Judging from his meager primary results and his scant national-media coverage, Dennis Kucinich seems to have about as much chance at winning the Democratic presidential nomination as Wile E. Coyote has of catching the Road Runner.
Heading into Utah's primary vote Tuesday, the Ohio congressman is standing fourth in a two-man race.
But during a brief visit to the Salt Lake City International Airport on Sunday, Kucinich became animated when asked why he's still hanging around despite the unfavorable outlook.
"I didn't ask the national media for permission to run for president," he said.
Kucinich reminded his 50 or so poster-carrying and vocal supporters and attending local media at a press conference that Howard Dean was ahead only two months ago. The former Vermont governor has since ended his bid. And Kucinich isn't about to follow suit.
"This race is not decided," he said. "There's plenty of opportunity. I'm in it to win it."
Kucinich compared the long presidential campaign to "Survivor," saying 10 people were initially on the campaign island but now only four remain — himself, Sens. John Kerry, D-Ma., and John Edwards, D-N.C., and Rev. Al Sharpton.
"I want everyone to hear this loud and clear," he said. "The trees will be gone from this island before I leave this race."
Aside from insisting he's here to stay, Kucinich delivered a tailored message regarding what he called "specific issues which affect the people of Utah."
After asking a half-dozen young children to stand next to him at the podium, Kucinich shared his disgust with the U.S. government planning to devote money and technology to resume nuclear weapon testing in Nevada.
"It constitutes a real danger to peace in the world and a physical danger to people in Nevada as well as in Utah," he said. "As president of the United States, I will put an end to all of this testing."
He wanted Utah children by him, he said, to remind everyone about how citizens lived in fear as the country built up its weapons stockpile in the Cold War. He said he would not only renew the Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty and strike a deal with Russia, but he'd end testing and destroy all nuclear weapons.
"You want to know about weapons of mass destruction? They're here at home and we're going to get rid of them," he said. "We do not want children of this state to have to go back to the duck-and-cover drills."
Kucinich also blasted the Pentagon's plan of constructing a biological weapon germ lab at the Dugway Proving Ground. He said Utahns will pay for this with their health.
"Your state is being used as guinea pig for all of these tests. Utah's health is on the line here," he said. "We must stop the sacrifice of the health and welfare of the people in Utah as well as every other state affected. This must stop."
Kucinich called Tuesday's primary election in Utah a "referendum" for Beehive State voters to send a message to the rest of the country and world that they're against the build-up of nuclear-weapon and germ-lab testing.
"We need to stop all this madness," Kucinich said. "Utah has a chance to vote for world peace on Tuesday."
Kucinich dismissed Kerry's claim to be opposed to nuclear testing.
"It's one thing to say you're opposed to testing, but Sen. Kerry voted for attacking Iraq," he said. "Sen. Kerry cannot have it both ways."
Kucinich said he would work for "sustainable trade" and creating jobs in this country by moving to get out of the WTO and NAFTA.
Though in the country's most conservative state, the candidate's message struck a chord with Utah County residents Elisabeth and Matt Luntz. The Highland couple brought their two children and a sign claiming Kucinich has "The eyes that see through the lies."
"He's a classic Democrat, a progressive Democrat. Kucinich is a voice for the people," Elisabeth Luntz said. "It's a growing movement."
Added Matt Luntz: "We're here to support him. We want other people to know that regular people support him."
Count Salt Lake City resident Soleil Divine among those who'll check next to Kucinich's name on Tuesday — and in November, she hopes. She admires how he stood up against the Iraq war before it became popular to do so.
"I know he's a long shot," she said. "But I think of Seabiscuit. Of course there's hope. It's worth it to vote my heart."
One thing Kucinich didn't want to talk about?
The newest presidential candidate.
"I'm not going to discuss Ralph Nader's candidacy," he said. "These other issues are too important."
E-mail: jody@desnews.com