2006, shortly after their marriage, but the congressman was a bachelor during his first bid for the White House.

"I've been married for just over a year and a half, and I've already been though a primary, a general and a presidential election, so I am learning fast and learning on my feet."

Learning on her feet, Mrs. Kucinich will definitely keep on her toes.this election cycle


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; US: Ohio; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: barf; evilelf; hothippychick; kucinich; shirleymaclaine
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The photo accompanying the article is Getty, so you'll have to click here for it.

Here's another pic of the couple:


1 posted on 05/27/2007 10:55:34 PM PDT by Gondring
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To: Gondring
She's in her late 20s; he's in his sixties.
2 posted on 05/27/2007 10:58:48 PM PDT by BigBobber
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To: Gondring

ok, what’s wrong with her?


3 posted on 05/27/2007 10:59:38 PM PDT by finnman69 (cum puella incedit minore medio corpore sub quo manifestus globus, inflammare animos)
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To: Gondring

And he’s a presidential candidate???!!!

Why not go the whole way and launch Woody Allen as the Dim candidate.


4 posted on 05/27/2007 11:00:11 PM PDT by ScaniaBoy (Part of the Right Wing Research & Attack Machine)
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To: Gondring

she’s got British teeth


5 posted on 05/27/2007 11:00:19 PM PDT by Lib-Lickers 2 (Thompson/ 08)
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To: finnman69
ok, what’s wrong with her?

Her judgment?
Other than that, nothing is wrong with her that I can see.

6 posted on 05/27/2007 11:00:57 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: Gondring
I don't agree with his politics but he's a very lucky man! He found the love of his life - may he keep her at his side for a long time.
7 posted on 05/27/2007 11:01:08 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: finnman69
“ok, what’s wrong with her?”

Got lousy taste in men for starters...

8 posted on 05/27/2007 11:01:25 PM PDT by decal (Mother Nature and Real Life are conservatives - the Progs have never figured this out.)
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To: finnman69

Considering who she’s married to Stupidity comes to mind.


9 posted on 05/27/2007 11:01:38 PM PDT by Not now, Not ever! (The devil made me do it!,.......................................................( well, not really.)
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To: Gondring

The background tells us that they’re in a farm sanctuary.


10 posted on 05/27/2007 11:02:58 PM PDT by bannie
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To: Not now, Not ever!
I think one's better half makes one a happier and more well-adjusted man. Of course there are some exceptions... but people generally do say they never regretted getting married.
11 posted on 05/27/2007 11:03:13 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Gondring

What a waste.


12 posted on 05/27/2007 11:04:07 PM PDT by HarmlessLovableFuzzball
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To: Gondring
Love at first sight? Some people are natural soulmates. They just know. Some people know the person they'll marry the moment they meet them.

13 posted on 05/27/2007 11:05:27 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Gondring

I suspect that she was very disappointed in his secret weapon.


14 posted on 05/27/2007 11:05:46 PM PDT by doug from upland (Stopping Hillary should be a FreeRepublic Manhattan Project)
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To: Gondring

Whole article summarized as follows:

Woman is hot. Congressman is short, not hot, and wimpy. They have wimpy, twisted policies together. Somehow a woman’s looks are supposed to magically make him more viable in an election.


15 posted on 05/27/2007 11:06:12 PM PDT by CheyennePress
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To: HarmlessLovableFuzzball

Thus the saying, “Sooner or later you have to talk to them.”


16 posted on 05/27/2007 11:06:14 PM PDT by REDWOOD99
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To: CheyennePress

She’s lovely, and I’m sure he’s very happy with his situation; but I think this would be a hinderance in politics. She makes him look childish.


17 posted on 05/27/2007 11:07:19 PM PDT by bannie
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To: doug from upland
I suspect that she was very disappointed in his secret weapon.

Imagine her surprise when she discovered he was unarmed.

18 posted on 05/27/2007 11:07:24 PM PDT by HarmlessLovableFuzzball
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To: BigBobber

Yeah, but in the Getty pic, I thought she looked older.


19 posted on 05/27/2007 11:07:37 PM PDT by Gondring (I'll give up my right to die when hell freezes over my dead body!)
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To: doug from upland
I think we all have someone like that out there. Only God knows when we meet them. Yes, sometimes we are star-crossed lovers.

Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

20 posted on 05/27/2007 11:07:42 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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