I totally agree:  CNN has become a really PUKE PUKE PUKE news organization.

However, MSNBC is NOT far behind.

When TIMMY RUSSERT asked Kucinich about UFO’S in the debate where he was the MODERATOR,  I thought that was one of the most stupid questions ever.

I feel it was asked to make KUCINICH look like a NERD/STAR-TREKY/ etc.

Totally out of line.

The MEDIA really sucks in this Country.  Not one MODERATOR really asks the TOUGHT questions to MITT ROMNEY regarding his MORMONISM!! WHY?  Is this the 3rd rail in debates?

Lawrence O’Donnel really hit the nail on the head re: ROMNEY’S CULT RELIGION on the McLaughlin Group a few weeks ago.

When the MEDIA really asks tough questions (PISS MATHEWS likes to think HE DOES) then they will approach MORMONISM/ISLAM/NAFTA etc.  I remember the time PISS MATHEWS had Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhnold NATZINEGGER on and he (Mathews) did everything but GENUFLECT and KISS HIS CLASS RING.  He really played SOFTBALL and NOT HARDBALL that time.

I would vote for KUCINICH anyday.  He is the ONLY one that addresses the issues and is NOT afraid to speak the truth.

Claudio-Miguel

Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul are truthspeakers.  Both want us immediately out of Iraq.  Paul even wants to dump the private bankster owned Federal Reserve. Neither is considered a particular friend of the Zionist state in Palestine.  Thus, all the powers-that-be and all their toadies, lickspittles, apologists, prostiticians and media whores totally despise both of these true Americans.
  Both the Republicrats and the Democans are controlled from the top down. Look at the symbology of the eye over the pyramid on the back of the $1 Federal Reserve monopoly money to see how this works.  What we need is not more bipartisanship (which is B.S. with a few extra letters added to fool the folks.) What we do need is a T R A N S P A R T I S A N coalition led by Paul and Kucinich, with Cynthia McKinney, Bob Barr, Patrick Buchanan , Mike Gravel and Gore Vidal as pre-designated Cabinet members. 
  Upon election Kucinich and Paul could flip a coin to decide who gets the presidency and who becomes the V.P.  They could contractually divide the presidential powers in a “pre-nuptial” agreement.
  Such a grand coalition of truth-speakers and truth-seekers would appeal to all segments of American society except for the parasites who have risen to the top of virtually each and every major institution, thanks to their personal levels of greed and the corruptible power of the hidden hand of privately-controlled issuance of money.

James Wolfensohn, former chief honcho of the World Bank was replaced by Paul Wolfowitz.  For his noble services on behalf of the American Israeli Political Action Council (AIPAC) and the Controlled Noose Network (CNN); when may we expect Wolf Blitzer to continue the honorable tradition of the ulvine predatory gene by being named the next World Bankster-in-Chief?

#121395 by VillageElder on 12/19 at 7:31 pm
“I’m fascinated by the support and admiration given by liberals and progressives to Rue Paul.  Read his web site, if nothing more.  He wants to limit the federal government’s act ivies to collecting tariffs a providing for the common defense, and possibly a post office…”

VillageElder,  The intent, spirit, honesty and humility of Ron Paul’s dignified presentations have all been distorted by you for whatever reason. I am a harsh critic of most of the two-Party candidates but base my argument on fact, quote, intent, clarity of planning. When you distort the candidate’s views, you diminish yourself. On abortion for example, Dr.Paul, if enabled by the Supreme Court, would require that each State pass its own legislation in the matter, the Constitution tasking States with precedence over Federal rule. He does, it’s true, find the practice of infant-torture intolerable in any advanced civilization but his personal conviction in this will not override his dedication to simply governing according to the Constitution.

While I like Rep Kucinich, I feel Mr Vidal should perhaps get his facts straight before firing off a painfully incorrect essay.
CNN and Fox only simulcasted the Register’s/ Iowa Public Television Debate. NEITHER network had ANY editorial control over the broadcast(s).  CNN’s debates have included Rep Kucinich, the last was from Las Vegas.
On a personal note, I’m sorry to hear about the death of Mr. Kucinich’s Brother, Perry, my thoughts are with his family tonight.

Can it be more obvious that the democratic party is following right in step with what the bush adminstration is doing?

What are all you people talking about? You should be more interested in Britney Spear’s sister’s pregnancy and her perverted adolescent behavior. Forget about the Iowa Kucinich debacle, the main stream media wants to divert our attention from the stories that have real meaning. Hmmm, I wonder who owns the mainstream corporate media? Could it be the same thugs that are manipulating the media channels in Iowa?

What are all you people talking about? You should be more interested in Britney Spear’s sister’s pregnancy, and what you are going to tell your children about her perverted adolescent behavior. Forget about the Iowa Kucinich debacle, the main stream media wants to divert our attention from the stories that have real meaning. Hmmm, I wonder who owns the mainstream corporate media? Could it be the same thugs that are manipulating the media channels in Iowa?

The establishment is afraid of populist candidates.  Their best weapons is manipulation of the press.  You can’t vote for a populist (kucinich or paul) if he’s not on the ballot or if he’s not in the poll.

As for the anti-semitic stuff of the extreme left, it is a tad misguided.  I am a far leftist and don’t blame israel for anything, its the christian fundamentalist protestants that are responsible.

I’m sorry but after reading a lot of the comments here I get the distinct impression that a lot of the correspondents here are eager readers of the “Protocols of the Elders of Zion.”

Or am I just naive and there’s a jew in the woodpile causing all the misery in this world?

Get serious comrades!

#121288 by Jason on 12/19 at 11:29 am
“The exclusion of Kucinich is an outrage and further exemplifies the erosion of our democracy…”

Jason, the major Democrat candidates call the shots on this. No one else has the influence or motives. It seems to have started this year when Senator Gravel humiliated Hillary Clinton at the debate re her vote to, in effect, attack another peaceful nation: Iran. Her continuing laughter after he described the shame he felt at her vote was astonishing to me. The suffering of millions in the balance and she thinks its funny.

I used to read articles on websites like RENSE.COM and think they were horribly anti-semitic. Then I got angry and decided to refute the stories about main stream media and the US politic being controlled by Israel. I spent time researching all the claims and became convinced that it’s even worse than we have been told. Of course, you cannot say this or people will use the anti-semitic tag. In fact, you cannot even ask questions about dual-citizenship, the AIPAC or policies that benefit Israel to the detriment of America—your comments and questions either will never be published or they will be commented so as to describe you as a “kook.” How did things ever get so bad? More importantly, where is all of this leading America?

Exclusion of Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel in the debate is a perfect example of media dystopian because of a propaganda-ploy media tool which powerful elite attempts to control society thru the manipulation and censorship in order to support elite wishes.  Money buys democracy which benefits for few privileged with enormously lobby supports. Remove CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and AIPAC backers from media because they made their dangerous media disinformation tools with unfairly bias.  As a proof, CNN is Corrupted News Network.

Exclusion of Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel in the debate is a perfect example of media dystopian because of a propaganda-ploy media tool which powerful elite attempts to control society thru the media manipulation and censorship in order to support elite wishes.  Money buys democracy which benefits for few privileged with enormously lobby supports. Remove CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and AIPAC backers from media immediately because they made their dangerous media disinformation tools with unfairly bias.  As a proof, CNN is Corrupted News Network.

Re: Ariel Sharon—-
Why are they still keeping that bloated walrus alive?

At this point there is just one way for Americans or anyone else in the world to have real democracy.  He who controls the purse (taxes) has the wealth.  He who controls the guns (army) has the power.  He who controls the media (MSM) has the voice.  You want democracy? you will have to take it.  There is no way around it.  What will you do when they tell you Mr. Paul died from a heart attack because he was old and frail and just couldn’t handle all that stress?  Are you going to say, “Yeah OK”.

Thank you Gore Vidal. The hypocrisy and jello backbones of the Democratic leadership is one of the reasons I do not call myself a “liberal”. As a teenager during the McCarthy period I was a son of leftists. I saw the “liberals” carry on the work of McCarthy even after he was out of power. They are always trying to show how patriotic and righteous they are. Call me a progressive. Call me a radical. But never, never call me a liberal.

Until people drop the mental categories devised by Tavistock power brokers, we are getting nowhere.  They play on bigotries people have against each other.  Just as they play one nation against another.

I’ve read Vidal before and like him, but even he falls into these mindtraps like “right-wingism.”

I have read and browsed through all the comments above.  I must say that I’m in agreement in some part with with all of them. I’m especially encouraged to hear more speaking out against the very profound and dangerous Iraeli influence on our politics.  For example the “I” after Senator Joseph Lieberman should not be a designation
of “Independent”  but rather “Israel”.  Most of us who see this connection, as well as the politicians who accept the AIPAC money, are surely intimidated against speaking out by the possibility of character assination of being anti-semitic because of the telling truth. Akin to no discussion of Oil and Israel re. the Iraq invasion.
So! What to do?  Eliminating the electoral college was suggested.  Good! The only thing missing is campaign contributions.  Not allowing them. How? I haven’t thought that through.  However, if that situation exsisted today campaigns would be more truthful, many more could join the fray and men/women such as Dennis Kucinich could become president.

I saw Wolfe Blitzer interview David Duke about 6 months ago and he told Mr. Blitzer that he was not a fair broker of news, because he was a former AIPAC lobbist.  Looks like David Duke was right.

What do you expect people?

Anyone who is speaking out against the behavior of the last few administrations, is completely ignored or smeared. 

Wake up America.  You do not live in a free and just country any more.

Gore, I love you.  Live forever, you lover of Liberty.

Whereas I am disgusted that the elusive shadowy “they” snubbed Dennis Kucinich, I am not surprised. It’s the way they play. They could see their way clear to permit that mummox Alan Keyes, who has fractional digit support and a single staff member for his campaign team, to participate in the last Rethugnican debate. But, Dennis, who wins all the liberal, progressive, and independent straw polls state for state, was forbidden to participate. I fail to see the logic or reason for the Kucinich snub. That notwithstanding, no matter who gets the nomination, Dennis Kucinich is my choice, if I have to write him in that fateful Teusday in November 2008.

DENNIS KUCINICH 2008!

The exclusion of Kucinich is an outrage and further exemplifies the erosion of our democracy. We should be up in arms about this sort of thing…

Yes, Gore Vidal is right to be outraged, and so am I. Dennis speaks the truth and makes sense.  Also, Mike Gravel, like Dennis, sounds like a human when he talks.  All this other stuff we hear on so-called debates begins to sound like the trombones in Peanuts videos, which represent the adults speaking. 

CNN and Wolf Blitzer don´t really hold debates anyway.  Real debates are not just questions and timed answers.  I am 57, and I don´t remember any real debates.

I am really tired of the intelligent, articulate, sensible people like Ralph Nader, Dennis Kucinich, and Mike Gravel being marginalized.  I wish they would object vigorously, upset the apple cart, sue to be included.  Is the media control already that powerful and oblivious to real issues and real Americans?  I hope not, but I am very worried about it.

In response to comment #121215 by gwynn griffith on 12/19.

I see you also watched the PBS program on Nadar, he was told to leave the 2004 debate despite having a ticket and a good reason to be there.

I voted for Ralph in the primary and I believe he was not the spoiler it was the powers in Fla. that took Gore, it was Ohio that took Kerry.

There is an old cree proverb that says first the trees died, then the rivers were poisioned and when the last fish is caught then we will realize that we cannot eat money.

So here in Oregon there was another slide due to clear cutting noone talks about the people affected by the actions of the movers and shakers, you lost your house to a mud slide, too bad but it did give someone a job.

Getting back to Kuncinich he speaks the truth therefore he must be sidelined just like Nadar, does one have to have lots of money for the compaign to get someone who runs the country for the rich and powerful.

In one scene Nadar is asked to quit the person is Michael Moore who at one time was on Nadar’s side.

As one of the volunteers said why would Nadar quit after gathering together supporters who would work for free, is anyone asking Clinton or Obama to quit for the sake of the party I think not.

Democracy is at risk of going to the highest bidder.

Will there be another presidency like that of King George?

Non Credo is 100% correct.  Another rule of the Truth or Consequences reality show (debate) is that none of the contestants must ever say AIPAC.  Mike Gravel let the AIPAC word slip just once and was never seen from again. The contestants are frightened to death that they might slip out the word.  That’s why Blitzer is up there, to make sure they don’t.  I hate games that are fixed.

I would withdraw from the Democratic Party if were not for Dennis Kucinich.  The Democrats have shown every bit as much bad judgement as the Republicans, but in reality they’ve sunk lower, because while the Republicans are warmongering hypocrites, most people know it.  The Democrats are actively and deliberately deceiving and betraying their constituents and base, and while Mr. Vidal cites CNN and the Register, I cannot believe that the Democratic Party did not play a role in Kucinich’s exclusion due to the tight race in Iowa.  The only way to hit this corporate media is to boycot their sponsors.  The MSM is more responsible for destroying this country than the politicians, because if they were doing their jobs, serving the people and reporting the facts, people would act accordingly.  In effect this is littel different than state run media. But in whatever ways it is, it is certainly not conducive to democracy.

121227 by craig on 12/19 at 7:15 am

“You would think that a country that purports to be a democracy…”

As ubiquitous as it is incorrect, most folks (because of our media, and government controlled educational system) believe the US was set up as a “democracy.” It wasn’t. It isn’t even a “full” republic, it is a representative republic with restraining conditions (such as provision for marshal law, the electoral college, and suspension of some constitutional rights for those “excepted” for age, military status, or criminal history.

In a “democracy” the full population would vote on every issue. There would be no “president, Senate, nor House. There would be no “Supreme court” and every ruling by district courts would be at the pleasure of the entire populous… Democracy is a LOT of work, so the capitalist founders decided they would hire folks to vote their interests. because the founders distrusted the working underclass, they erected the electoral college in case the majority of poor folks got together and selected someone unfriendly to capitalism.

It’s a real good system for keeping things static!

They ought to call these debates “Truth or Consequences.”  A new and updated game on TV.  The rules of the game are—if you tell the truth, you must pay the consequences, which is you will be eliminated.  First one to go was Mike Gravel, who is so honest he was almost jerked off the stage.  Next oe down was Kucinich, who just disappeared.  Hillary will last because she’s an expert at speaking with split tongue.  I lost interest in the game.

Until we do away with the “electoral college” America will only have “selected” representation. Until the MSM is broken up, we will only have the electoral college, caucuses, and unbrokered conventions.

You would think that a country that purports to be a democracy would arrange some system that accurately accounts for the desires of it’s people. But we have nothing like that system.

Dennis being denied his opportunity to debate is just further proof that we do not live in anything like a democracy.

The idea that eight years has passed since the 2000 election, and we still haven’t installed a nationwide polling system that can be relied upon tells me that screwed up elections is exactly what the powers that be want.

The only thing they would enjoy more is if we all just stayed home and didn’t bother. Or, better yet, moved and let them carry on turning America into a slave hostel for third world refugees and robber barrons.

121186 by 13 Martyrs on 12/19 at 1:56 am

“While I am not much of a Kucinich fan, I agree that the likes of CNN and the Register did push him out of the way for whatever agenda they have.”

What I find strange is that while most people blame the Dr & CNN for the absence of Kucinich and Gravel, I haven’t heard criticism of the D party, or the remaining candidates on this particular issue!

The Republicans are behaving well in this area keeping Alan Keyes, Tom Tancredo & Duncan Hunter, but the Democrat field is thinning.  Look to the parties if you want to cast blame. THEY decide who will debate and who will not!

This smells of the 2004 election when the same thing was done to Ralph Nader…another truly great American.  He was marginalized by the system…just as Kucinich & Gravel have been.  Corporate American at work !!

More disappointing than the Des Moines Register and Wolf Blitzer are the candidates, up on the stage, who claim they have the right leadership skills yet, remained silent as if Denise doesn’t even exist.

At the very least,  I thought Edwards and Obama would refuse to attend and participate unless Denise was included.  Leadership requires taking personal risk and standing on principle.  Both have claimed they will fight special interests and fix a corrupt and broken system.  We are left wondering just when does their fight begin?  If they are too weak to fight the Des Moines Register and Wolf Blitzer, we shouldn’t expect too much from them in the future.

It is obvious to me now, the only candidates that even get a chance to be heard are nothing more than dupes, Illuminati stooges.

The only two candidates who make any sense and who consistently speak the truth—Kucinich and Mike Gravel—have been eliminated from the debates. I find this sinister. Anybody who tells it like it is in this country just doesn’t stand a chance of getting elected. It’s terribly hopeless.

The reason the Republicans (Aka Conservatives right wingers) and the I & M complex are in the love bed with Kucinich and Obama is because they are easier to perpetrate voting fraud on the American people than Clinton. Kucinich and Obama are good people solidly for the American people. This is the main reason why they will never see the presidency. The Electoral College (Spokesmen for the royalty in Great Britain and Europe) has the absolute power to install a president. Since the dictatorship began in this country only the extreme right or the middle of the road Democrat (Like Clinton) has any chance of winning. People like Kucinich and Obama are anathema to the I & M complex because most things good for Americans inversely is bad for the interest of the Republicans (Aka Conservatives right wingers) and the I & M complex. The Republicans (Aka Conservatives right wingers) and the I & M are trying to lead the sheep down the Kucinich or Obama road because they know it is a dead-end.

Iam grateful to many of you who post here on TD.

I’ve learned a great deal and am thankful for some of the insights, perspectives and links, but most importantly, grateful for being wrong on many things and have been shown evidence and opinion that challenged even threatened some of my beliefs.

In someways its made me a better citizen and Im most sincere. Thanks again.

I knew Wolf used to be the editor of the Jerusalem Post, but never thought of him as being the past spokesperson for AIPAC.  He certainly is tireless on CNN, and I have noticed his biases,  Thank goodness for Gore Vidal for Kucinichism.

They kept him out so he wouldn’t announce his articles of impeachment of Bush (50 pages) to a standing ovation, as he had just done in Reno (of all places).

The only solution, so far as I see it, is to establish a new system that entirely removes the influence of the corporate/media elite.  We see a precursor to it with Ron Paul’s campaign which is more of an internet event than anything else.  The online community seems to be organizing around Ron Paul more than any other candidate.  Isn’t that true Democracy?

Why can’t we draft our own candidate and put him or her on a national ballot?  What rule says that the current method is the only method?

To do this, though, we’ll need to fight tooth and nail to keep the internet free and open.  If we can do this then we can create a new primary process.  Who cares if the FCC allows media consolidation?  We’ll create our own alternate media.  It won’t matter how much money someone has.  Money won’t have as much power so say goodbye to special interests.

In conclusion, the better Dr. Paul does in this election, the harder you will see these plutocrats demand absolute control of the internet.  Am I wrong here?

Probably why CNN is banned in South Africa. Hopefully, they the rest of the world will ban FOX and all US so-called news networks.

I did find it fishy during the Vegas debate when Blitzer kept avoiding Dennis and cutting him off. He even skipped Dennis right after he said he would go to him. I didn’t realize it before, but it was obvious at that debate that Wolf was trying to keep Dennis out even though he was there. The best thing though, was that Kucinich made the best of his time and really stood out from the other candidates. What’s sad though, is even when he called Edwards on his China vote, most just giggled like, “oh that wacky Dennis.”

In the end, the American people will get the candidate they deserve. And after re-electing Bush, how could we ever expect America to come around. All I see, beside Dennis Kucinich and Ron Paul, is the same old crap all over again, but with a shiny new wrapper that’s just covering it up.

Peace out.

Leave it to Gore Vidal to take on and shame the Idiocracy at CNN. And of course they are afraid of Dennis Kucinich. He speaks the truth;something completely alien to Blitzer and Co.

Vidal hits the nail on the head—as usual.  Kucinich is fearless, eminently quotable, and holds positions that a majority of Americans believe.  Yet, he is systematically excluded by corporate media outlets and various debates in Iowa in a self-fulfilling prophesy combined with Catch-22 arguments.

I would also ask Gore to comment on the economic royalists’ resurrection of McCain with his endorsements from major newspapers in Iowa and Massachusetts and from the odious Lieberman.