Becuase Everything Else Sucks

NBC Re-Writes Criteria to Exclude Kucinich from Another Debate

By Manila Ryce
Published Saturday, January 12th, 2008, 8:45 am
Filed under: Personal Posts, US Politics

This is an outrage. NBC needs to either reverse their decision or face a massive boycott. This is a clear violation of section 315 of the Federal Communications Act. ABC excluded Kucinich with bogus criteria just before the New Hampshire primaries. Now NBC is excluding him before the Nevada primaries. Contact info is at the bottom of the post. Give ‘em hell for shitting on our democratic process.

Less than 44 hours after NBC sent a congratulatory note and an invitation to Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich to participate in the Jan. 15 Democratic Presidential debate in Las Vegas, the network notified the campaign this morning it was changing it announced criteria, rescinding its invitation, and excluding Kucinich from the debate.

NBC Political Director Chuck Todd notified the Kucinich campaign this morning that, although Kucinich had met the qualification criteria publicly announced on December 28, the network was “re-doing” the criteria, excluding Kucinich, and planning to invite only Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and former senator John Edwards.

The criteria announced last month included a fourth-place or better showing in a national poll. The USA/Gallup poll earlier this month showed Kucinich in fourth place among the Democratic contenders.

In an email to the Kucinich campaign at 2:35 p.m. on Wednesday, January 9, Democratic Party debates consultant Jenny Backus wrote:

“Congratulations on another hard-fought contest. Now that New Hampshire is over, we are on to Nevada and our Presidential Debate on Tuesday January 15. This letter serves as an official invitation for your candidate to participate in the Nevada Presidential Debate at Cashman Theatre in downtown Las Vegas. You have met the criteria set by NBC and the Debate.”

Todd notified the Kucinich campaign this morning that the network had decided to change the criteria and limit participation in the debate to only three candidates.

Kucinich is the only remaining Democratic Presidential candidate who: voted against the original Iraq War authorization in 2002 and every war-funding measure since; voted against the so-called Patriot Act; advocates a national, not-for-profit health system that covers all Americans; has called for the repeal of NAFTA and withdrawal from the WTO; and proposes a national back-to-work program (Works Green Administration) patterned after the Depression-era Works Progress Administration (WPA).

The Kucinich campaign, which filed an emergency complaint with the Federal Communications Commission last week because of ABC’s decision to exclude the candidate from a nationally televised debate, is considering legal action to address “the blatant disregard of the public interest in silencing public debate that dissents with the views of NBC, its parent company, GE, and all of the military contractors and their candidate-funding corporate interests. Corporate control of the media is one issue. Corporate media control of the information that is allowed to reach American citizens is much more dangerous, much more sinister, and much more un-American.”

“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,” the Kucinich campaign said.

source

Contact NBC/MSNBC at 212-664-4444 and ask for the Comment Line
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 email NBC/MSNBC at letters@msnbc.com

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9 Responses to “NBC Re-Writes Criteria to Exclude Kucinich from Another Debate”

  1. What a pathetic country we live in. I am disgusted. I complained to NBC this week in regard to MSNBC and Chris Matthews. Now I will again. They suck.

    FranIam
    01/12/08 at 10:35 am

  2. I found this Dec. 14, 2007 press release, announcing this debate.
    Nevada Democratic Party & MSNBC Announce Presidential Debate on African-American – Hispanic Issues

    Notice how many debate sponsors there are:
    Nevada Democratic Party
    U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
    IMPACTO,
    100 Black Men of America,
    College of Southern Nevada

    NBC should not be taking all the heat on this one. In fact, since they first invited Kucinich, only to uninvite him two days later, looks to me like one or more of the sponsors — or one or more of the three “top” candidates — paid NBC a visit.

    If you know anyone in these groups or campaigns, ask them about their complicity in what I see as blatant dirty politics. Do they really want to be painted with the same brush?

    Funny how the un-invite came the same day Kucinich posted bond for a NH primary recount. But that’s just coincidence…right?

    Jean Hay Bright
    01/12/08 at 11:08 am

  3. I suppose I don’t understand this sort of behavior.

    Kucinich is a best, a non-factor in the Democratic race. Why do they care? Why give him this sort of ammunition? Doesn’t everyone deserve to be represented in a debate forum?

    Comrade Kevin
    01/12/08 at 4:40 pm

  4. Total scumbags. Debate exclusion, election fraud, corporate puppet candidates, the list goes on… And the majority of Americans still believe they live in a shining beacon of democracy, carrying freedom and justice throughout the world. What an absolute disgrace this primary season has been, and we haven’t even gotten to the real election yet!

    Great picture of Edwards and Clinton. I love seeing things that show Edwards for the shady character he really is.

    Andy
    01/12/08 at 6:27 pm

  5. @Jean Hay Bright
    Thanks for that information. I used it in my latest YouTube video and post.

    Manila Ryce
    01/13/08 at 6:56 am

  6. Personally, I feel the debates are more injurious and risky to the eventual Democratic candidate, the fewer voices are heard. The more inclusive the debates, the shorter will be the sound bites from the eventual nominee which can be swift-boated by Republicans. By all means, Gravel and Kucinich should be included: these two only serve to educate the audience. That can only help the Progressive cause!

    Vigilante
    01/13/08 at 8:43 am

  7. This is no more a debate then an informatial. I see a 212 contact number so they are here in manhattan, I will go there today after work to protest. I am ashamed to see that ron paul was excluded from last debate and the republican party said they will not debate without him, and that the democrats are not doing the same. shame shame shame.

    Kevin Harper
    01/14/08 at 7:37 am

  8. Far from the ‘democracy’ citizens are led to believe exists, American corporate [mainstream] media through denial of Presidential hopefuls in the debate is increasingly exposing the real ‘demokracy’ which has infiltrated your nation. Yes America, your so-called ‘democracy’ is a farce.

    camelien
    01/14/08 at 8:58 am

  9. Good points Jean and Kevin. It’s absolutely disgraceful and disturbing what they’re doing to Kucinich. And they are doing it so openly and shamelessly. I’ll be contacting NBC today and going to protest with Kevin outside their office.

    Ling
    01/14/08 at 9:30 am

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