CNN May Keep it to Three for Monday's Dem Debate

[Algorem]

Source: mediabistro.com

hursday Jan 17, 2008

As part of day-long coverage related to issues of race in America, CNN will present a Democratic candidate debate in Myrtle Beach, SC this Monday, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. day. So far three candidates have met the criteria to attend: Sen. Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Sen. Barack Obama. A CNN insider tells TVNewser, "it still remains possible" for Rep. Dennis Kucinich to meet the criteria of having 5% support in national polls.

The two-hour debate, in partnership with the Congressional Black Caucus Institute, will be moderated by Wolf Blitzer. CNN correspondents Joe Johns and Suzanne Malveaux will also question the candidates.

Anderson Cooper will anchor a post-debate wrap up at 10pmET then at 11pmET there will be an AC360 special hosted by Cooper and Soledad O'Brien called, "Race & Politics: America Votes 2008."

Posted by Chris | 12:31 PM | Politics

Read more: http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/politics/cnn_may_keep_it_to_three_for_mondays_dem_debate_75200.asp

[Greeby]

1. May?

Knowing the Three Monkeys Media, you can bloody count on it :eyes:

[bluestateguy]

2. Kucinich should work on meeting the criteria

As opposed to spending his time whining about it, or trying to sue his way into the debate.

My advice to him is to bust his ass campaigning so he can move up in the polls and meet the criteria. There is no constitutional right to be in a debate.

[dkofos]

5. There is no reason to keep him out other than to silence his message.

[bluestateguy]

8. Kucinich's message

His message was heard in 2004, and (D) primary voters rejected it. His message has been heard in this primary cycle so far, and (D) primary voters have so far rejected it. He was invited to all of the pre-primary debates.

[peace13]

11. You are fooling yourself if you think his message is heard 2208

He was cut out of the news photos after the debates that he was allowed to be in and had very little air time during the debates.

[DogPoundPup]

13. Turn your tee-vee volume up some more...

And tune out reality.

:spank:

[harmonicon]

19. when I voted for someone other than Kucinich in '04 I was not rejecting his message

I was voting because I preferred that of Howard Dean. Voting for one candidate is not a rejection of the message of another.

[qazplm]

9. sure there is

no one seems to be voting for the man.

[grantcart]

7. I like Dennis

but a couple of weeks ago he visited San Diego as apart of his Congressional duties to attend a hearing on the fires. He was of course very good, but I think if he is obviously not campaigning full time for the position (and we are not talking about missing a major vote) then he can hardly complain about not being in the debate. If the criteria was simply are you campaigning full time he would not meet the criteria.

Further once a candidate is in the debate to make issue points only they end up taking positions that are distractions.

[DogPoundPup]

12. Heaven FORBID there be ANY DISTRACTIONS

from what the MSM and grantcart would have you believe!

[stillcool]

15. can't let any of that truth..

get in the way of a good show. CNN can't handle the truth.

[grantcart]

18. You missed the point

he was in San Diego, he was good he had extensive local news coverage. He also did nothing on his campaign while he was here, no opportunity to meet no fundraisers etc. Kucinich supporters are all up in a fit because he is not treated equally but your anger should be at Dennis because he is not acting like he is taking his campaign as seriously as somebody that simply wants to appear at debates and make points.

[harmonicon]

20. isn't that a good thing?

As far as I'm concerned having a candidate go somewhere to be engaged in the real work of government without trying to exploit the situation for political gain is a GOOD thing, and means that he is a MORE serious candidate - that is, the one who takes his responsibilities as an elected official more seriously than he takes campaigning. As for not meeting with fund raisers, I wish none of them would meet with fund raisers - it only lowers them in my view.

[DogPoundPup]

22. Bless your soul

for your patience in spelling it out for grant.

[DogPoundPup]

21. No....You missed the point you made

<he visited San Diego as apart of his Congressional duties to attend a hearing on the fires>

duh

[grantcart]

25. Ok I apologize for not making my point clearer

Kucinich, who in many ways is a voice of reason (see a nice thing), wants to be in the Nevada debate.

Can anyone enlighten me on what campaigning he has done besides the debate?

If, repeat if, the answer is not much would you then agree that he is conducting basically a debate only strategy and that is not sufficient to be considered for the debate. (For the record when the question came up about Kucinich being included in the New Hampshire debate I posted my support - not that that swayed anyone anyway).

[DogPoundPup]

26. Dennis doesn't apologize for not having

corporate donors. If you like what he says, why do you need a big fancy dog and pony campaign show? Dennis is real, and he does what he can with the donations he receives...period!

[grantcart]

27. Well I wondered why Kucinich supporters weren't answering

my question.

To the question what campaigning has DK actually done in Nevada the answer is none

Here is the link to his schedule http://www.dennis4president.com/upcoming-events/

If that's how he wants to run his campaign thats fine. I just don't think it's fair for Kucinich supporters to be angry at the other candidates for not aggressively lobbying for Kucinich to be in the Nevada debate when he hasn't campaigned there. On that narrow point would you agree?

[DogPoundPup]

29. So when they decide to cut the field to the msm's top two,

will you be mad at CNN for using your "public airwaves" to censor Edwards? That's what I'm mad about. It's only a democracy if you're rich enough, eh?

[AndyTiedye]

28. If He Meets The Criteria, They'll Change Them So He Doesn't. Just Like the Last Debate

[Irishonly]

3. It seems to me

there is a double standard with the debates. Democrats not meeting specific standards are excluded while most republicans, no matter how low poll numbers are, are invited.

[stimbox]

4. Yep and the Democratic party just goes along with their corporate masters.

The party won't even stand up and defend Gravel and Kucinich and demand inclusion.
Fucking quislings.

[dkofos]

6. Yes. The corporate money is speaking all ready.

[onenote]

14. can you give an example? cause I don't think its generally true

Since October, Alan Keyes has been excluded from eight debates. A debate held back on October 16 in DC excluded Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter, TOm Tancredo, and Keyes. Since the beginning of the year (Tancredo having dropped out), Hunter and Keyes have been excluded from every repub debate and Paul was excluded from one.

Of the repub candidates that typically are included in the debates (Romney, Guiliani, Thompson, Paul, McCain) only Paul hasn't consistently gotten at least 10 percent support in national polls, and Paul typically has been hovering at around 5 percent and has done better than that in individual primary/caucuses. DK has never gotten that high in the national polls and he's never done that well in any of the primaries/caucuses held.

[DogPoundPup]

23. And I suppose you are still of the mindset that....

your vote counts?

[onenote]

24. And I suppose you are of the mindset that your post is responsive to mine

But its not. Not even a little, eensy-teensy bit.

[AnneD]

10. I'm suprised they let...

John Edwards in...I only thought there were 2 candidates:sarcasm:

[peace13]

16. Don't blink there soon will be.

Time to make some calls. peace, Kim

[cloudythescribbler]

17. It's a vicious circle -- TV network changes rules to exclude DK, and he gets no visibility ...

so HOW is he supposed to exceed 5% in the national polls? If he were INCLUDED in the debates, I think he would EASILY surpass that, as well as in the vote.

[dchill]

30. Hell, it wouldn't surprise me...

if they tried to make it two...