BREAKING: Kucinich drops out

Of the presidential race. From the Plain Dealer’s blog, Openers:

Cleveland Congressman Dennis Kucinich is dropping out of the Democratic race for president.

Kucinich will make the announcement Friday at a news conference in Cleveland. In an exclusive interview with Plain Dealer editors and reporters, Kucinich said he will explain his “transitioning” tomorrow.

“I want to continue to serve in Congress,” he said.

Kucinich said he will not endorse another Democrat in the primary.

Kucinich is seeking a seventh term in Congress, but his long-shot bid for the White House has drawn four Democratic opponents.

Big news here in Northeast Ohio, if not for the rest of the country. People love him or hate him. I’ll withhold comment. I’m not in his district. But the pressure’s been amped up considerably over the last few days. This dropping out comes as no surprise. And for Kucinich constituents in Ohio, they should be breathing a sigh of relief. For his opponents, they will be holding their breath.

Oh – I forgot to write when I first composed this post: Obama, Clinton and Edwards can also breathe a sigh of relief.;)

Kucinich will be most remembered for his Department of Peace concept, his aggressive re-statement of his resistance to the war in Iraq and his lovely wife, Elizabeth (I know, that’s so catty of me – but it’s true, now, isn’t it?).