Democratic presidential candidate says he saw UFO

Oct 31, 2007, 5:48 GMT

Washington - In the US election campaign's most startling revelation yet, a Democratic congressman running for president said he once saw a UFO over actress Shirley MacLaine's home.

Dennis Kucinich was asked during a Democratic presidential debate in Philadelphia late Tuesday about the claim in a book by MacLaine, quoted in US media in advance of publication.

'I did,' said Kucinich to laughter from the audience. Left unclear were details of the alleged sighting in Washington state, during which MacLaine says the politician saw a silent, triangular craft and 'felt a connection in his heart and heard directions in his mind.'

'It was an unidentified flying object, OK? It's, like, it's unidentified. I saw something,' Kucinich, 61, said during the debate by seven Democrats hoping to win the party's nomination to run for president in 2008.

Not missing a beat, the congressman from Ohio state claimed that 'more people in this country have seen UFOs than I think approve of George Bush's presidency.'

But debate co-host Tim Russert of NBC television cited data that only 14 per cent of Americans say they have seen a UFO. Bush's approval ratings are in the mid-30-per-cent range.

As for Kucinich, polls show 1 per cent of likely Democratic voters want to see the former Cleveland mayor and fervent Iraq war opponent run for president. His campaign slogan: Strength through Peace.