Americans could have seen this coming. At least, if they were paying attention.
The Democratic presidential candidates had begun making statements about it more than a week ago---the possibility of not showing up to the Dec. 10th debate in Los Angeles to be televised by CBS if they would have to cross a picket line setup by the Writer’s Strike.
A statement put out yesterday by the DNC stated:
"Due to the uncertainty created by the ongoing labor dispute between CBS and the Writers Guild of America, the DNC has canceled the December 10th debate in Los Angeles. There are no plans to reschedule.” -DNC Communications Director Karen Finney.
I struggle with the cancellation of this debate because there is no plan to reschedule it and because I feel it could have brought attention to the Writer’s Strike and greatly helped bring an end to the dispute.
It’s not like the Democratic Presidential Candidates were going to be starring in a Saturday Night Live episode on Dec. 10th. Or that they were going to show up in cameos on Two and a Half Men or CSI. They would have been participating in a forum that could have “openly” discussed the situation surrounding the strike. This discussion could have looked at how this has disrupted California’s economy, why CBS should give what the writers demand, and what more can be done in America for unions in America.
Instead, this seems to be a publicity stunt. Clinton, Obama, and Edwards have all set themselves up to gain more union support and campaign contributions by saying they will not walk into this sticky situation on Dec. 10th. In fact, Obama and Edwards both made decisions to not appear on The View to show further “support” for the writers. The other campaigns, Richardson, Dodd, and Biden, have all been cited as issuing statements too that they would not cross the picket line. And...
..Interestingly enough, Dennis Kucinich’s response to the situation has been omitted in all news publications carrying the AP's release on the cancellation. Google this. See how every news release on this fails to mention Dennis. And because of that, I do not know exactly what to think of this.
I am sure that the plan to not reschedule is highly beneficial for Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards. Every time they open their mouth to speak publicly while Richardson, Biden, Dodd, and Kucinich are around they seem more fake, more awful, and more ridiculous. They seem more robotic and more like drones. They seem less human and less inspirational.
Is it possible the DNC was looking for a convenient way to get rid of a Democratic debate so certain candidates (Kucinich) couldn’t rise higher in the polls especially in New Hampshire? And what about the rise of Dodd, Biden, or Richardson in Iowa (Dennis has elected to not campaign in Iowa too much because it costs money he needs and the DNC has been persecuting him in Iowa since Day One)? Was this part of a plan to keep Hillary on top that also stands to benefit Barack and John, the two other media magnet candidates running?
This cancellation deeply upsets me. Now Dennis Kucinich won’t get to get up on stage on Dec. 10th and speak for five minutes and give those amazing one-liners I have come to so greatly enjoy. Now I won’t get to hear all the candidates talk about Hillary instead of civil liberties, health care, global climate change, the war, or impeachment. Now I won’t get to see another media-driven debate.
Seriously though, if this is a stunt, we should be appalled and therefore, we all should do everything to figure out if there is any ulterior motive in the DNC's decision to cancel.
Let's ask this:
Will the DNC find a way to cancel the next debate to be held Dec. 13th? Or how about the one to be held on Dec.17th? Will we see more and more debates not be held for whatever "justified" reason?
