Breaking News: Nevada Court says MSNBC can bar Kucinich

The Nevada Supreme Court has just ruled that MSNBC is within its rights to bar Rep. Dennis Kucinich from participating in the nationally-televised Democratic presidential debate in a few minutes.

The court decision, issued minutes ago, reverses a District Court order from yesterday that required the network to include Kucinich as a qualified candidate. MSNBC had originally invited the Cleveland congressman, but then rescinded that invitation last week.

Kucinich's lawyers had argued that a contract thus existed and MSNBC was breaking it by un-inviting him.

However, today's Supreme Court decision ruled that no such binding contract existed and the district court "manifestly abused its discretion" in making that interpretation.

The results are the debate will continue this evening at 6 p.m. Pacific with just the top three Democratic candidates--Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Wesley Davison]

Absolutely shameful. NBC is in the wrong, morally and legally. It does not serve the public interest to exclude Kucinich - unless "public" means "corporate". Please do not watch this sham of a debate on NBC. Support your right to choose what candidate you want. Our right to choose our president is getting taken away! I won't stand for this!

WD

[Maxfield Russo]

CHUCK TODD AND NBC WON'T ALLOW KUCINICH TO DEBATE. KUCINICH WON THE GANDHI PEACE AWARD! NBC owned by GE, the largest weapons manufacturer in the country, filed an emergency appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court to overturn the judge's decision to allow America to hear from Dennis Kucinich.

How can a network whose purpose is to serve the public interest have such power in destroying the democratic process?

WHY is NBC taking such extreme measures to keep Kucinich from the debate? Does the network think it would be bad for the democratic process to have at least one candidate onstage who is against media monopolies, never voted for the war, and is for saving the environment? Is NBC afraid of the truth getting out about it's corporate parent, GE? This is a travesty, an abomination and proves that network conglomerates do not have the public interest at heart.

[O' Tim]

Legal schematics aside, this is once again cowardice of the highest order on the part of the mainstream media and the Democratic Party as well. I for one am through with them. I will not vote for their nominee. They are caterers of a bland buffet of mashed potatoes with chicken gravy, cauliflower and navy beans. This country gets what it deserves for gorging at the Beltway sheep trough.

Go Mike Huckabee!

[Jonathan Bautista]

are you kidding me?
NBC has just been blacklisted.
I refuse to view or purchase ANYTHING advertised on NBC!

[Erik E.]

Representatives from the 15 homes on our little cul-de-sac in The Woodlands, Texas, 12 of whom are leaning toward the Democratic Party, read the argument posed by MSNBC’s legal counsel — that MSNBC, as a privately held firm, is free to invite whomever it wishes to events it sponsors such as this debate. This makes entirely good sense.
Thereafter, the 15 of us discussed the issue and held a vote in which we unanimously decided that none of us will any longer invite MSNBC into our homes. Hey, we’re just a small enclave of people outside a big city who can extend exclusive invitations, too. Our thinking is based on the notion that in a REAL democracy any legal candidate — even ones we do not like — must have opportunity to be heard.

[Rex Ricks]

I WAS an undecided independent in California. However, since Kucinich was excluded from the debate, I will vote for him to spite the other candidates. If Clinton, Edwards, and Obama were principled they would at least take a stand against exclusion. All candidates have a right to be heard. Anyone who supports exclusion supports a diminished democracy and a path towards a dictatorship.

Iowa and New Hampshire have a mere 2% of the entire delegates! Why should those states results determine who is viable at such an early state in the game? That would be like some basketball player hitting a 3 point shot very early in the game, and declaring the game over. No that is why they play the game. This contest should be a 50 state battle! Let the voters decide!

[Sad]

This is a sad day for America.

[Greg]

O' Tim, give me a break. So you will support the nominee of a party that just excluded Ron Paul in basically the exact same situation, with the possible exception that Ron Paul routinely wins six to seven times the percentage of Kucinich. If you are going to vote republican because you are a republican, don't try to present yourself as sometype of unbiased arbiter who is upset that Kucinich isn't in the debate.

[malik]

I am getting so tired of this sham of a democratic process. Yes I agree it is shameful. Will not some larger more powerful voices speak out in Mr. Kucinichs defense? The people of this country will never have a voice until the media looses its strangle hold on what we see and think and then say and ultimately how we vote. Kucinich has a voice ..a clear one, he is not wishy washy or centrist, everything he says makes sense and matters so much. The fact that he can not be heard tonight nationwide is a loss for us all. I am so tired of this..it has to stop soon, not tomorrow but now! Now! We as a nation for the people and by the people need to wake up and speak out. Kucinich is one loud voice, but WE can be one louder voice! Speak out!

m

[Sam Tighiouart]

Now that NBC has decided who the three contending democratic primary candidates will be, why bother to cast a ballot? And what of "The Peoples Right" in the matter? If in fact "The People" are to decide, perhaps "The People" want to make an informed decision.
I am in shock that NBC would hide behind the First Amendment while Mr. Kucinich the right to speak.
And the three candidates that are going to "change" big business and stand up for the American citizen showed their true colors. Those candidates stood by and watched, yet again, as the rights of "The People" were squandered at the expense of big business. Not one of the three took a stand for the right of the people to hear and make an informed decision. As to unity and bringing people together, if this is an example, no thank you. If you will stand idly by and choose self preservation over "The People" once you will do it again. And I surmise all three will hide behind the court ruling that sided decided a business has more of a right than a citizen of this country. I was leaning to vote Democratic until this event.

[Zayde Naquib]

Another in a series of horrendous events that is pushing this country away from Democracy and toward corporate fascism. Imagine a country where all are treated equally and where everyone can participate in the Democratic process of voting for a President. How do we expect to regain respect in the world if propaganda exists so blatantly? They're not even trying to hide it! As someone so passionate about this process, this saddens me greatly. I don't even know what to say anymore.

[Matthew Jarrells]

This is the part in the movie where the people would rise up behind the unlikely champion to bring down the unjust.
But, no...
America has no more room for heroes. They all exist as vague memories on scratchy film from speeches 40 years past.

[tucanofulano]

This provides additional proof "the networks" do not have a clue what their potential audience wants, and explains even further why "the networks" continue to lose market share. What losers.

[KJS]

If NBC was really interested in promoting democracy, they (and all the others) would broadcast the debates on FREE TV. This cable-only method of delivering the discussion has an entry fee :cable bills.

Half the citizenry is excluded from the debate, what's the difference in excluding candidates?

[Del]

I hate NBC

[Dick Thorsen]

Well... looks like the fix is in at the highest levels.

Easy to see that the interests of the Nevada Supreme Court are in line with the corporate aristocracy interests that want to make sure that, like Mexico, 5% of the upper crust control 95% of the money here in America and the majority of our citizens are too dumbed down to see it .

[independant in MN]

Unfortunately, the media seems to be showing their true colors quite often these days - first Fox with the New Hampshire debate and the exclusion of Ron Paul, and now NBC with Kucinich.

Small wonder things are so screwed up in Amerika these days.

[Levi]

This is infuriating. Pure madness. I'll never watch MSNBC again.

[IMA Believer]

It's official. The revolution WILL be televised after all. The trouble is, the revolution is not what you thought it would be.

Welcome to the Military-Industrial-Media-Political complex.

Take a number, have a seat. The revolution is nearly over. It happened while we were sleeping and tivoing and text messaging and consuming and

[Robyn Sumners]

I knew things were bad, but now I realize things are much worse than I ever imagined. I actually wept upon hearing this news. It saddens me how disinterested and self-involved we've become. If these spineless self-serving Homo sapiens are our alternative to Bush, then I'm not as excited about the prospect of 2009 as I planned. I fear our future rests in "Idiocracy."

[xylem tavar galadhon]

An *absolutely* shameful and embarrassing day for all Americans.

Chalk up the current members of the NV Supreme Court next to those of the 2000 US Supreme Court as utter failures as human beings and Americans, forever, and ever, in American history.

Ughh.

[Gary V Stephenson]

Very few media "outlets" have abused their public trust this brazenly. The injustice of it makes me sick to my stomach. Thanks to MS-NBC for helping me with my diet - they now offer only low cal fare.

[Leeky]

That's it, I've unplugged the cable. Ok, I might have to put it back in to watch PBS since I won't be able to use rabbit ears now that we are forever strapped into paying a cable company to receive transmission. But other than that- forget it.

If you've got a primary in your area, vote for Dennis. Tell other people to go online and find out what' he's all about. Send them here too: http://www.dennis4president.com/go/resources/polls/ see what happens when Dennis is included in a debate/polls higher, and the MSM pulls or buries the story.

If the "top 3" were worth their salt, they should have said, hey- he's qualified for matching funds from the government, and should be sharing the stage with us. If they've got the right stuff- why should they mind if he's on stage?

CALL COMPLAIN COMMENT BLOG CHAT WITH YOUR FRIENDS/NEIGHBORS YOU NAME IT. Save our Country from the likes of GE and war and greed...

[Gregg Gregory]

Where's the outrage on the part of Billary, Osama, and the ambulance chaser?

[Ena]

Dennis was excluded from Iowa, New Hampshire, and now Nevada.
and "they" say that he is un- electable?
Why would I believe anything "they" say? When have they been truthful--the war in Iraq? WMDs? etc etc etc
In spite of this, he is still running--cogently, consistently and with integrity.
I am not watching NBC, ABC, Fox. I am not voting for the candidate they chose and call electable--what's at stake for the corporations and what's at stake for us and our county?

Dennis deserves and will get my vote on Feb 5th.
And I am keeping a hard copy, in case there is a re-count.