I think some of the outrage is feigned.

[jsamuel]

Some are upset because they are concerned that their candidate might get kicked out.

I can understand being upset about that.


Some are upset at every candidate not having the same opportunities.

But these people ignore that there are more Democrats running for president than the 8 on stage. No one has been outraged that they aren't allowed on stage.


However, I just don't see how Gravel should be allowed up there come Fall. Gravel gets up there and just bashes the whole stage. He isn't even campaigning, just showing up for debates. His campaign ad consists of him staring into the camera and throwing a rock into a pond.


On a side note, that Fox News attack on Obama for using a notepad is baseless and stupid. Notes are constantly used for all kinds of purposes, including keeping track of who said what and making sure all points are covered.

[democratsin08]

1. media deciding

i want to hear from all the candidates. i dont like restricting who can be heard.

[NaturalHigh]

2. Agreed.

I don't like Kucinich and wouldn't vote for him, but I agree with some of what he has to say. Broadening the debate to extend both the left and the right is a good thing.

[jsamuel]

3. I don't think Kucinich should be out of the debates either.

[SaveElmer]

10. How do you decide who gets invited?

You do know there are several Democrats running not invited to the debates...what criteria do you use to decide?

[Prophet 451]

11. I didn't know that

What are teh current criteria?

[jsamuel]

12. I think the hosts of each debate decide who to invite.

I could be wrong, but I think that is how it works.

But they are probably lobbied by each campaign as to who they think should be there.

[SaveElmer]

13. Each group makes it own determination...

This is not a formal procedure...groups invite the candidates they wish to see, and candidates accept if they believe it is in their best interests....its not about adopting some rule to eliminate this or that candidate...

[draft_mario_cuomo]

28. Here is the list. 11 candidates are excluded from debates/forums

The silence on this is more evidence the "outrage" is feigned...

Warren R. Ashe (Virginia)
Randolph W. "Randy" Crow (North Carolina)
Laura Davis-Aaron (Tennesse)
Michael K. Forrester (Colorado)
Danny M. "Dan" Francis (New York)
Alfonzo Jones (California)
John Joseph Kennedy (Georgia)
Karl E. Krueger (South Dakota)
Sal Mohamed (Iowa)
James J. "Jim" Prattas (Hawaii)
Oloveuse O. "Ole" Savior (Minnesota)

http://www.politics1.com/p2008-dems.htm

All of these candidates are within the MoE of Kucinich, Gravel, Biden, and Dodd...

[NaturalHigh]

24. I didn't know that either.

[DesertRat]

4. I agree

and welcome to DU! :hi:

[democratsin08]

7. this is a great board

thank you!! i like edwards but i think he is wrong here. lets hear from all the candidates. i think we can narrow the field after the first primaries.

[jsamuel]

5. but there are more than the 8 that are being heard now

should we rally for them to be in the debates too?

[MGKrebs]

16. Well, that's another story. THIS story is about

(allegedly) two candidates trying to decide.

[The Magistrate]

6. Most Outrage Is, Mr. Samuel

And that on damned near anything you could name....

[Vickers]

8. I bet Obama didn't use his notepad to write "Can I go potty?" like George...

:eyes:

[jsamuel]

9. That we can be sure of.

[sandnsea]

14. Who?

I don't know of any other Democrats running for President, nationally. I think at some point after the first caucus/primary it is ok to ask the lesser candidates to exit so the main candidates have more time to debate the issues.

[jsamuel]

15. Here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=3373721

At least these people as well:

Laura Davis-Aaron (Tennesse)
Michael Forrester Michael K. Forrester (Colorado)
Dan Francis Danny M. "Dan" Francis (New York)
Alfonzo Jones (California)
John Joseph Kennedy John Joseph Kennedy (Georgia)
Karl Krueger Karl E. Krueger (South Dakota)
Sal Mohamed Sal Mohamed (Iowa)
Jim Prattas James J. "Jim" Prattas (Hawaii)
Ole Savior Oloveuse O. "Ole" Savior (Minnesota)

[sandnsea]

17. Okay

Do they have campaign offices anywhere besides their hometowns though? I think there is some sort of national criteria between these guys and the 8 on the platform.

[Texas_Kat]

18. Anyone who gets on the ballot nationwide should be included

in the 'so called' debates. Anything else is just a travesty.

There were 10 candidates in 04. There was no talk about excluding anyone -- whether it was 'convenient' for the rest of the candidates or not.

[sandnsea]

23. Actually there was

There were people who thought it was an annoyance having Kucinich and Sharpton, in particular, at the debates. I do think I recall that Kucinich wasn't included at some point, I think Kerry & Edwards had some debates alone. I think it's way too early for them to be saying this stuff now, but there is a point after the first primary votes to narrow things down.

[LBJDemocrat]

19. Is Lyndon LaRouche running?

Just wondering.

Anyways, Gravel doesn't do much for the debate. It could be argued that he pushes the focus leftward, but I disagree: What he actually does is make progressivism look like a fringe element.

[jsamuel]

20. Exactly. Edwards and Kucinich push the debate leftward. Gravel just throws dirt in their faces.

[AtomicKitten]

21. sometimes it's opportunistic feigned outrage

just another brick in the wall ...

to climb over fellow candidates

[Name removed]

22. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mzmolly]

25. That's politics baby.

I agree.

[draft_mario_cuomo]

26. Most of the "outrage" is from supporters of a candidate who benefits from HRC and JE losing ground

It isn't Kucinich or Gravel who would capitalize if HRC and JE lost a few points in the polls...

[rufus dog]

27. First off

Fuck you Draft Mario, O.K. done with that.

This whole thing is blown a bit out of proportion. It is unclear what was said and meant and then the Fox smear of the Obama to get the trifecta for the bad guys. Move on with it, this will have little impact, if anyone was going to get booted prior to this they seem to be safe for a few weeks so let them all talk, in a couple of months we me have a few drop, if not the key message should be "anyone of them is better than one from Team Torture."