MSNBC Uninvites Kucinich To Vegas Debate

Mediabistro's TVNewser:

Rep. Dennis Kucinich won't be taking part in MSNBC's debate in Las Vegas on Tuesday. It certainly won't be the first time that Kucinich was excluded from a recent Democratic debate. But the difference is Kucinich was initially invited, and had met the criteria, for the MSNBC debate. Then, MSNBC changed the criteria and told Kucinich he was uninvited.

Alternet published a Kucinich press release, which said that 44 hours after Kucinich got a congratulatory letter and invite from NBC to the Nevada debate, they notified him of their changed criteria, and his exclusion.

In the press release, the Kucinich campaign took a shot at the media as a whole: "When 'big media' exert their unbridled control over what Americans can see, hear, and read, then the Constitutional power and right of the citizens to vote is being vetoed by multi-billion corporations that want the votes to go their way."

According to the Los Angeles Times, the original criteria for the debate called for the inclusion of the top four democratic candidates in national polling. With Bill Richardson dropping out of the race last week, that moved Kucinich to fourth place in polls. NBC decided to change the criteria, featuring the top three Dem. candidates: Sen. Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Sen. Barack Obama.

Read the whole story: Mediabistro's TVNewser

Comments

[SCharb]

Man, what a jackass thing to do. Don't tease the man. Invite him, or don't.

I can understand why you wouldn't want him at a debate, ratings-wise, but this is just a little desperate.

[loki]

Maybe since MSNBC is doing so poorly, they only have enough money to light and cover 3 people at one time. It could be beyond their budget.

[loki]

Kucinich seems to be the only candidate that actually cares about the people and America. The rest are gold digging power seeking whores, and I refuse to vote for anyone like that because I dont see any difference in the choices were allowed in this election.

Democracy in America is a farce.

[HumeSkeptic]

I will continue to support Kucinich and I'll vote for him on Feb 5 in California.

To hell with the media.

I decided that I'll vote for the candidate who best represents my values, regardless of his chances of nomination.

[realitytrumpsbull]

That's OK, I uninvited MSNBC off the TV a long time ago. Did you see that thing where that lady is all happy about US banks being taken over and stuff? She works for em. Ever get the feeling the country's on eBay, or something?
Maybe it is...

[tfred]

Dennis, you'll get my vote no matter what the nabobs of negativity say and do. You're the only candidate who supports civil rights for gay americans. "ALL THE WAY WITH DENNIS K"

[truthyguy]

Remind me again - what country is this?

Don't know about anyone else, but I do not like the media deciding who will be president.

[isis]

How rude of them.

[Advocate123]

A new Scientific poll by Sacred Heart University, with 3.5% margin of error found that the most trusted national TV news organizations, for accurate reporting, in declining order included: Fox News (27.0%), CNN (14.6%), and NBC News (10.90%). These were followed by ABC News (7.0%), local news (6.9%), CBS News (6.8%) MSNBC (4.0%), PBS News (3.0%), CNBC (0.6%) and CBN (0.5%).

FOX News has had almost everyday this week.

Advocate123
http://copiousdissent.blogspot.com

[reactionrynihilist]

Like Larry O'Donell suggested, one thing this democracy is less choices and less voices contributing to the debate on what needs to be done to fix things. In a Coke/Pepsi world two parties is all we need, and two candidates per party is too much as it is.

[PKSSK]

If Obama, Clinton and Edwards really cared about Democracy and the bill of rights they would take a stand for the people and mandate that Kucinich be included.

I know at least one of them has the integrity to stand up for Dennis; I am waiting for him to take the lead and refuse to be part of the debate unless Dennis is included.

The republicans stood together against Fox on behalf of Ron Paul, let's see the dem's do it for one of their own.

We live in the "United" States of America!!!!!

[Zentomato]

George Carlin does a great rant stating "that the mother f*ckers who own this country just want you to think your vote counts......." (I paraphrase) The more I see of all this corporate influences into our electoral processes the more I am inclined to agree with Mr Carlin. MSNBC has absolutely no right to exclude Mr Kucinich.

[doschi]

I'm an Obama supporter, but this is an outrage!

While Dennis stands virtually no chance of winning the primaries, his purpose in the campaign is to bring forth true progressive ideals to the national stage with the hopes that whomever wins the nomination will have the sense to assimilate some of the ideals that Dennis has the courage to speak about into their campaign platform.

I'd love to see Obama win and give Kucinich a position in his cabinet.

Also, huge kudos to DK for asking (and paying) for a recount in the NH primary, even though he knows that he won't personally be the benefactor of the potential results. Proof positive that he is a true patriot and that he is a champion of democracy reigning supreme.

[VivaZapata]

Tim Russert would squeal like a pig if he were kept out of a press conference. just like a pig.

[nellie]

That's a shame.