Florida is entitled to special treatment in the presidential primary given past problems, Ohio congressman and Democratic candidate for president Dennis Kucinich said Wednesday.

"Doesn't the DNC owe something to Florida? What Florida went through in the 2000 election was a disgrace and the DNC owes it to Florida to find a way for Florida to find a prominent position in this election season."

Kucinich, who dropped by the Florida Press Center in Tallahassee, said a good compromise would be for Florida to have a nonbinding vote on Jan. 29, but also hold a caucus. "This shouldn't just be a party insiders' game. ... if you cannot have a primary why should Florida be deprived of delegates?"

Kucinich turned to Jon Ausman, a national committeeman who has begun working part-time for Kucinich, and said: "Jon ... this is a decision for Florida to make but I'm certainly hoping a compromise is going to be worked out because this is a state where it would be a tragedy to be in a position where the Democratic Party just says 'No well we have our rules and no matter what, this is what you've got to abide by.' "

Sounds great but Kucinich wasn't exactly standing up for the Sunshine State.
The nonbinding primary/caucus concept has already been suggested by the
DNC. And caucuses could cost millions.

Kucinich, who arrived at 1:30 p.m. with his wife Elizabeth, spent most of his time touting his campaign platform of ending the war in Iraq, instituting a national health care plan and ending NAFTA to save American jobs.

"Right now the media looks at this campaign and says, 'Oh, this guy is dead in the water.' Wait a minute, all I have to do is show a pulse coming out of the early primaries and caucuses and suddenly the American people are going to see that I have a chance to get some votes and a chance to win."

A few Kucinich supporters showed up, including a woman in a pink robe covered with anti-war buttons. One may have revealed her real hope for president. It read: "Gore 2008."