Kucinich tells Hardball to get lost...

[Rowdyboy]

Kucinich shows remarkable courage in turning down Hardball. We need to forcefully point out that trewp Chris Matthews for the conservative shilol that he is.

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=349576

Thanks, DK, for drawing a line in the sand. Hope my candidate follows your lead.

[Northwind]

1. This is incredibly stupid

A candidate polling in single digit, largely because no one hears about him, and he refuses exposure on a national news program?

Stupid.

[NicRic]

6. Exposure or a setup ?

Unlike the entertainment industry where they say any publicity is good ,even if its bad ? Perhaps he knew that Chris Mathews who never shuts up long enough to let the person he is interveiwing answer a ?, would use this as an oppertunity to talk over anything he has to say ! Iam not even in this guys corner,however I dont blame him for not wanting to be on motor mouths show !

[VermontDem2004]

13. I watched him interview Kerry, Edwards, and Sharpton

and yes he lets them answer his questions. I think he does a good job of interviewing candidates but maybe I am in a very small minority.

[Catch22Dem]

17. I agree

I thought they've all been good interviews. And if "your candidate" is Clark, I hope he DOES go on Hardball.

[LWolf]

19. Did you see his performance with DK

the first time he went on? I don't think anyone would call that a good job, and that is probably one reason Dennis is taking a pass this time.

[ObaMania]

25. Agreed...

He was a complete jerk to Dennis.

[ObaMania]

24. You saw the Sharpton one?

Is it taped now and played later?

Anyway... Chris takes every opportunity to nail them in these interviews, and a day or so later, he is on Hardball cutting on things the candidate said and playing clips from Monday.

IMO, going on Hardball is no better than going on O'Reilly. These conservative types simply put these guys on to try and make a fool of them in front of their R winger audience.

Not only that, Chris tries to stop them when they cut on the pResident and looks clearly pissed when the audience cheers and claps for things the candidates say.

[VermontDem2004]

28. Edwards actually looked great when he was on O'reilly

He gave good answers to O'reilly's questions and had a great counter to alot of O'reilly's illinformed opinions. But on Sharpton, I seen him interview Sharpton quite a few times.

[bearfartinthewoods]

20. i've watched both Kerry and Edwards duke it out with tweety

they did very well imho. DK just signed surrender papers. it's over for him and his supporter should start thinking about a second choice.

[spooky3]

42. I think it's a principled stand to take to refuse to go on.

And, I do think Matthews does ask some good questions, but the candidate also has to be willing and able to be aggressive in not allowing him to talk over him/her, twist what s/he's said, etc. I

Given that and the post interview one-sided spins of the clips, and the fact that Matthews' audience probably contains mostly RWers who won't change their votes, I can understand why someone might say he/she loses little by objecting to the format and refusing to go on.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

44. I agree completely with you! (for once)

The fight is to be enjoined- not run away from...WTF? Dennis...HELLO!

[caledesi]

73. Agree. Memo to Dennis: It's going to get a lot tougher than Tweety

out there.

He should have gone on Hardball to get exposure, which he needs and also he should look at it as a learning experience, because if he runs against *, the Rove machine will be in full gear...look what they did to McCain in SC.

[dkamin]

83. I disagree

We should boycott all of the right-wing a-holes out there. We'll do it without them, and then when we're back in the WH, we should make a concerted effort to "punish" them, refusing MSNBC and FOX interviews with any administration officials, and doing everything you can to make them irrelevant.

[fujiyama]

88. I thought they both...

did great. Tweety tried to bring 'em down, but they both threw it right back at Tweety.

Kucinich is obviously right in calling Matthews for his bias, but it's easy to boycott media appearances when you are polling at 1% and have $800K in the bank. It's obvious he has no shot of winning the nomination, but I still admire the fact that he ran.

[Paulie]

15. Since when is Matthews a "NEWS" program Journalist?

Last time I watched it, it's a right butt kissing talking heads program. There is no NEWS in that program, he isn't a journalist.

Bravo to Kucinich!!!

If Harvard is really serious, they would ask Helen Thomas to do the interview. Talk about hard hitting, real interviews!

[Bandit]

43. A show with a hundred thousand viewers

:shrug: It should if anything give him more attention. Tweety has ads everywhere saying the next President has to go through him. What arrogance. DK says Nobody has to play his game. :thumbsup: to Dennis

[FredScuttle]

87. Exposure?

He could yell out of an open window downtown and reach more people than going on Hardball.

[T Wolf]

2. If only more Dems would take this step.

Realistically, what chance is there that anyone who relies on Faux and the rest of right-wing TV or hate radio for their information will be swayed by an appearance of any Democrat?

I would encourage a total freeze-out of repuke media. All appearing there does is subject our people to attacks and ive them cover for a claim of balance.

Way to go, DK!

[VermontDem2004]

3. Stupid if you ask me

He has a chance to go on national TV and possibly in front of a room of college students and outline his positions. So what if Matthews asks some tough questions, Kucinich should be able to handle them.

[maha]

4. For Once, I Agree With DK

I hardly ever watch Hardball any more, but I can't imagine any Hardball interview would benefit a Dem.

[mmonk]

5. Great courage for trying to expose Hardball

however, should he at least show up to articulate his views so more people think?

[arwalden]

7. Here's A Better URL... No "Shaking-Flashing-Rattling" Banner Ads

http://www.thecrimson.com/printerfriendly.aspx?ref=349576

[LWolf]

8. I would just like to see...don't laugh, now...

neutral journalism. Media that just presents information, with no overt or covert attempts at spin. Then the listeners/watchers/readers could engage their brains and put their own spin on it.

Equal, generous, neutral coverage of all candidates. Without spin.

Stop laughing! :grr:

[Art_from_Ark]

51. It's too bad there isn't a program like "Manifest"

Manifest is a Japanese political discussion program that is shown on Sunday mornings on Japan's Asahi Broadcasting Network. Recent programs have featured Naoto Kan, the leader of the main opposition party to Koizumi's ruling LDP, and the leader of another party (the Jiyu-yo) which had recently merged with Kan's party. In the interview, Kan and his colleague were allowed to discuss their plans freely, without interruption by squawking, high-pitched moderators.

[LWolf]

89. That's it!

No squawking, high-pitched "moderators!"

[ithacan]

9. Boycott Fox

Kucinich did the right thing.

Fox is not a news outlet. It is a propaganda mouthpiece.

Dems appearing on it only give it the aura of legitimacy.

It's about as legitimate as Pravda was in the USSR.

Dems who appear on it give the impression that it is a news outlet, they reinforce the "fair and balanced" BS.

And of course they are there only to serve the right wing propaganda purposes.

[mmonk]

11. MSNBC

[nostamj]

12. uh....... Hardball is not on Fox

it's MSNBC. often very bad but not 100% bad like Fox.

and I tend to agree that since he's polling behind CMB, turning down a chance to stomp on Matthews just doesn't make sense

[AlinPA]

33. Exactly right.

Appearing on their shows only legitimizes their so called "fair and balanced" crap.

[bearfartinthewoods]

36. tweety isn't on fox, is he? i thought he was MSNBC

pretty sure of it.

[BurtWorm]

67. Proving the point that no one cares enough about Hardball

to even know where the hell it is!

[ithacan]

86. ooops

well, Fox, MSNBC, not much of a difference anyway...

[RandomUser]

10. Valor indeed

I don't know if it's wise of him or not, but it's certainly courageous, and I give him points for standing up for what he believes is right.

[ewagner]

14. Remember what happened last time?

When Dennis was on Hardball last time Mathews showed open contempt for him and was rude and dismissive. He gave Dennis no chance to elaborate on his views. Dennis was left looking defensive and strident with Mathews onslaught of bile.

If he went on again, he could expect more of the same.

I'm not in Dennis's camp but I despise the way he was treated last time and have no reason to expect that Mathews would behave any differently.

[Gato Moteado]

21. i saw that and thought the same thing

he totally dissed dk. it was horrible. on the same exact show he also interviewed rick santorum and fellated him. he told santorum he was a "good man" and told him to come back to the show any time he liked.

tweety sucks. he's no journalist, he's a whore.

[ErasureAcer]

16. Good for DK

Matthews enrages me when he says "Dean is the liberal of the 9 Democratic candidates." Dean said himself in the Salon Article "I'm NOT A LIBERAL"

Excuse me, Dennis is the liberal of the bunch...and Matthews shoddy journalism shouldn't be rewarded. It definitely isn't accurate one bit.

Kucinich is too good for Matthews.

[VolcanoJen]

18. Great decision, DK!

I also wish more Dem candidates would take a stand against appearing on this joke of a political show.

Since, at any given time, more viewers are tuned in to Animal Planet or the Food Channel than Hardball, not appearing on the show really doesn't harm a candidate one bit. Let's be honest... nobody's watching.

However, appearing on the show provides pick-n-choose soundbytes that will live forever throughout the campaign. Chris Matthews will point to John Edwards' struggling to name his favorite movie as an example of his indecisiveness. He'll point to his refusal to name his favorite philosopher as an example of the candidate's stubbornness to answer the burning questions that mean so much in the eyes of voters.

Good move, DK. I only hope Dean and Clark follow suit, and stick to the political programs folks really do watch, like "Meet the Press." I'm no big fan of Tim Russert, but he's 100 times the political journalist that the gushy Chris Matthews is.

And, just last night, when I joined a literal handful of other viewers in watching MSNBC, I found myself again disgusted as the news reader waxed happily about Bush's "surge" in the polls...

[mrgorth]

30. Russert?

Good move, DK. I only hope Dean and Clark follow suit, and stick to the political programs folks really do watch, like "Meet the Press." I'm no big fan of Tim Russert, but he's 100 times the political journalist that the gushy Chris Matthews is.

:wow:

[VolcanoJen]

34. Yes, I know he's a Whore, but I was merely comparing him to...

... Matthews, who really isn't "important" enough to get worried about.

:-)

[no name no slogan]

50. Excellent point!

Let's be honest... nobody's watching.

Too true, too true! After all, doesn't anybody remember what MSNBC actually stands for?

MORE
SH!T
NO
BODY
CARES ABOUT.

These are the same folks who brought us "All O.J., All the Time" back in the summer of '93, after all. Sure, they may not be up to FOX's, uhm, "high" standards, but they're not much better.

When will people realize that all we have to do is stop watching these warmed-over turds, and eventually they will go away?

[bleedingheart]

Personally I think this is stupid...I think he could have gotten a lot

of voters attention if he would just appear on Hardball and slap the fat gas bag Matthews around....call him a few names and then walk off...

The headlines for days would be Kucinich kicks Matthews Ass!

Remember the crowds like Bread and Circuses!!!!

[birdman]

22. Turning down free TV time ?

Can't imagine why Kucinich is dragging the bottom of the polls.

No matter whether you like Matthews or not that's just dumb.

[livinontheedge]

23. Kucinich has absolutely nothing to lose by going on his Hardball.

Only upside. What is he afraid of? Matthews painting him as a lefty? We already know that. However, Dennis just might make a few converts. He needs all the exposure he can get.

[AP]

27. Kucinich is sacrificing publicity to make a statement about Hardball bias.

He's takina bullet for the team. He's doing everyone else a favor by drawing attention to this.

Good for him.

Incidenally, this is the kind of principel we say we would have admired in the candidates who voted yes on the IWR.

[Padraig18]

32. That may be all well and good

But if he rejects all RW media exposure, how does he plan to increase his visibility enough to get himself out of the 1-2% range? *scratches head*

[AP]

35. Furthermore, maybe he's only running to make a point (rather than to win)

I think a lot of people here also appreciate it when politicians run to make points (ie, on principles) rather than strategically to win.

To elaborate, I think it's hypocritical for those who are probably afraid that Kucinich should be the choice of the farthest left voters to criticize him for doing this.

Kucinich has behaved throughout this campaign as the most liberal candidate should behave.

If you say that's what you want, you're a fool to support anyone else.

[Padraig18]

38. I admire Kucinich

I find him quite principled, but I suppose my question was rather one of "Is this about principle, or is it about getting known and nominated?". :hi:

[birdman]

41. Make a statement ?

Is anybody, anywhere going to notice a non-appearance
on a news/talk show. Is there even the remotest chance
that this would change Matthews approach to his show
or anybody's perception of Matthews ?

Kucinich should have gone on the show and raised his issues
if he had any with Matthews. As it is he's deprived himself
of some free publicity for nothing.

[AP]

49. We're talking about it here. & Matthews can no longer say "all candidates

appeared on my show."

Look, it's the principle.

When you appear on that show, you're participating in your own humiliation and in the whole BS media circus.

Kucinich has a meta-message which the other candidates don't have about rejecting ALL that crap, and this is totally consistent with that meta message.

He doesn't like privatized infotainment, and he'd by a hypocrite to participate in this.

He's now created this as an issue, and he will now confer legitimacy on any show he does appear on. It's very powerful, what he has done.

[no name no slogan]

52. All it takes is one...

Every journey starts with just one step.

All it took was one Rosa Parks not giving up her bus seat to start a bus boycott.

All it took was one bullet from a Serbian nationalist to kill an Austrian archduke and start "the war to end all wars" in 1914.

[LuCifer]

26. He was AWESOME talking w/ Randi Rhodes!

The millisecond I find when that's gonna be on a BEST OF RANDI, I'm posting the link here...that is, if they don't head me off at the pass and post an MP3 of it on her site!

Lu

PS NEWSMAXXX STILL BLOWS! http://lu13.envy.nu/newsass.htm

[AlinPA]

29. Good. Let the right-wing republican "pundits" vomit their hatred without

having the pleasure of beating up on Democrats and other progressives on TV. Then people will see them for what they are - propaganda for the republicans and the rest of the right-wing.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

31. that's the way to be Dennis!!! he knows that tweety just need/wants fodder

material and to pitch dems against dems....i love you Kucinich! :loveya:

[Hep]

37. Would have been nice

to see him go on the show and make Tweety look like an idiot.

[Ficus]

39. Dennis

of course could really use the publicity. As someone stated above, he's "taking one for the team." I am a DK supporter, and this is a good reason why. He is the only one out there raising certain issues, such as this one. Cable news is a tool of the conservative elite.

What other candidate will call cable "news" networks and shows for what they are...who? They all just lining up for some free air time meanwhile matthews rips them and makes them look silly.

What has actually acheived more attention amongst people like us (the informed activist dems), Kucinich not going on hardball on principle, or Edwards going on hardball to whore himself and be too weak to even name his favorite movie?

:dem: :dem:

[no name no slogan]

53. (o/t) Hey, didn't I vote for you in 2000?

And as a MNan, I love the Wellstone sign.

And welcome to DU! :hi:

[unfrigginreal]

40. Way To Go Dennis!

I just posted the same thing to LBN, sorry I didn't see your post here, but absolutely agree with you! I also wish my candidate would do the same.

:yourock: Dennis Kucinich

[NewYorkerfromMass]

45. Dennis???....HELLO? ... nt

[WilliamPitt]

46. God damn it. Stupid move, DK

FDennis, you need one thing above all else: EXPOSURE. No one has heard of you. No one except white liberal online political dorks like us, that is. You can handle Tweety. You need exposure. Exposure = campaign funding = you making it a few steps past your inevitable slaughter in Iowa and New Hampshire. With exposure, you might avoid that fate. Without it, you're doomed. Your campaign talks about the mainstream media ignoring your campaign. You appear, here, to be ignoring the mainstream media. No excuse.

[Terwilliger]

54. aren't you simply legitimizing Hardball?

I think he could get exposure at a million other outlets besides the "Right-Wing Shill Show and Tweety-fest"

OnEdit: and I agree with this statement "“It is not clear to us that it is in the public interest to dignify show by treating it as a reasonable forum for discussion of the presidency,” Swanson said.

[Cocoa]

69. it doesn't just legitimize it

it makes it mandatory.

Of all the programs to be seen as mandatory, I'd say Tweety's joke of a show would be the last.

Maybe Jim Lehrer, but not Tweety.

[birdman]

71. Kucinich appearing or not appearing will have no effect

whatsoever on Hardball or Matthews.

He should have grabbed the chance for free publicity.

[JasonBerry]

55. ??????

No one has heard of you. No one except white liberal online political dorks like us, that is.

Let's hear it for Dennis making an appeal on Hardball to black, conservative, offline political dorks!

[Terwilliger]

57. Niger Innis will vote for Dennis!

:D

[ThirdWheelLegend]

85. I almost sprayed my monitor on that one

:P

TWL

[CMT]

47. I don't blame DK

last time he was on Hardball Matthews was absolutely deplorable to him--didn't take him seriously at all. Said some puke he had on the show was more credible than DK. Totally uncalled for.

[Nederland]

68. True

last time he was on Hardball Matthews was absolutely deplorable to him

True, but what makes you think that Bush would treat him any differently in a presidental debate? If DK can't stand up to Tweety, how the hell can I trust him to stand up to Bush? I want a fighter for a nominee, not someone who cowers and plays its safe, only appearing on left-friendly venues.

[ShaneGR]

48. Not a very smart move, if all of the other candidates go, he should too

One hour of free airtime is NEVER to be turned down. I realize that Dennis K hasn't been the best live interviewer (I've seen him get browbeaten on crossfire), but if you're going to have ANY chance at the nomination you take EVERY opportunity for exposure you can.

[the_real_38]

56. What the f***?

I'm working on his campaign in SC, and he pulls this s***? How the hell else is he going to get exposure? This is sheer idiocy.

[Terwilliger]

58. you remeber the last time he was on Hardball?

All of his "exposure" has gotten his polling points up or down a small fraction in months...refusing to go on Hardball will not change his standing.

[the_real_38]

60. This time he has an hour to himself...

.... in a publicized series of interviews. This is not just "comment on the issues". This is a bad decision, which reflects some thin skin on his part. I just e-mailed the campaign to ask him to reconsider.

[Terwilliger]

65. I don't agree

and it's still Tweety...he's going to do his best to undermine the candidates he doesn't like.

[Nederland]

77. Tweety vs. Bush

it's still Tweety...he's going to do his best to undermine the candidates he doesn't like.

Which is absolutely no different than how Republicans will treat him in the general election. If Kucinich doesn't have the balls to face people that are delibrately trying to undermine him, he has no business running for President.

Its irrelevant anyway. Kucinich never had a chance from day one.

[Nederland]

75. Right, it won't make a difference

Kucinich will remain around 1% regardless of what he does.

[Terwilliger]

59. Maybe Kucinich has the right idea...why are ANY Democrats willing??

...to be on this show? If Democrats believe (as I would think most every Dem here at DU agrees) the media is ridiculously biased, why continue to legitimize the more rank elements of that media by playing their games their way?

If ALL the Dems opted out of this little debate, THEN we could talk about how Chris Matthews KNOWS where the leak inside the White House came from on the Plame affair.

[BurtWorm]

61. Excellent move, DK!

:toast:

Of course, it would also be nice if a candidate goes on Hardball and makes Chris Matthews cry with a few well-aimed beaners.

[Rowdyboy]

63. I'd love to see someone turn the table on Matthews....

Call his bluff, accuse him of unethical behavior and walk out on him.

[BurtWorm]

66. Not walk out on him.

Make him run crying out of the studio.

[eleny]

62. I support his decision

It's the first time that someone is giving Tweety the finger for the express reason that he's now right leaning and would not be fair.

I just can't help but be glad that the Tweet got rebuffed as a partisan. He may try to spin it, but Kucinich's base understands what's up. Matthews has been less than fair when he mentions DK. He undercuts him with smirks and snide remarks.

If DK changes his mind, then that's his choice and I'll hold my breath often during the hour. But for now, Matthews can stuff it.

[in_cog_ni_to]

64. I don't blame him

the last time he was on hardball tweety tried to make him look like a fool. I forget the question he kept asking over and over and over.... But, it was so obvious he dislike Kucinich. NO Dem should be appearing on the RW shows. STICK IT TO THEM!

[rucky]

70. YES! This is what we have to do....Don't Feed The Animals!!!!!

I've been saying it and saying it....somebody's finally listening to me.

[hiphopnation]

72. Good for you Dennis

That shrill RW mouthpiece does not interview candidates. He sets them up for embarrasing smear pieces with leading questions that are designed to make the candidates look like radical, left-wing nutjobs all to the staunch approval and applause of the RW media that trumpets this bulls*it.

I'm sorry, but anyone who takes tweety seriously and finds his questioning profound and in-depth needs to work on getting thier head out of the sand. Tripe. Claptrap. And jingoistic rubbish. I hope Dean follows suit.

edit: content

[Ficus]

74. Dean won't

follow suit...he can't afford to. And he's a publicity whore. Which you have to be to get where he has from nowhere.

That's why DK won't go from nowhere to frontrunner. But strategically, DK could start hammering on the RW cable media, and bring that issue to the forefront. It also would bring some more support if it is done right.

His campaign is SO different from Dean's, that going on Hardball won't help him anyways. He probably makes a better point for his ideas, issues, and campaign by saying no. He just needs to make his NO an issue.

:dem: :dem:

[CMT]

79. Dean did accept

but then so did Kerry, Gep, Lieberman, Edwards, and I think all the others. Does that make them media whores too?

[redqueen]

76. Bravo DK, and Bravo TK

Ted Kennedy also refused to go on Tweety's crapfest.

This guy blows hot air about how all the candidates appear on his show, and DK forces him to shut the hell up with that crap, and people here give him grief for it? WTF?

DK is, once again taking the principled stand.

Let's hope that once again the other Dems follow his lead.

Stop legitimizing these shows!

[Zorra]

78. Chris Matthews is nothing but a GOP, corporate hit man.

DK once again does the right thing.

[returnable]

84. Matthews may be a clown...

...but I may be in the minority here in thinking he's not the devil incarnate.

As a journalist, he's a joke.

But he does consistently give air time to the likes of David Corn and Katrina Vanden Huevel.

Being a blowhard is his schtick, and I've seen him shout down righties as much as lefties.

He's a contrarian, first and foremost. I wouldn't attach any particular political label on him.

And having said that, I think it's weak of Kucinich to duck this interview.

If he truly believes Matthews is a GOP pimp, go on his show and call him on it. He has plenty of time to prepare himself.

Running away from the press you may disagree with is sad business. Isn't it what we're always accusing Bush of doing?

Of course, "Hardball" is such a low-rated program, and Kucinich is such a low-polling candidate, making a stink about not showing up is probably the best way Dennis could juice any publicity at all :hi:

[Feanorcurufinwe]

80. 'remarkable courage'?

To retreat before the battle is joined is not a display of courage. I saw the last time DK was on Hardball, and yes, it was unfair. But I thought that would just make DK want to have another shot at him. This really surprised me.

The fact is, the entire media structure is biased against us, and especially someone like DK. So how exactly are you gonna get the word out?

We can't just surrender, we have to take the battle to them, stand up for our principles, not allow them to shout us down.

[the_real_38]

82. "get the word out" ...

... damn straight! He's a message candidate (who I support) - he could put universal health care on the platform if he fought for it - but he f***ing won't. I've got another thread up with contact information. Let him know he needs to stand up to these f***ers!

[Must_B_Free]

81. YAY- Dennis Kicks Whoreball!

Nice move - better attention and also drawing attention to how phony the media is.