by Mark Silva

Rep. Dennis Kucinch of Ohio was asked this during a debate of the Democratic candidates for president tonight: Has he ever seen a UFO?

"The godmother of your daughter, Shirley MacLaine, writes in her new book that you've sighted a UFO over her home in Washington state,'' the questioner asked, "that you found the encounter extremely moving, that it was a triangular craft silent and hovering, that you felt a connection to your heart and heard direction in your mind.

"Now,'' Kucininch was asked, "did you see a UFO?'''

"I did,'' Kucinich said.

"And the rest of the account -- I didn't -- I -- it was unidentified flying object, okay. It's like -- it's unidentified. I saw something.

"Now, to answer your question,'' Kucinich said, "'m moving my -- and I'm also going to move my campaign office to Roswell, New Mexico and another one, an extra, to New Hampshire, okay... And also, you have to keep in mind that more -- that Jimmy Carter saw a UFO, and also that more people in this country have seen UFOs than, I think, approve of George Bush's presidency.''

Questioner Tim Russert replied: "14 percent of Americans say they
have seen UFOs.''

In the post-debate interviews, Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico said he is happy to promote tourism in Roswell, but he has never seen a UFO.