Kucinich collects $180,000 in Q1

Since I mentioned all the fundraising totals for the other Democratic presidential candidates, I thought I’d mention that Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), easily the oddest of the field, collected an under-whelming $180,000 in the first quarter of 2003. That’s less than a fifth of what Bob Graham (D-Fla.) collected, and Graham was recovering from major heart surgery for most of Q1. Or put another way, for every dollar Kucinich raised, John Kerry and John Edwards each raised about $39.

That, coupled by his all-too-serious effort to get the U.S. government to create a “Department of Peace” cabinet position, makes him the easiest candidate to ignore as the race for the nomination unfolds.

“I expect to be the nominee of this party,” Kucinich told the Washington Post. The Post’s reporter noted that Kucinich “says this repeatedly, as if he might not really believe it.” Let’s hope he’s not really counting on this.

Dennis, don’t go away mad, just go away.