KUCINICH TIDE TURNS: Protest Becomes Celebration 01/14/08

NBC Studios, Burbank, CA Photo: Meryl Ann Butler

A hastily planned activist event by grassroots Kucinich supporters at NBC Studios, set to protest the candidate’s sudden exclusion from the NBC’s Las Vegas debates, turned into celebration when the tables turned, today.

NBC Studios, Burbank CA. Photo: Meryl Ann Butler

Kucinich has been locked out of previous debates by both AARP and ABC. But when NBC decided to follow suit, Uncle Sam finally put his foot down. In an unexpected, but stunning, display of American justice and democracy, a Las Vegas judge ruled that Kucinich must be allowed to participate in the Tuesday night presidential debate in Las Vegas.

Kucinich activists at NBC Studios, Burbank, CA. Photo: Butler

Kucinich supporters turned in their debate protest signs for “Vote for Kucinich” signs and “Impeach” banners, and carried on, sharing the sidewalk with writers’ strikers, and eliciting shouts and honks of approval from passing cars. Several activists held Kucinich signs stating, “Give me your vote, and I’ll give you back your country.”

Nina Hagen supports Kucinich. www.ninahagen.com Photo: M. Butler

Activist Nina Hagen, the “mother of punk rock,” and Kucinich supporter Mary Jacobs, sang a sidewalk duet of “Amazing Grace” as people exited the NBC studios.

The Los Angeles Times reported that, “Senior Clark County District Court Judge Charles Thompson vowed to issue an injunction halting the nationally televised debate if MSNBC failed to comply. Kucinich had filed a lawsuit seeking to be included just this morning.

“The judge ruled it was a matter of fairness, and Nevada voters would benefit from hearing from more than just Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama. Kucinich had been invited to participate in the 6 p.m. Pacific debate Tuesday, but that invitation was rescinded last week ...”

Will America now begin to wonder what it is that Kucinich stands for, that merits such extreme measures from mega-corporations like NBC, ABC, and AARP, to silence him?

Because in that very question, lies the answer to who is the best candidate for the people.