Ohio Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich is a bit like sparkling wine. Sometimes he can be right on point, but many times he seems like an imitation of leadership.

He was insightful enough to vote against the Iraq war.

But some of his issues are so far to the left that they become a demonstration - his own little wars that never have a chance of getting any traction.

He just started another fire by introducing 35 articles of impeachment against President George W. Bush.

He accuses the president of spying on Americans, illegally detaining both US and foreign citizens, and mishandling the response to hurricane Katrina.

But his most serious charge is that Bush took the country to war under false pretenses.

Kucinich made a similar case against Vice President Cheney last year. But it went nowhere.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took office proclaiming that impeachment was off the table.

Clearly she didn't want the Democratic victory to become mired in a long and protracted fight while the country was fighting two wars.

But many people elected Democrats to punish Bush and end the Iraq war, and are angry that nothing happened.

Jonathan Turley, the George Washington University constitutional scholar, said on MSNBC that the Kucinich move is significant even though impeachment proceedings are, at best, remote.

"Democratic leaders have stepped in and interceded on behalf of the president," says Turley. "I think history will be very severe, not just on Speaker Pelosi, but on the Democratic leaders who stood silently, allowing this to happen."

Turley said that most Americans are unclear about the degree to which the Constitution has been eroded since Bush took office.

In years to come, Kucinich may be viewed as the authentic patriot everyone ignored.