DES MOINES — With his sights set on the upcoming Iowa caucuses, long-shot Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich spoke to Drake University students Tuesday, explaining why he deserved to sit in the Oval Office.

“Students have an opportunity to cause huge political changes in the Iowa caucuses,” said U.S. Rep. Kucinich, D-Ohio. “My candidacy is that opportunity.”

He spoke to 100 Drake students, explaining his nonpareil candidacy. He contrasted himself with the other Democratic presidential candidates, especially Howard Dean, who is near the top of Iowa Polls.

Kucinich blasted Dean for supporting Bush’s $87 billion Iraq package, skipping public financing and supporting reinstatement of the draft for Iraq.

Raleigh Miller, junior in theater, English and philosophy at Drake, said it was only natural for Kucinich to attack Dean.

“Dean is the guy to beat right now, and Kucinich needs to knock him down to gain any recognition,” he said.

Kucinich outlined a building-block plan similar to the other presidential candidates: single-payer health insurance, repeal of the Bush tax cuts, save family farms and strong environmental protection.

However, as a progressive candidate, Kucinich has made a point to step apart from the Democratic pack. Kucinich highlighted his support for pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq, gay marriages and canceling the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization. In 1999, he marched with protesters during the Seattle riots at the World Trade Organization convention.

“These trade agreements lack human rights, labor rights and environmental standards,” he said. “In addition, everyone but huge corporations has been harmed. America lost three million jobs, and worker wages decreased in Mexico.”

Kucinich claimed the title as the candidate most outspoken against the war in Iraq. The crowd responded enthusiastically as he spoke of his unwavering opposition to the war, calling U.S. occupation “immoral.”

“It’s absolutely illegal for us to chop up the country and sell it to the highest bidder,” he said.

Miller said Kucinich has enjoyed support among college students, which comes from his unwavering stance on controversial issues. Students who have never entered politics before are participating in their inaugural campaign under Kucinich, he said.

Kucinich has a hard road ahead of him. The 57-year-old Ohio congressman has registered in the lower depths of Iowa opinion polls and has struggled to raise money. Some of his fellow Democratic presidential candidates, such as Dean, have war chests of more than $25 million, while Kucinich has raised only a few million.

His place at the bottom of the polls hasn’t discouraged Sarah Twinem, president of Drake Students for Kucinich. She said most polls only reflect opinions of Democrats, not those of independents or Greens, who strongly support Kucinich.

Twinem said Kucinich’s support will grow as he exposes his ideas to more voters, saying Dean supporters are “Democrats who have never met Kucinich.”

“Once people realize Dean is all talk and no action, they’ll see he isn’t comprehensive,” she said. “Kucinich has practical ideas to fix the country. He has a plan that will work, not a culture of fear like Bush has created.”