Why do Dem candidates feel threatened by Kucinich?

[OzarkDem]

This time they've gone so far as to split hairs to keep him out of the Iowa debates.

He's not a serious threat to the Dem front runners, so it must be the issues he talks about during debates.

Why are Dem candidates risking so much of their own reputations to silence Kucinich?

Is stopping the war in Iraq and upholding the Constitution so offensive and threatening to them they don't want to discuss it in debates?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[ixion]

1. because he speaks Truth to Power

and that ruins their little spin party.

[Perry Logan]

2. Deleted.

[EFerrari]

3. The DLC doesn't want another Howard Dean situation on their hands. n/t

[PassingFair]

30. They NEVER want that to happen again.

Now that he's failed at turning us around
from the inside, I wonder what his next
step will be. I hope he doesn't just give
up, like I have.....

:(

[EFerrari]

32. I'm also very interested in what Dr. Dean will do.

He's the best thing that happened to the party in a long time. :hi:

[A wise Man]

4. I think truth and accountability is a threat to many of the candidates

They fear what has been done to this country by Bush along with what needs to be done about him. This includes the congress and the senate. I had once thought that the reason they won't impeach Bush and his clan, was to let him get out of office then charge him and his group of "NEW MAFIA" WITH Treason. Now I fear that they aren't going to do anything but let him walk away with that "S" eating grin on his face, laughing at us all.

[onenote]

5. which Democratic candidates "split hairs" to "keep" DK out of the debate

I thought it was the newspaper. Are there quotes from the other candidates on the issue?

[cyclezealot]

23. the microphones were on when

Hillary spoke to Edwards about limiting the debate or do you choose to forget that fact. You think Hillary has no chance to contact the media on her own. We know Nader will run should hillary get the nomination at least.

[NavyDavy]

34. if nader runs we will have another repuke in office because of that jackass

[cyclezealot]

37. remember that when you cast your

ballot for Hillary.
Interesting read. Hillary: Bush lite.
$$$
Judging by the senator’s voting record and her position on matters of international law and human rights, political scholar Stephen Zunes believes Hillary Clinton is poised to carry on the legacy of a certain prior occupant of the White House if she’s elected next November—and it’s not the presidential predecessor that most readily comes to mind.

http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/20071211_hillary_clinton_bush_lite/

[Kucinich4America]

55. More like because of THESE jackasses

The solution is really very simple.....

Nominate a DEMOCRAT, and people will turn out to vote for much needed change in this country.

Nominate another DLC, status quo corporatist, and why participate in keeping this country in the death dive?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

39. Do you really think that has anything to do with being scared of Kucinich?

Isn't it, oh I don't know, about a thousand times more likely that they just wanted more talky-time for themselves?

[cyclezealot]

41. they were not scared.

they just don't want to have to justify their regressive votes. They have plenty of cash to smear any opponent as demonstrated by Hillary's recent attacks on O Bama.

[onenote]

42. What's with the snarky attack. I asked a question.

I honestly knew nothing of any discussion between Clinton and Edwards and thus couldn't "choose" to forget it.

[cyclezealot]

46. sorry.

it made the news and was posted all over DU. Thought we all were political news junkies.

[superkia]

52. She made it clear awhile ago about getting rid of the little guys...

you know, the ones that represent us. I read somewhere here on DU yesterday a post saying that Clinton spoke with them this week before the debates, maybe she asked them to find something to get rid of the guy talking about the constitution, freedom and impeachment? Who knows, it doesnt matter, we will vote for who the media and the money tell us to.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

6. "They" didn't do anything.

The Des Moines Register excluded him. Give me a single instance in which any of the front-runners are "risking so much of their own reputation" for anything involving Kucinich at all.

[OzarkDem]

11. Behind the scenes

I don't recall hearing any of them objecting.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

26. I think you will find...

...that most candidates for President, or any other office for that matter, do not object when bad things happen to their opponents.

[Breeze54]

7. I thought it was the newspaper 'The Register' that shut him out?

I don't think the DLCer's feel at all threatened by Kucinich.

They feel threatened by the truth!!

[Ganja Ninja]

8. Because he offers a choice for Democrats that is traditional

and not corrupted by the creeping right wing centrism that has been like a cancer in this country.

[bitchkitty]

9. False premise.

What evidence do you have that they feel threatened? What have they done, specifically? Genuinely curious, I haven't spent near the amount of time that I used to fretting about Democratic candidates. They may very well free threatened. But you're tilting at the wrong windmill here - try the Des Moines Register.

[OzarkDem]

14. If so, then why do other "powers" feel threatened by him

Why is he a threat to the DesMoines Register? Why do they not want him to participate in the debates?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

33. Nobody is threatened by Kucinich.

This whole idea is a meme propogated by the Kucinich campaign itself, used any time he perceives a sleight against him.

[MADem]

10. Who are "they" who kept poor DK out of the debates? It was a newspaper, not

the Democratic candidates, who made that decision. But hey, facts are pesky things--way better to make it look like those mean other candidates beat the poor little munchkin up.

I'm delighted that they jettisoned him. He isn't going to win, he doesn't campaign in Iowa, and he takes up time in these forums that the other candidates, who ARE campaigning in Iowa, can use.


But hey, true believers should send him more money!!! Because he's SPECIAL!!!!

Maybe he'll go visit IRAN on your dimes and quarters this time...he already did a Syria-Lebanon junket using the cash that his adoring supporters sent him (and he coulda used THAT money to set up an office in IA...such a concept!). I found that an appalling use of campaign funds, but that's just me....

[OzarkDem]

12. Interesting. Do you feel his presence makes other Dems look bad?

What exactly is it about the issues he discusses in debates that bother you? Do you think that, in his absence, your candidate of choice will still discuss those issues adequately?

Just curious.

[MADem]

16. No. I think his presence is a joke, sorta like his campaign. NT

[OzarkDem]

20. So you think getting out of Iraq is a joke?

also upholding the Constitution and impeaching Bush and Cheney for starting illegal wars and lying to Congress? Do you really think those things are ridiculous?

How much more are you willing to keep paying for this war?

[MADem]

31. Did I say that??? Why NOOOOOO, I didn't say that. YOU said that!!

Stop extrapolating. You're making an ass of yourself. Just like DK is an ass of a candidate who doesn't campaign.

Why don't you write a check to poor widdle Dennis, who's just SO abused by the big meanies who actually CAMPAIGN in the primary states?

Sit down and write that check, now!! He can use your cash to take another junket to an exotic locale...trolling for votes, of course:

http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2007/09/kucinich_campaign_expenditure.html

Maybe he'll find some voters in Jamaica or the Virgin Islands...there's a snowstorm coming, after all!!!

[Kucinich4America]

56. Yes, because it's better to use campaign funds to hire BLACKWATER's PR man

And send him out to make racist accusations against the competition.

[cali]

13. They don't. You're projecting

Why would they? He's not remotely a threat. Did you listen to the NPR debate? None of them sounded even a little defensive or threatened. You'd like to think that he's more powerful and significant than he is. Sadly, it's not so.

[OzarkDem]

15. Some of them are very uncomfortable with him in debates

you can hear it in their answers and see it in their body language. Why so? Are the issues he brings up that controversial or "off the wall". Are they so different from what most other Americans are thinking?

[cyclezealot]

17. because the dems just approved another 70 b. for Iraq.

makes it easier for Hillary to vote for this additional appropriation. Plus, Nancy knew about Waterboarding before it was revealed to the public. Lets not remind the voters of so much hypocrisy by so many top Democrats. Or maybe they still approve of waterboarding. Democrats who are not hypocrites are a dangerous breed to this without principals.

[OzarkDem]

22. OT, I think of all the years we fought hard to elect women to higher office

and these two are what we have to show for our hard work and sacrifice. They're a disgrace to Democratic women.

[cyclezealot]

28. so true.

years ago, we fought so hard for women's rights and we get this. What will be disappointing. COnsidering how he was treated by MSNBC, Blitzer, etc. In the end Kucinich will be a good little dem and stand up for Hillary come Denver. He did such last time in Boston and he will do it again.

[mmonk]

18. They have no honest responses to him.

Therefore, there is an inconvenience to his candidacy.

[PVnRT]

19. Funny, the Democratic party isn't excluding him from the debate

So....yeah.

[OzarkDem]

21. So they're objecting to his exclusion?

He is a fellow Dem after all, should we assume they plan to take the newspaper to task for unfairly eliminating him from the debates?

[Freddie Stubbs]

29. Did Kucinich object to Dal LaMagna's exclusion from ANY of the debates?

:shrug:

[mmonk]

24. How many things has he been excluded from so far?

If this was unique, you might have an argument.

[PVnRT]

27. Your side is making this claim, so you tell me

He's been in the other debates - what other events would there be to "exclude" him from?

[Freddie Stubbs]

25. Which Democrats candidates took ANY actions to exclude Kucinich from the debate?

Do you have any proof that ANY Democratic candidates took ANY actions to exclude Kucinich from the debate? Or is this just another example of the LaRouchian victim hood strategy that the Kucinich campaign is using?

[NavyDavy]

35. oh my gosh...here comes the conspiracy theories.....seeing how

the newspaper was the one who said he couldn't participate since he did not have a campaighn office in Iowa.....which i agree with wholeheartedly, it seems he was snubbing the people of Iowa IMHO

[LWolf]

36. Assuming that the party leadership and the candidates

allow this transparently corrupt bullshit exclusion to take place without protest, I can simply repeat your own words back to you.

Yes. Stopping the war in Iraq and upholding the Constitution is offensive and threatening to America.

So is REAL universal health care.

So is doing away with NAFTA/CAFTA.

So is the disgustingly democratic concept of universal public pre-school through college.

Anything that threatens the corrupt power structures and strives to balance power and resources among the masses is offensive and threatening.

[stray cat]

38. The top tier candidates want more time to talk

the fewer people the more free exposure.

[cyclezealot]

40. last time around

I recall the only one who got more time than Hillary or O Bama was Wolf BLitzer.

[bobthedrummer]

43. Because he is a true representative of the people and our Constitution n/t

[bluedog]

44. they don't

why should they feel threatened by him?.........and it shouldn't surprise his supporters that he would rather have a "pity party" than run a campaign..........pretty much the same thing happened last time aroung.....

he would rather whine than change his strategy

[MilesColtrane]

45. "Why do Dem candidates feel threatened by Kucinich?"

Because he is The One...

...the anointed avenger who sitteth at the right hand of FDR.

He returns wielding a fiery sword of justice, forged by Thomas Jefferson himself, to spill the blood of bi-partisans, conservative Democrats, and other dogs.

[cyclezealot]

48. so its ok for a dem

nominee to vote for the Patriot act and be suckered in by bush's war lies. Some of us have greater expectations.

[MonkeyFunk]

47. Dem candidates didn't keep him out of the debate

The Des Moines Register did.

[book_worm]

49. the major reason is that because one less person more time to talk.

[IndianaJones]

50. because he might sic Ron Paul on them. nt.

[warren pease]

51. Let us count the ways...

Kucinich stands for:

Reinstating Amendments 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8 of the Bill of Rights
Impeachment of Cheney, then Bush and maybe more to follow
Restoring the US' international reputation
Single-payer, universal-access health care
Drastically improving public education
Repealing the 1996 Telecom Act
Getting serious about animal rights
Reinforcing the 1st amendment wall separating church and state
Getting out of Iraq
Curbing US imperialism before it causes any more damage
Federal investment in and tax advantages for research into non-fossil fuels energy sources
Real environmental protection and action to lessen the impact of global climate change
Starving the pentagon and the arms industry it supports
Banning private armies on US soil
Reinstating Habeas Corpus
Repealing the Patriot Acts
Repealing the Military Commissions Act (and reinstating Posse Comitatus)
Ending the drug war
Mandating verifiable paper ballots, counted by humans, with results posted on precinct doors (see HR 6200)
Creating a Department of Peace to resolve conflicts without war

Do you really think any of the other pretenders wants to deal with any of these issues in a public forum? Hell no. These are all serious problems for the "top-tier" candidates and they don't want their positions exposed as fraudulent when confronted with a completely progressive agenda.

And btw, Kucinich would be a moderate leftist in virtually any enlightened country in the world. Here, he's a flaming radial who stands for everything the plutocracy detests.

Small wonder that nothing good has happened to the working class through the US political process since the days of FDR, and that the New Deal so enraged the oligarchy that they basically put out a hit on America. Thanks, Smedley, for telling them to fuck off.

wp

[MaggieSwanson]

53. Because

it's tough to look at a pandering sellout. Even tougher is the realization that DJK is holding up a mirror and it's your own reflection you see.

Much easier to keep doing what you do when the one holding up the mirror is not around.

Not that DJK is perfect, I'm not into idolization. It's not how I roll :P. But I will call it as I see it, and DJK appears to be someone who reminds certain candidates what the Democratic party is meant to stand for. And it makes them feel kinda squirmy inside.

Which means he's doing his job. And no one would be happier than I to have a President Kucinich shake some things up.


-M

[Occam Bandage]

54. Seriously?

Because his presence takes away time from the frontrunners, and there's no way any candidate would fight to have less face time. And his support base is small enough (and so prone to blustery outrage anyway) that they knew they wouldn't have to deal with a major backlash by excluding him.