Oh the Fear of the Corporate Controllers and Managers of our world!
I wish I had a photo of a gnarling tiger to put here. But I can only say,
DO SOMETHING! DO SOMETHING NOW!
The “Des Moines Register” has banned Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel from tomorrow’s Democratic debates. Here’s the reason, as reported in 12/13/07 USA today:
Kucinich protests exclusion from Des Moines debate; should he get an invitation?
Six-term Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich is crying foul over tomorrow’s Des Moines Register debate for Democratic presidential candidates. The campaign today issued a lengthy protest against his exclusion from the debate, the last before the Jan. 3 caucuses.
The newspaper’s standards for participation include at least 1% in its statewide poll and an office and paid staff in Iowa. Republican Alan Keyes, who has not been in any debates this year and has done little if any campaigning, has made the cut for today’s GOP debate, which we’ll be live-blogging here at 2 p.m. ET.
Kucinich’s campaign said today he has been excluded because “his Iowa field director operates from a home office rather than a rented storefront.” The campaign quoted newspaper editor Carolyn Washburn as saying, “It was our determination that a person working out of his home did not meet our criteria for a campaign office and full-time paid staff in Iowa.”
Kucinich’s campaign says Marcos Rubinstein, its field director and state coordinator, runs the campaign from his home office in Dubuque, “bolstered by a dozen-or-so other senior campaign staff who have traveled the state over the past several months.”
The campaign also notes that Kucinich is the top-ranked candidate in online polls conducted by Democracy For America and Progressive Democrats of America and both groups plan to advertise for him.
What do you think? Should Kucinich get an invitation? Should Mike Gravel get an invitation? Was it right to include Keyes in today’s debate? We welcome your (polite, civil and thoughtful) comments.
(above from: USA Today, “On Politics” by Mark Memmott & Jill Lawrence, 12/13/07)
I’ve got to go to a doctor’s appointment, so I can’t write any more than this. But you know how to find it. Go there and leave your comments. I did. I’ll also mail the DMR later.
Feel free to add a Gnarling Tiger if you wish.