Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Kucinich booted from Iowa debate
The Hill ^ | December 12, 2007 | Klaus Marre

Posted on 12/12/2007 11:18:23 AM PST by West Coast Conservative

Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) is being excluded from this week’s Iowa presidential debate because he has not rented office space in the Hawkeye State, his campaign said Wednesday.

The Des Moines Register informed the campaign that Kucinich is not invited because the newspaper determined “that a person working out of his home did not meet our criteria for a campaign office and full-time paid staff in Iowa,” the campaign said.

Kucinich, who is running his second consecutive presidential campaign but is doing poorly in national polls, has received strong support in online surveys from liberal groups such as Democracy for America. The Ohio lawmaker’s anti-war campaign resonates with parts of the Democratic base even though that support has not boosted Kucinich from the lower tier of candidates.

The campaign blasted the decision to exclude the lawmaker from the debate.

“The Iowa caucuses have been portrayed as having national implications, and if the Register has decided to use hair-splitting technicalities to exclude the leading voice of the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party, then the entire process is suspect,” the campaign said in a statement about the “arbitrary and unreasonable exclusion.”

The campaign claims that Kucinich has also been barred from public appearances by “the Iowa Democratic Party, Iowa Public Television, and well-funded political interests…”

With nearly twenty candidates running for the nominations of the two major parties, the format of the debates have been an issue all year long.

Some of the lower-tier candidates have repeatedly complained that they are not being asked as many questions as the frontrunners. Meantime, some of the White House hopefuls have sought to limit the crowd. In July, former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) was overheard discussing the issue with Democratic frontrunner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.).


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Political Humor/Cartoons; Politics/Elections; US: Iowa
KEYWORDS: demdebates; disenfranchisedvote; ia2008; iowa; kucinich; moonbat; paulestinian
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last
To: traditional1
(Now if only the Republicans could disenfranchise El Ron Paul)

Interesting that you'd make that connection. Just this morning I told my wife that Ron Paul was the Republican's Kucinich!

21 posted on 12/12/2007 11:34:54 AM PST by Kenton (All vices in moderation. I don't want to overdo any but I don't want to skip any either.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

I guess he couldn’t find a place to park his flying saucer.


22 posted on 12/12/2007 11:35:14 AM PST by Arrowhead1952 (I've been too busy for FR this weekend, because I did the things I refuse to let the invaders do.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: telebob

Apparently, they “can’t worry about every undercapitalized” candidate...


23 posted on 12/12/2007 11:35:29 AM PST by Calvin Locke
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Kenton
"Ron Paul was the Republican's Kucinich"

That's my observation, too! I've said that for some time about the fringe support that L Ron Paul has...

24 posted on 12/12/2007 11:36:24 AM PST by traditional1 (Thompson/Hunter '08 OR Hunter/Thompson '08)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

ROTFLMAO!


25 posted on 12/12/2007 11:36:52 AM PST by Badeye (Free Willie!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Polyxene

he could sleep in a tent in the park. His HOT wife could keep him warm!!!


26 posted on 12/12/2007 11:37:07 AM PST by Holicheese (1-21-09 Hillary starts to destroy America!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative
Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) is being excluded from this week’s Iowa presidential debate because he has not rented office space in the Hawkeye State

That's just the place for him to open his Dept of Rainbows & Unicorns

27 posted on 12/12/2007 11:43:23 AM PST by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

He should quit the Democratic party and run as an independent. He could hook up with Ron Paul.


28 posted on 12/12/2007 11:44:25 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: o_zarkman44

The Democrats have refused LaRouche(D) supporters access to events in the past.

Makes you wonder when they are willing to entertain Al Sharpton’s candidacy and block LaRouche’s.


29 posted on 12/12/2007 11:44:35 AM PST by weegee (If Bill Clinton can sit in on Hillary's Cabinet Meetings then GWBush should ask to get to sit in too)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: The Louiswu

I bet he still “wins” the debate in the post-debate polls.


30 posted on 12/12/2007 11:44:47 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: CharlesWayneCT

But who’d be on top?


31 posted on 12/12/2007 11:45:01 AM PST by weegee (If Bill Clinton can sit in on Hillary's Cabinet Meetings then GWBush should ask to get to sit in too)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: CharlesWayneCT

GRA-vel, GRA-vel, GRA-vel!


32 posted on 12/12/2007 11:45:26 AM PST by weegee (If Bill Clinton can sit in on Hillary's Cabinet Meetings then GWBush should ask to get to sit in too)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: Billthedrill

Maybe he could camp out on the side of the road somewhere, and get someone to sell him the space.


33 posted on 12/12/2007 11:45:47 AM PST by CharlesWayneCT
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

I think that the presence of little dennis and his six foot mynx give dignity to all Democratic debates.


34 posted on 12/12/2007 11:47:11 AM PST by Cyman
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ditto
View Podunk, MI Map
35 posted on 12/12/2007 11:47:13 AM PST by ASA Vet
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Arrowhead1952

G! He’s a shrewd con-man. He knows how to appeal to a group of people that would never donate to anyone else. He gets those nitwits to finance his never-ending vacation trips, er, presidential campaigns. He gets our mentally compromised West-siders to vote him into office over and over. He’s living in the lap of luxury! And will retire to that same lifestyle.
A nut? Hardly!


36 posted on 12/12/2007 11:47:39 AM PST by Dr. Bogus Pachysandra ("Don't touch that thing")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

Isn’t he entitled to a hearing or anything?


37 posted on 12/12/2007 11:47:43 AM PST by Brilliant
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CharlesWayneCT

Nonsense. Ron Paul and Dennis have quite different views.


38 posted on 12/12/2007 11:48:08 AM PST by Dante3
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: West Coast Conservative

“...then the entire process is suspect,” the campaign said in a statement about the “arbitrary and unreasonable exclusion.”

Well Duh.


39 posted on 12/12/2007 11:49:06 AM PST by roaddog727 (BS does not get bridges built)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: The Louiswu

I do. He added a touch of humor to otherwise dry events.


40 posted on 12/12/2007 11:49:22 AM PST by Dante3
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-77 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson