If You Boycotted the Debate, Didn't Watch, Or Didn't Care About What Any Candidate Was Going to Say...

This is a small collection of comments from across the web responding to the media exclusion committed by NBC tonight.

(This is not an article endorsing or not endorsing Dennis. It is mainly to shed more light on NBC’s recent achievement, the exclusion of Dennis Kucinich from another debate.)

I was reading some of the comments or responses to Dennis Kucinich’s exclusion posted all over the Internet and decided that some of these definitely deserve posting so that they can be read. I have chosen to expand the discussion and include some other viewpoints so I can continue a dialogue on media exclusion that is not limited to what I have to say.

I think you will find this nation can hope for a bit better than what the current leaders in America have to offer if some of these people commenting step up and become the leaders we vote for. A few of them properly highlighted how they miss the League of Women Voters.

So the courts hold that the FCC, which seemingly is only responsible for 3 channels, rules here, and the FCC said the rules don't apply because this is one of the 397 channels that isn't in the full 400 spectrum, meaning it only regulates 3 channels..? .. Much like the Corporate Media "choosing" who's viable and only giving face time to them, the FCC/Courts engage in a catch-22 to stay out of it and let the Corporations f*ck over the public. ... and on OUR DIME.. nice.

I don't get how this went from "NBC" to "MSNBC" either.. it was reported as being an NBC debate before.. I guess, when the parent is the broadcasting company, they just fudge the paperwork and move it to a subsidiary, like how wal-mart pays its self rent to a subsidiary and avoids billions a year in taxes..

When you remove all peaceful means for change, the remaining options are obvious. -Savantster

This is so wrong on so many levels I can't breath. At least you are allowing me to comment unlike some other "progressive" websites. Makes me want to scream. –one solution

Jack Cafferty used his Cafferty File to ask if the courts should be involved. Here were some responses:

I find it utterly shameful that any media outlet should decide for us which candidates are electable or viable and use this as justification for censoring a debate. It is in the interest of the American people to hear all point of view in equal time and decide for themselves. Polls have repeatedly been used to determine how many questions are addressed to each candidate in televised debates, with more going to supposed “front runners”. This has an obvious effect of influencing elections and it is a shamefully inaccurate standard. Rudy Giuliani, once considered a “front runner” in Iowa, was beaten in the Caucus by Ron Paul - another candidate the media has seemed determined to sideline. I hate to see the courts get involved however, this subjective selection by media does put our democracy in jeopardy. Therefore, I hope the appellate court will affirm. –Shanna Drew

Who gave MSNBC the right to say which of the candidates could be excluded? This is a shot across the bow for the media. Quit trying to decide who the American people should or should not be allowed to be our president. Include them all if they are in the running. I am sick the media slamming their opinion down our throats. –Scott S, Denver, Co

Would MSNBC or any other Network like it if they were told that they could not have a broadcast signal because their ratings were not as high as the other stations? I”m not a Kucinich supporter but the man has some good ideas. To exclude him would be unfair. -Rob

GE may own some nuclear power plants, bombs that land on civilians and a lot of CT Scanners, but they do not own our airwaves. Over 60% of their earnings are now outside the USA, so does that still make them a US Corporation? As long as Mr.. Kucinich is still in the race for the Democratic candidate for President, then he should participate in any and all debates. GE, NBC or any other corporate entity should not have a say in which candidate should or should not participate in our election process. All Presdential candidates should have equal air time as part of the payment to the people for our airwave rental. Can you even imagine on how much money that would save? What ever happened to the Women’s League of Voters? What ever happened to public service that all the network stations are suppose to provide in order to use our airwaves? And our representatives are planning on consolidating more media??? Right…. –Joe D

Usually, the courts don’t get involved in what is a “political question” however ever since the Supreme Court decided to give Bush the Presidency in 2000 violating not only the abstaining from a political question policy but the 10th amendment, courts have been more willing to adjudicate cases and controversies that involve the outer contours of political questions. Therefore, if this a political question then maybe the courts shouldn’t decide but since it seems to be a dispute between a private company (MSNBC) and a citizen, then they probably should. The media has way too much influnce in this country and I am happy that the courts are willing to check their power since the FCC doesn’t seem to be willing to regulate them to ensure viewpoint diversity.
It is really a shame that the League of Women voters no longer run the debates. They were fair and open. With privately owned media companies sponsoring debates, they exercise unfettered editorial power to determine who can attend the debates and who gets most of the media attention i.e. questions. It also has had the effect of allowing politicians to write their own rule books about what topics and issues are off-limits. This relegates the debates to nothing more than dog-and-pony shows or ugly pissing matches. I’d really like to hear more about substantive policy and issues. Let poor Dennis in the debate MSNBC and stop media censorship! -Debbie

Absolutely, the Judge should force MSNBC to allow Kucinbich in the debate. The media HAS NO RIGHT to decide who should run, or who should be ignored for the Presidency. I STRONGLY believe the media should be REQUIRED to have ALL Presidential candidates in ALL debates until a particular candidate drops out. If the media would have been allowed to ignore John McCain earlier in the race, his chance to win New Hapshire would have been just a dream. THE MEDIA HAS TOO MUCH POWER AND INFLUENCE AND MUST BE RESTRAINED. – Robert Mentzer

I want to hear Dennis Kucinich at the debate! How can a network decide decide only to show certain candidates? Is the media to decide for Americans who should be considered for election? ALL candidates should be allowed to voice their views. Isn’t this a democracy for crying out loud??!! -Dee

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