Breaking News: Kucinich sues NBC over Nevada debate

Rep. Dennis Kucinich has just sued NBC-TV in Las Vegas over his exclusion from the MSNBC debate among top Demcoratic candidates in Nevada tomorrow.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Kucinich filed his lawsuit moments ago seeking a temporary restraining order allowing him to participate in the nationally-televised debate among Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama. A copy of the lawsuit is available here.

As reported here over the weekend, Kucinich was originally informed that he was invited. But that invitation was later rescinded, prompting an outraged press release about giant corporate powers controlling voters' access to all candidates.

Kucinich's lawsuit claims, “Kucinich is a credible and serious candidate in Nevada, where he is actively and vigorously campaigning and has statewide headquarters in Las Vegas.” The suit could threaten tomorrow evening's debate.

It comes just days before the hotly-contested Nevada caucuses that has drawn all the Democratic candidates, seeking votes and endorsements. A District Court hearing was scheduled for this afternoon.

Kucinich's exclusion from Tuesday's debate is the ....

latest of several. The perennial president candidate from Cleveland was also barred from participating in the ABC-TV-Facebook debate in New Hampshire and the Des Moines Register debate in Iowa.

Also Fox News excluded Republican Rep. Ron Paul from its GOP debate just before last week's New Hampshire primary, even though it did include Rudy Giuliani, whom Paul had beaten in Iowa, and Fred Thompson, who wasn't campaigning in New Hampshire and was trailing Paul in polls there. Paul was also in Nevada today campaigning.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Dave]

Good...I hope he owns that company by the time it's all said and done. Perhaps then, someone (important!) will realize that corporations are ruling our nation, and not the people. This is common knowledge, of course, to us pee-ons. How long are we going to tolerate it?

[MoodyMemos]

Thank you Kucinich. Seems to be one of the few people trying to defend democracy in this country. You certainly won't hear much from the supposedly "free" and "competing" big news corporations.

[Tess]

I am not a Kucinich supporter but I think the media should not censor any of the candidates and leave them out of debates or forums, neither should the Democratic Party. The media is doing the same thing to Kucinich that they have done to others, because they do not want the American public to know the truth, but we the people know. The Democratic party has already chosen Hillary, it was more than obvious when she came out the winner in New Hampshire, and we all know Obama won. Kucinich is a man of courage, integrity, and principles, and I believe that the Obama supporters should be helping Kucinich by donating and helping him to have the recount done. This support would benefit Obama and the truth will come out. By the way I am a Republican, and guess who has my vote?

[AlisonandBear]

To all who care-- let's try to do something, too! We can't just leave Kucinich out there all alone. Show your support-- if not for Kucinich-- then for freedom, change and taking power back into the hands of the people. Call NBC/MSNBC at 212 664-4444 and ask for the Comment Line or email them at letters@msnbc.com to let them know that we as the voting public will not stand for them limiting our choice... and tell them to open the doors towards real democracy, not tv-land "America's Next Top President."

I look forward to tuning in and hearing from ALL the candidates tomorrow.

[Kyle in San Francisco]

Imagine if Paul and Kucinich won their respective nominations. We could finally have a real debate in this country about the role of the US government in our lives and in the world.

Top of the Ticket, you are at the top of my browser favorites. Thanks for questioning the established order of our so-called democracy.

(And thanks for your frequent visits, Kyle. Spread the word to your friends please.)

[eld]

I am not a Kucinich supporter, but I believe NBC was wrong to exclude him from the debate. He deserves the opportunity to present his views to voters not just in Nevada but all over the country who will be watching the debate. The media should not act as gatekeepers excluding candidates who have met all the legal requirements to qualify for the ballot in many state primaries and caucuses. There is a much stronger case for including Dennis Kucinich in the Nevada Democratic debate than there was for including Alan Keyes in the Iowa Republican debate. Kucinich is actively campaigning in Nevada, has offices in the state, etc. Hopefully NBC will come to its senses and include Kucinich without having to be ordered to do so by the court.

[pmorlan]

I'm sick of the media's arrogance in this election. They've been trying to manipulate this race so that only two choices are available to voters. Enough is enough. Stop trying to push Edwards out of the race by not covering his campaign or making snide remarks that he needs to get out.. Stop trying to push Kucinich out the race and the debates. The candidates will decide if they will campaign and the voters will decide who they will vote for in this election. The media needs to do their job of covering the campaigns and asking the tough questions. They need to stop trying to take over the role of the candidate and the voters.

[MasterMind.Inc]

Who cares? The world is coming to an end in 2012 anyways............

[C Saders]

Good for him, how can they even call this a debate - sounds more like a commercial promoting the NBC picks. After all, they want the candidate that will best server their corporate interests, not the interests of the people!

[huh]

You can't take Kucinich serious when the same corporations fund his campaign and the party he is in is the back up party for the corporations.

[Rich]

This guy is such a loser! He's got ZERO chance to get even 10 delegates. The guy needs to check in and never come out! What an absolute loser.

[Jay]

It doesn't surprise me that the Fascist News Network is censoring Rep. Ron Paul. Furthermore, their interviewing tactics only show how shallow they want journalism to become so that Representative Democracy is further demolished in favor of corporate-run government. Or, in other words, Representatives are only the puppets of corporations and wealthy citizens, not the public as a whole, because the public are kept misinformed so that the consent of the governed no longer exists. That's Fascism, folks.

[jwaawaa]

Isn't it funny how they will take the money of the candidate for ads -- literally spending millions. But then they snub them at the debates. Who makes these choices? --- I hope he takes them to the cleaners. If the writers can stop the golden globes maybe Paul and Kucinich can bring down (or at least hurt their wallets) these few "decision makers" that try decide who our president by exclusion.

Very Shameful on the Networks.... Turning off the tv - going to get info from the web.

[Don Baird]

Mr. Kucinich is as a candidate is entitled to be heard! OK he may not make the cut and be the Democrats final choice but he needs to be heard. at this time in the prolonged process of a presidential election we should be given everyones ideas about how to fix the mess in Washington.

[Jay]

Thank you, courts. I was worried that the stage would look empty without any decoration, but Kucinich's presence will insure that the stage has decoration.

PS: I'm sick of candidate fanboys whining about everything that doesn't go their way. You're worse than Al Sharpton.

[Gary A]

I am a Ron Paul suporter but the MSM is doing to Dennis what they have done to Paul so I am glade a judge will tell the MSM to be fair. MSNBC and Fox are both trying to tell us who to vote for.

[Lynn]

The reporters sit on their cynical thrones in judgment of the candidates. But who elected them? Any of the 4 remaining Democratic candidates are people of serious purpose and much more committed to solving America's problems than any of the reporters I see shouting about polls, tears and personalities on TV.
The job of the press is to report on the issues, not to package an election as entertainment. They already have ignored several talented, credible candidates to death. I am so glad to hear that a judge returned our right to hear Congressman Kucinich.
Now let's see whether the moderator actually asks the Congressman an intelligent question.

[Leanne]

Agreed. Not a Dennis supporter, heck, wrong side of the aisle for that matter. Just be prepared, once his supporters start fighting for his right to be heard in the democratic process, the supporters themselves will be attacked in the media. Take note of the news stories circulating about the cult of Paultards harrassing the media . Of course, there's also the clerk in NH that didn't record any of Ron Paul's votes, and then that poor poor woman got harrassed with phone calls from those horrible horrible Ron Paul people. Get my drift? Funny how fighting for democracy will get you demonized. Stalinist Russia would be so proud.

[Chris]

I had a little chuckle at some of these comments.

Your idea of promoting freedom is to force a corporation to do something against their will? Do you not see the irony there?

You have the freedom to boycott NBC, NBC has the freedom to run their network as they want. Everyone has freedom.

Wanting to curtail one freedom because you don't agree with it just makes you Orwellian in your goals.

Also, why are all corporations evil? A corporation is a legal entity for more or less any business with more than one owner. Most small business people incorporate their businesses, most people in this country work for corporations. Corporations become successful and large because they are good at what they do. Starbucks, for instance, would never have become the corporation they are today if they served crappy coffee.

[Vincent G]

The main problem is the polls!

Since polls can be slanted they should not be allowed as a guide.
The whole question of polls as a tool to measure outcome is dismissed if the poll itself can be slanted.
I really don't care how it's defended - it should not be allowed.

The real question is do polls effect outcome?
They will argue that the poll reflects what the outcome will be.
But since the polls are used to censor candidates and worse I fear they are used as guides as to what questions are asked at these grand events they can indeed slant the outcome.
Past elections have blamed polls for their demise.
Polls should not be allowed at all since they can be designed to show results that is pre-determined.
Reporters should be limited to reporting the news and nothing more.
When you give the news agencies the ability to shape events then the outcome is not true democracy
So should the news agencies exclude any candidate?
Not if this is based on polling information!

I say let the election results be a surprise to all and stop polling altogether.

[Maggie Hittinger]

The corporitasion of our press, the corporitazion of our healthcare system?
Way to go Michigan vote for Dennis. Then lets see what they do with that?

[rcca]

It is nice that they have to let Rep. Dennis Kucinich take part, but they don’t have to let him answer many, if any, questions.
How many debates have taken place, and the top 2 or three get all the attention? The debates have been a farce. Let PBS air the debates, and have the League of Women voters make the rules. The moderator of the debate could be Bill Moyers or Jim Lehrer. Questions could be asked by various news media. The Moderator would be allowed follow-up questions. Another suggestion I have is a round table discussion with all the candidated hosted by Phil Donahue.
It is time to start challenging the ownership of the television stations owned and operated by Disney (ABC), General Electric (NBC), and Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation (Fox). If they continue to try control our access to the news, they are not operating in the best interests of the Citizens of this United States. The Citizens of the United States own the airwaves.
Get the F.C.C. off their rear seats. It is time to bring back the equal time rules.
There are pirate radio stations all over this country, which are illegal. How about a few pirate news television stations? Check out Go Left TV.
It is time to bring back “the most trusted man in America”, our uncle Walter Cronkite.

[Maggie Hittinger]

I think Dennis Kusinich is a viable candidate. I am so sick of a media controlled by corporate America allowing us to see only the candidates they wish us to see.censorship allowing us to see only the thing Corporate America wants us to see.

Way to go Michigan maybe now Dennis will get his chance?

[Maggie Hittinger]

The Invisible Man And Our Chance For Dramatic Change

When Dennis Kucinich announced his candidacy for the presidency, his original plan was to get $50 from each of a million citizens, about a third of one percent of the U.S. population. 50 bucks – that’s two tanks of gas or 10 six-packs of beer. With that, he figured, he'd be able to mount a decent campaign without having to go, hat and soul in hand, to the money sources that have the American political system in their grasp. He was not successful.

Skip to January, '08. Kucinich has been denied the right to debate in Iowa and on ABC (Disney, Inc.) and has had his image excised from a photograph of democratic candidates, said photo sent all over the world. After an early debate, when a national poll revealed that viewers considered him the winner, mainstream media declared him "unelectable" and began to ignore him completely. Nevertheless, he has won polls by ABC, MSNBC, CSPAN, Democracy For America, the John Edwards Campaign (!) and every online poll I'm aware of that would attract progressive democrats and independents. On January 7, Jay Leno asked Ron Paul who on the democratic side he liked best. When Paul mentioned "Dennis" the crowd erupted in applause.

The New York Times produced a two-page synopsis, “Where the Democrats and Republicans Stand”. It included photographs of the presidential “hopefuls” and their positions on Iraq, health, taxes, energy, immigration, climate ….. everything. The presentation included candidates down to Richardson, Biden and Dodd, all three of whom have, by now, dropped out. Everybody was shown except Kucinich. As far as “America’s Paper of Record” was concerned, he did not exist.

Going into the New Hampshire primary, Clinton and Obama enjoyed 200 million corporate/fat cat dollars -- "the mother's milk of American politics" -- between them. Hillary "We are the President" Clinton touted her experience which, if one recalls the administration of her partner, must include NAFTA, welfare "reform" and the 1996 Telecommunications Act that further solidified corporate control of the public's airways. Obama, whose "star quality" cannot be denied, gave the crowds stirring speeches and lots and lots of "Hope".

It is understandable that "The System" would consider Kucinich a threat and seek to make him invisible. Simply look at his platform: Out of NAFTA on day one; out of the World Trade Organization; universal not-for-profit health care; creation of a Department of Peace (Imagine that! ); repeal the Patriot Act; end the phony "Drug War"; end the war in Iraq now, not in 2013 or 2020 but now; speak as an equal among equals with all world leaders, whether or not they are in synch with "American Interests Around the World". Everything a progressive American would dream of. Just imagine the shudders his expressed plan would send through the defense industry (e.g. GE/NBC), the pharmaceutical industry, the insurance industry, the "corporate sector" generally.

One cannot consider Dennis without his wife Elizabeth, an articulate expert on monetary policy who would certainly be as valuable a partner in a Kucinich administration as Hillary was in Bill's. But our media, hell-bent on reinforcing its tabloid qualities, locked on her looks. In one painful/hilarious interview of the couple, the "journalist", after speaking with Dennis, turned to Elizabeth, immediately referred to her age and looks, and wanted to know about her pierced tongue. Dennis, unruffled, said "I hope as a professional you won't trivialize her", and he then ticked off Elizabeth's considerable accomplishments. His allusion to "a professional" was a tangential rebuke of the interviewer's stunningly unprofessional display. Nevertheless, obtuse and undeterred, the woman was unrelenting in her tastelessness and wanted to know if Elizabeth would show her tongue. Elizabeth would not.

On January 3, the New York Observer declared "Dennis Kucinich Owns New Hampshire". Oh how I hoped for an upset. In a way he may have owned that small state, for having vacated Iowa he went early to New Hampshire and criss-crossed it to enthusiastic crowds. But people do vote "strategically" in primaries, and the acute lack of "big money" necessary for "front runner" status may have been too much. That and the media drumbeat of "But he's not electable" and the pathetically superficial need of too many American voters for slick or "alpha" or “tall-in-the-saddle” father-figure politicians.

But of course he is electable if people vote for him. He certainly has the most progressive platform. "Change", we're told, is what people desperately want. Obama may give us a little change, but he won't give us the real change we need because he won't be able to. He’s in hock to Big Money, and he's mum on the issue of his tight relationship with “Bush’s favorite democrat, Joe Lieberman. Hillary won't give us the real change we need because she has already demonstrated with her Senate votes that she will not. Dennis is giving us our chance for dramatic change, and, to date, either we are failing to see that chance or we are rejecting it outright.
I never wrote this but I wiish I did It speakes for me and I hope for you.

[Rory]

Remember when anyone could grow up to be President of the United States?

[lochukung]

Should we also include Mr. Gravel too? I think Mr. Kucinich has been given more than enough opportunity to present his views and positions during the 2004 presidential election as well as this one this year. At this point, I don't think including Mr. Kucinich who never amassed any substantial support to propel him to the forefront. Getting him to the debate with all other front-runners is effectively depriving the Americans more opportunity to listen to them in details. Let's face it, Mr. Kucinich has no chance of getting nominated. He will only play the role of a party-crasher at best. Like track and field, those running behind will be eliminated and only the fastest will go to the final. there are only 3 left in the Democratic final now and Mr. Kucinich is unfortunately not one of them.

[Emlyn]

The other Democratic--and Republican--candidates should SAY something about these exclusions DURING the debates in question! How else will citizens know that some candidates are being left out of the public eye? Unforgivable.

[Tom]

Gee, here's a thought, Dennis: buy air time for an infomercial. You're like Ron Paul: a fringe candidate with zero chance to get the nomination or even improve the level of debate. Most people don't know your names, and probably don't care to. The only time you make headlines is when you sue someone because they don't want to give you broadcast time in a debate in which you are nothing more than a fringe candidate with no chance to win.

I'm serious about buying time for an infomercial. It did wonders for Ross Perot when he did so, and there are many examples of candidates who buy blocks of air time when they can't get noticed any other way.

Lyndon LaRouche comes to mind. Between you and Paul, Dennis, you almost add up to a LaRouche.

NBC isn't obligated to give you a seat at the table when you're only capable of getting 3-5% of the vote. If you and Ron Paul stop deciding to be the popular "outsider" candidates and start deciding to take this and any other election seriously, you should then have all the access to the spoils you want. Until then, don't expect every media outlet to kowtow to one of your frivolous lawsuits just because you SAY you are a viable candidate. Prove it with words, not legal fights.

[Jim]

Re: Chuckling Chris - nice try. I'm not buying a product and these corporations don't own our democracy. Or perhaps I should say shouldn't. It's more than apparent that our government is for sale. And with shills like you they don't even have to advertise.

[Rikgw]

Dennis should have his time on the playing field: however, he's not my choice
to run this country. Can you imagine his wife as first lady greeting celebreties? Everytime she opened her mouth these people would see a ball of metal hanging from her tongue. They would think culture in the USA has slipped to a new low. This, plus the fact, this metal ball on the tongue would cause an uncontrollable fad. It's just not a nice thing to see.

Rikgw

[Sam]

Chris...who said, "Your idea of promoting freedom is to force a corporation to do something against their will? Do you not see the irony there?"

Sir, the serve at the benefit of us because the airwaves are owned by us. Additionally, broadcast licenses are supposed to be renewed if the station meets the "public interest, convenience, or necessity."

[mike read]

Rush calls them the 'drive by media'. I don't give them that much credit. They sit in their offices in front of their computers and follow the directions of their keepers. It used to be the crooks that feared the media, now it's us!

[Realista]

Chris... A U. S. Election must not be controlled by Large Private businesses!

[Focus]

Andrew, you keep calling Kucinich the perennial candidate for president. He has only run for President once before. For that matter so has Edwards, McCain, and Paul will you call them all perennial candidates every time you mention them?

Your intentions are obvious...

Kucinich should be in the debate, period!

(Relax! He is.)

[naytiv]

Wow. How rediculous is our government/media going to get. This is so rediculously blatant it makes me sick. For the sake of AMERICA, pray for a Ron Paul/Dennis Kucinich final debate! The slobbering dumbed down masses are a sad testament to our IQ as a society....

[Ryan]

Thank God for Kucinich..how many others are championing people's rights over multinational corporations?

[Armando]

I just read that NBC is APPEALING this decision to include Dennis Kucinich. NBC and it's parent company Microsoft feel they know better than the American people and are ABOVE THE RULE OF LAW. They are now going to court to overturn a judges decision. This will not stand. They only understand in the pocket book: Call NBC/MSNBC at 212 664-4444 and ask for the Comment Line or email them at letters@msnbc.com Tell them you will stop watching NBC or buy MS products (or better yet, tell them you will buy Apple from now on) because of this appeal - I did. This is all we can do. I'm e-mailing them now, I hope you find it in your heart (and pocket book) to do the same. Thank you.

[Maggie Hittinger]

Now I absolutely know what censorship is about its not about what is told rather its about what is ommited. The slence is as powerful as the lies told.
We the people here hoping the people we voted for would care for us. Now we find that is not so.So many of them just used us to make it better for themselves. George Bush told the world we were somethijg we never were.

[April Anderson]

Everyone should be aware that the only 2 real candidates are Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich. The rest are paid off puppets. The people's votes are never counted anyway! Our elections are rigged! The TV stations are ridiculous and there are very few real journalists left in this country because they are all paid off too.

[Jason]

We cannot let corporations tell us who we can hear and not hear. Where is our Democratic leadership on this??

[Pete]

Makes you wonder what sort of a democracy we're talking about, when candidates claim we need a national dialogue, and an international dialogue, but media and party bosses think they know whose central to it and who isn't. Looks more and more like techno-fuedalism everyday. You can pretty easily extrapolate what this means for foreign and domestic policy, without needing a PHD in international relations. I guess it will take more effort to appear to be offended when we get called a 'failed state' as time goes on - but I don't think all of us are so easily fooled - the fact that these keeps happening (not just to kucinich or paul, but to 'unselected' 'unapproved' candidates in every 'election') should serve as a pretty obvious indicator. To paraphrase Wendell Berry 'reality isn't a great metric, but it does let us know not to look for eggs in a cuckoo clock'.

[Danno]

My brand new American History textbook seems to contain a slight variation of Lincoln's Gettysburg address. The final words are:

"...and that government of the PEOPLE, by the MEDIA, for the CORPORATIONS, shall not perish from the earth."

[borat]

Leanne: Are you serious? A corporation that has been given the right by the American people via the FCC to use our airwaves does not have the right to censor what the American public gets to see, especially in a Presidential debate.

re: Starbucks
Again, seriously? If my "corporation" is a big box retailer that abuses it's employees by not providing them with a living wage and decent benefits all while actively crushing any attempt by those employees to form a union to address these abuses... is all of that ok because they have "like really awesome inexpensive totally sweet stuff"? But that probably would never happen in America anyway...

For the sake of what's left of the USA, I hope that you are either 10 years old or kidding.

[John Choy]

According to the Bill of Rights, " the right of
citizens of the United States to vote shall not be be
denied..." As such, our rights to know whom we can
vote for and what are we voting for are the most
critical factors in exercising our right to vote.
Since ABC/NBC has denied Congressman Dennis
Kucinich the opportunity to present his viewpoints to
the American people and to challenge other presidential
candidates in the debate, NBC/ABC, in essence, has
"misled" the American public in believing and assuming
that there are only three viable democratic
candidates.
Such action by ABC/NBC would only led us into the
downfall of the American Republic because the
democracy that we know today has been taken over by
corporate censorship.
Such corporate censorship is now dictating to the
American people whom we should vote for while opposite
viewpoints and information are being suppressed.
Equally speaking, we see the same kind of freedom
that the American soldiers are so dearly asked to
sacrifice their lives for, are no longer provided to
us, and yet, we see billions of dollars and million of
lives are lost in Iraq to achieve the same. This a an
irony beyond comprehension.
It make us wonder if such overture is perhaps
caused by the same machinery that had driven us to war
for profits, if not the same corporate greed that has
taken away Congressman Kucinich his freedom of free
speech (to the American people).
To further silence one of the great leader of
the peace movement which we definitely need in the
world at this time, can only provide a disservice to
humanity. To eliminate one of the great debaters, who
has won many national polls among the progressive
democrats, is in fact, settling in a sad chapter in
the American political process. Media should not
decide these election. We, the voter does. Just because
Rep.Kucinich does not take Corporate money doesn't
mean he should be treated as a 2nd class candidate.

[CORPARAnoid]

When Hilter took power in Germany, it was in strategic installments from 1928. We already have: 1) secret/visible prisons for torture-outside the Rule of Law. 2) Black Water+ 'brown shirt' thugs as our privatized/para military force-outside the Rule of Law. Halli-Burton-> KBR Rape-outside the Rule of Law 3) bullying Americans at Airports, enforced servitude with no objections - R U a Terrorist?-. 4) control of our Airways by the few Elite/Corporate -Disney, GE, Fox (minded intent on their Candidate(s) of CFR, Bloomberg, Nafta, u Know the RAT Pack!. 5) the Patriot Act and loss of Habius Corpus. 6) the Firing of People who Speak Out or Challenge their core theme of WAR4Profit, GettingOFGas & going GREEN Energy, our Critical Thinker's, the Scientific Challenger's, the Innovators . .100MPG on WATER cross country, 100-50 MPG on Gas. (7) Established Watch Lists - from Tree Hugger's, Green Peace to the True Majority, MoveON, Women's League of Voters. 8) Illegal wire tapping on AMERICAN's; with only slaps on the wrists for participating Corp's. 9) Desperate -Corp's working w/Gov 4-Life support -> hidden agenda, New World Order, no matter that it could mean DEATH, Sterility, Maimed Americans, profit 4 blood 10) the subtle merging of MEGA Corp's-Monopolies. 11) 6 degree's of separation of CEO, Board of Directors from political party/gov/elite affliations to ensure profits, payoffs4crimes & expanded group control. (12) Nafta, the Super Trucking HW and reduced 4cent/Dollar to become the Amero$. (14) the gradual changing of our Republic to a National Socialistic -- President&VP that Bullies Congress & the World-at-Large. Anyway, you get the point. It's Here's, It's Happening!
'We the People' must STAND UP NOW and Speak Out. We must VOTE and PARTICIPATE in our electorial process. Voting your HEART -- Not your Wallet, Not your Party. Vote Because they (Dennis Kucinich, Mike Gravel, Ron Paul...) are Different and they Promote CHANGE! Think OUTSIDE the BOX. VOTE, because THEY have the VALUES you Repect, because they SPEAK UP & and are Our Voice in the Wilderness. We must inspect & ensure our PAPER Ballot is accurate; because the voting machines(w/Modems& BAD Printers) R run by Private Corps who have their OWN political agenda. If you don't defend the things you Love in America, they will be Going, Going, Gone.
Where will the Sea 2 Shining Sea be OILED; our Mountain Top Removal 4 Coal (not-GREEN) W.Va Blue Ridge trashed, our corn fields turned into Ethanol (Not-GREEN) and it's FOOD4 the Starving ...dead, more Nuclear Power Plants (NOT-Green) and by-product=Depleted Uranium is only Good4Weapons, world Cancer, and forced Sterility-i.e., changes to DNA...more DEATH. Our Forrests, Woodlands ..clear-cut and Public Parks Closed due to lack of State/Federal Funding. What will U say 5-10 years from now? Nothing! If you haven't been dragged off by their private Militia, put into Rail Road cars made by RAND, put in FEMA camps, forced Flu & drug shots 4 your children, have a Motorola RFID chip implanted into U, secure IBM Voice Database on ALL forms of (hidden Chipped) Comm systems that U own/wear, Video Survelliance YOU WILL BE SAYING NOTHING -- ALL PAID By U w/Interest FED Debt4 your children/techno slaves. And that once Great Nation US will be quiet, like in 1934 'Night of the Long Knives' when the 'Brown Shits' were given power to Kill.
Get out there & Vote, Get out there & BoyCOTT the Corporations who will usurp your RIGHT as a HUMAN BEINGs TO BE THE BEST YOU CAN BE & Not in an ARMY as Fodder for Kings & Queens of Industry.
I want to see a political candidate that Challenges US to exceed our Wildest Dreams -- Free/Low Cost GREEN Energy, Free/Low Cost Health Care not by being the 49th randking in the World--but the 1st, Low Cost HIGH Education (5 languages, Math, Science, Geography, Music, the Arts, Holistic Health, Green Architecture, Global Warming -> Pole Shift ..Engineering Science & Mechanics for Protecting our Coastal cities, low-lying cities, waterways, protect & stabliize our OZONE). Free/Quality Water, AIR, earth. Homes, food, health, nature generously transformed to support our needs & for ALL . With all the Bells & Whistles we can Dream Of. A fair Tax system. Where CORPs can choose their Life Expectancy 100 yrs ++++, 50 yrs +++, 30 yrs ++, 20 yrs +, and then they divest themselves, sell off their ASSETS and give it to their Shareholders. If the employee's want to start it back up - it's IBM.2, IBM.3. A stable economy that doesn't demand 5-8% or more growth, they are happy for their 'Good Will'. A world where active Artist Community Centers (training from apprentice to journayman to master), Sports Arena's -- Life games (as Animal tribes, for the whole family), Historic Arena's (where U can portray the Good/Bad/Ugly but not be them- from different Era's in Human history). What can YOU DREAM ??? Now VOTE 4 IT!

[Roger]

http://forpresidentronpaul.blogspot.com/

We the People need to awake; We the people need to grasp the depth and seriousness the main media role is in manipulating us the People of this beautiful country.
The majority of the main well known media are private own and they serve their own interest do not believe by one minute they exists to serve ours. For many years they have been injecting their spin by silencing voices they do not want to gain any traction, it is done under the cover of many words which are nothing more than deceptions.

The sad part is that while we are sending our man and women soldiers to far and unknown lands, to kill or get kill, here at home the process established by the US Constitution, this master piece where 56 founding fathers full of courage signed knowing full well that if it fails they will pay with their life, that process is being tramped by those pretending to brings us the “news” thinking they know what it best for us.
I will leave you with some Thomas Jefferson Quotes to think about it.
Please note the word Newspaper in today’s era is also “Radio, TV and Internet”
- “Advertisements... contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper."
- "The press is impotent when it abandons itself to falsehood."
- "Nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle. The real extent of this state of misinformation is known only to those who are in situations to confront facts within their knowledge with the lies of the day."
http://forpresidentronpaul.blogspot.com/

[chris]

so, they want to silence dennis. what are they afraid of? dennis is the only candidate who opposes the death penalty. he is the only candidate who opposed the war, and the patriot act. he is the only candidate who opposed the aerosol spraying known as chemtrails. the media is desperate to silence these issues, and fix the election. dennis also called for a re-count in new hampshire because the outcome was very suspicious. voting machine results differed from all poll results by double digits. google chemtrails.

[JimS]

Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul should be in the white house - this ticket would fix each others flaws and just OWN the compatition. One could only dream.

[Anthony Prasad, Seattle, WA]

When Hilary Clinton becomes President of the United States, we, as a people, will no longer be able to accept our lands as democratic, but totally new form: polyarchial fascism. The only chance we have as people to save our way of life and to make PROFOUND CHANGE, would be if we demand to be heard, and the mouthpiece of the poor, working class, middle class is Dennis Kucinich.

But here's what most people fail to realize about Mr. Kucinich:
His campaign suffers from comparitively little money because the people he's attempting to represent have little as well. This is the reason we must show the powers that be that we will not take this lying down. We are the people, the whole reason the Constitution was put in place. We MUST begin having peaceful demonstrations in every major city to show this is not only a revolution for the people of this land, but a revolution to once and for all put corporations in their place; to serve the people, just like the government.
WE CANNNOT AND MUST NOT TAKE THIS LYING DOWN. REGARDLESS IF YOU PLAN TO VOTE REPUBLICAN OR DEMOCRAT, THIS TYRANNY IS A DIRECT ASSAULT ON YOUR DEMOCRACY. Make your voices be heard. Talk to your friends and get them talking to their friends. Blog. Organize. Lets finally live up to what WE THE PEOPLE means! These are historic times. It's up to us alive today to change it for the better.

WE LOVE THIS COUNTRY! LETS PROTECT IT!

[gary]

to Chris and all,
OF COURSE corporations are not EVIL, ppl don't even understand what one is. It is a business of any size that has asked for and accepted government (public) protection against liability and tort for it's owners and shareholders. They are created by lawyers, by government edict, on a written Charter, and their existence relies on VOLUMES of very expensive Corporate Law and judicial precendents which DEFINE them. One of those precedents is that Corporations are "PERSONS", under the law, with civil rights protections from interference against actual HUMANS which are created by 'God', not by lawyers. Legally, NBC, GE, Walmart, and the rest are granted special protections meant for humans and especially freed slaves (14th Amendment).

"Private Corporation" is an oxymoron. By definition. One can't exist. A corporation can only exist IN LAW.

Isn't is *gross* that a fictional legal construct manuvered by a bunch of fat cats, bean counters, and corporate hitmen attorneys is considered a PERSON??? A kind of SUPER-PERSON. Can own other corporations. Can live forever. Can knowingly kill and maim a few or thousands and get away with it. Can disappear and appear again intact with a new name. Can hold the collective power of thousands or millions of shareholders, dollars, stocks, and employees.

Especially true of NBC, which uses public airways, public right-of-ways (cable), and publicly-developed science and technology (transistors, silicon), to deliver it's product: newscaster lies and half-truths. News media sued for the legally protected right to LIE to it's audience ... and won that right.

Even moreso for NBC's parent GE, GE is a HUGE welfare freak, getting humungous fat Federal payouts for decades, now big fat checks in Iraq, and is currently selling equipment to Iran (... not that anyone in power *seriously* thinks Iran is a threat anyhow, it's an "opportunity" to bomb ... could easily be an opportunity for trade and cooperation ... even some hotshot Pentagon bigwigs want to trade with Iran ... Iran cooperated with the USA actions in the M.E.) ... but I digress ...

All the bling, all the free govt handouts for GE and for NBC and MSNBC, and zero accountability to the People who pay it's bills. Pretty dam arrogant. And a lot of Americans think it's cool and clever or sensible or even morally just to smugly defend that trespass. This is how MENTALLY ILL decades and billion$ of corporate propaganda (see Alex Carey, Steve Kangas) has made us, so we can sound all *opinionated* while not knowing up from down.

The 'math' of untrammeled corporations is that MONEY = POWER. The game behind the Enlightenment and our republican democracy was that the past feudalistic arrangement of liberty-crushing power of wealthy lords and barons ruling over serfs and peasants would be corrected, or at least mitigated, and the Great Experiment moved forth. It's stalled. On purpose.

Global Corporatism as a ruling entity is designed to roll back individual liberty and social power by suppressing it under the boot of wealth, bribes, special legislation, and their very own police forces, including the Army. James Madison warned: Don't wait until ALL your freedom is gone to start fighting back. Refuse to surrender an inch of it. [my paraphrase]

We're not communist China or even like Chile under Pinochet. The govt is not currently lining up freedom-loving people to be shot in the stadium to protect corporate interests and silence critics. But we're moving swiftly in that direction. I dread the day when private corporate military has the absolute rights to shoot on sight liberals -- I mean American citizens -- and even conservative-minded citizens who get smeared as liberals for having the gall to declare a limit to how far this can go. Let's not wait until then.

[peter]

Wake up America! Here is a man of true principles. Don't let corporations run our country. Thank goodness someone is willing to stand up to the powers that be. Go Kucinich!

[Bill Johnson]

As a former radio broadcast journalist who has moderated several political forums and debates, I found it imperative to invite and include all of the candidates. What's up NBC?

[Bill Johnson]

Why is NBC helping Neo-Cons shape the democratic political landscape by excluding Kucinich from the Nevada debate? As a former broadcast journalist moderating political debates, I found it imperative to invite and include all of the candidates. NBC betrays the American trust, as did ABC, so maybe their FCC charters should be revisited.

[Josh]

Why is he making such a stink about being included? I understand the concept of fairness, but I mean COME ON people, who actually thinks Kucinich has a chance? Lets not waste America's time and listen to him complain all throughout the debate, because that's all he does during them anyway. I would much rather hear what the top 3 candidates have to say - instead of listening to a whiner. And I'm only 23!

[Ling]

NBC's shameless of act and efforts to exclude Kucinich from tonight's debate can not be overlooked. Whether you support Kucinich or not. If you are still a candidate you should have the right to participate in the debate.
We are holding a protest in front of NBC's office in New York tonight. On 49th street between 5th and 6th avenue at 6pm. For those of you who are Kucinich supporters in New York, you are welcome to join us. No great changes are made without a fight...

[rcca]

Why is NBC so determined to keep Dennis Kucinich off the debate?
I thought that NBC was trusted to give us more fair, balanced and honest reporting than CNN or FOX. It looks like I was wrong.
In my opinion, GE/NBC is also trying to manipulate the news and influence elections. There are still a few good programs on MSNBC’s schedule, like "Countdown" but what they are doing to Kucinich is just wrong.
Suppose cable and satellite systems decided to keep an NBC owned and operated station, or the NBC network or MSNBC off their systems? What would NBC do? Would they go around and file legal action to get back on the systems?

[Alex P. Keaton]

Arms dealer G.E.'s propaganda wing NBC bars the ONLY anti-war Democrat from the debates?

As I live and breathe, the wonders will never cease.

Please block this comment again while you're at it, moderators.

[Marlene Krackow]

I'm quite surprised we still get to comment here as they look upon us as idiots who have lost control over our government to corporate wealth and the elitists. They think we're stupid!
I wonder what they would do if everyone pulled their money from the bank and sold all their stocks, stopped spending money and decided enough was enough. That we are not going to tolerate being hostage to an establishment organization, corporation or secrecy that enslaves us by taking our money and turning deaf ears to our voices.Why anyone would want Hitlery,Obama, Edwards, McCain, Hucklbee, Romney, Julie Annie or Thompson is beyond me. They are NOT for the people! Ron Paul has integrity and is for the people. There are no more worthy candidates, period! I applaud Ron Paul and Kucnich!

[Mary Jacobs]

Kucinich's plan for a Single Payer Heatlhcare plan- medicare for all- is something we all could benefit from, but the media doesn't make money selling commercials from Single Payer Healthcare. No drug commercials. I think it's more than the nuclear issue. It's everything. The people have been dumbed down. Smart people love for Kucinich. Better to keep people dumb and pretend that they have a choice for "change:.

[Lex]

What really speaks volumes is that Hillary / Obama / Edwards choose/continue to participate in the debate(s) knowing that Dennis was/is barred. It'd feel like a hollow win for me if I was in their shoes. I'd be sick to my stomach. Too bad those three aren't.

[Petra Machar]

The most HORRID thing about the way Mr. Kucinich has been treated is the SILENCE of the other 'candidates!'

None of them should appear---not one!

I never thought, in the 60's, that I would live to see this country turn to such a pig-sty!
This silence is tantamount to those who said nothing in Nazi Germany when Hitler came for their neighbors!