Kucinich Declines 'Hardball' Interview

[unfrigginreal]

By DANIEL J. HEMEL
Contributing Writer

Turning down the opportunity to reach millions for the coziness of Kirkland House’s Junior Common Room, Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, D-Ohio, has mystified political observers once again.

In a move that will likely further his reputation as an eccentric, the dark horse presidential hopeful has chosen to boycott “Hardball: Battle for the White House,” a Harvard-based series of candidate interviews, charging that the series is irreparably tainted by host Chris Matthews’ conservative agenda.

<snip>

The series, which reaches millions of viewers nationwide on MSNBC, “is quite biased in the direction of right-wing and corporate interests,” said Kucinich spokesperson David Swanson. “The host of ‘Hardball’ has made false and biased statements about this campaign.”

“Matthews asserted that only former Vermont Governor Dean had opposed the Iraq war, which was clearly a problem from our point of view,” Swanson said, noting that Kucinich voted against the war resolution in the House of Representatives.

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=349576

----------------

Way to go Dennis! I'm proud of you for telling this punk Matthews where to shove it! I was hoping my candidate would. :toast:

[MattNC]

1. disagree

as much as i dislike a lot of cable news, i realize the only way to get your message out is to work within the system. kucinich is blowing an opportunity to get his views out. oh well.

[salin]

3. Have to disagree.

Some of these shows have become so very one-sided with absolutely no reason to moderate themselves. On the right, there have been times where the republicans suggested they would refuse to go on the air (and after awhile this can be significant - because who watches your 'inside the beltway' show if you never have access to the movers and shakers inside the beltway?), unless the shows were 'less slanted'.

I would bet it was a surprise to the host, a one time chief of staffer to the late, great, Tip O'Niell, to receive such a rebuke. I honestly do not think he 'sees' himself in this light (increasingly right wing GOP cheerleader.)

If a few others would do the same thing, there might be an small attempt for these hosts to be a tad less hostile to those on the left that they interview while being fawning to guests on the right.

Ever wonder why Russert and others appear to be so gentle on administration figures when they appear on these shows? Perhaps that threat of boycott/lack of access plays a role.

[David Zephyr]

71. I'm With Salin Here.

Frankly, wouldn't it be wonderful if all national Democrats would make an example of Fox and simply refuse to be party to the abuse?

A one month boycott.

[unfrigginreal]

6. "Working within the system"...

is what has given us 'all conservative cable news all the time'. And I don't mean to come off as a nihilist here, but Democrats have got to either start verbally fighting these programs conservative hosts or start boycotting them all together, if we ever expect to see more fairness.

[demdave]

13. Do you advocate boycotting the Dem debates on Fox?

What about the other channels? At one time or another I have heard all of them called right-wing shills in these forums. So what does that leave us? Radio? Nope, that is all owned by clear channel and we know we can't listen to that. The printed press? I believe I have heard most of that is the "Mooney" press and can't be believed. I guess we all just need to get in a car and chase the candidates around. /sarcasm/

I really don't care who owns the channel of what the format of the debate is. As long as it is the same for all the candidates, I think it is a legitimate forum. On TV, I get to see the reaction and hear the actual words and inflection of the answers. If Dennis can't handle Matthews, he can't handle the job.

On edit. If he holds this position I have just crossed off my first electable candidate out of the pack. I guess I had to start sometime.

[AlinPA]

22. Yes. Let the right wing vomit their propaganda, without our help.

Then people will see them for what they are.

[demdave]

25. When you take your ball and go home, you don't get to play

No radio, TV or press...there's a plan for success....NOT.

[tom_paine]

26. What do you do when the Nazis own or intimidate all the "printing presses"

This is not a new dilmena, only the technology is new.

But one thing we KNOW to be true. Not standing up to Totalitarians and calling them on their lies as early as possible leads to Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Marcos' Phillipines, Pinochet's Chile, Baby Docs' Haiti, etc. etc. etc.

[demdave]

33. Not standing up to Totalitarians and calling them on their lies

and what better place to do it than on national TV? You can't hide your candle under a bushel basket and expect it to light the way. We need to get the exposure on our ideas. This cannot be done by waiting for Al Gore's VTV to get aired, it needs to happen NOW.

[joeunderdog]

55. Take a ride on Tweetie's whipping post, help his ratings

and not even be able to make your points...it makes no sense. It'd be one thing if the host was aggressive but allowed the dems to make points. But to let someone disrespect you and go back for more encourages this behavior, and that's precisely what has evolved on these shows, even on the news. If there were no liberal guests, Tweetie couldn't disguise his show as a place where ideas are exchanged. Leave the right wing shows for the rightwingers.

[juajen]

73. The problem is that Dennis has already been on Hardball

and, Tweety was horrible to him. I have never seen matthews this rude to anybody. He wouldn't let Dennis get a word in, and questions were thrown at him and then Tweety would not give him an opportunity to answer. He was totally insulted on that show and I was outraged at his treatment. I do not blame Dennis one bit for not going back on this show. I just finished watching Matthews' interview with Clark. He couldn't have been nicer. Just points out that the more powerful you are, the better you're treated. He also treated Hillary Clinton with kid gloves.

[eridani]

76. But the format is different, dammit!

It will be a forum with 1000 people there, not just tweety and DK and a camera. Questions would come from the audience, and DK is particularly good at impromptu responses from general audiences.

Dennis, ya know I love ya anyway, but you are just being stupid!!!

[tom_paine]

17. I agree, unfrigginreal, but Goebbels v2.0

It is a double-edged sword though. As the Right-Wing Sub-Media expands to parasitize and takeover the rest of the media there are increasingly few outlets that don't have some Bushevik Bias built in and many, like Tweety's Bushball that are odious shills that would have looked equally as good shilling for Ferdinand Marcos or Baby Doc.

And, to be quite honest, Bushball is actually one of the better shows, bias-wise...it's only 90% biased in favor of the Busheviks and occasionally Tweety disagrees with his Masters.

So, Dennis is right, but to the Imperial Subjects of Amerika, still deluded that the media is "librul" or even mildly balanced, this will look cowardly.

What to do? I don't know and I imagine there must have been discussions like this in 1933 Germany of how to overcome Goebbels v1.0 once it controlled the entire spectrum of German media

I suppose we can be thankful that the Busheviks are "kinder and gentler" than Grandpa Prescott's Business Partners.

[burythehatchet]

30. You don't have to play in their ball field every day

It's quite possible that cable news is going to become the equivalent of browsing the National Inquirer while waiting to pay for my beer. Personally I feel that the medium has been roobed of its usefulness. Let's find another field.

[demdave]

43. Before 2004? Get realistic. This is the time to get our ideas out there.

Not in some hypothetical future.

[burythehatchet]

74. I'm as realistic as they come

You have to realize that the reason the minority conservatves of America have taken over control of the agenda is because they are always on the offensive. We always react. We can't win without a game plan that includes some creative strategies. Dean is a perfect example. He may or may not succeed, but you see that it doesn't always have to be on the other side's terms.

[DemCam]

12. I applaud Dennis here

He has called it like it is and does not have to suffer fools. Let the wags spin it as they will.

There is possibly more benefit for him to stand for his own principles than for him to squander his "pearls before swine."

This took far more guts. Well done.

[twilight]

37. I agree

After the way Matthews treated him when he was on before, I wrote to Matthew and told him that he owed DK an apology. Of course I never received a reply.

I don't blame DK one bit. Why dip to Tweetypie's level for attention. Screw off Hardballs ... real honest people don't care to bother with you and CANNOT be "bought".



DENNIS J. KUCINICH FOR PRESIDENT IN 2004!!!

:dem: :kick:

[0007]

63. Anyone with a lick of sense

wouldn't even bother to view such a trashed out site like MSNBC or the other two whores.

Makes sense to me to boycott 'em and let 'em wallow in their own.

[leesa]

35. He just GOT his views out! Good move by Kucinich!

[RaRa]

66. Ah, if principle were what mattered

Hey, I respect this guy's views and actions alot. But it isn't going to get him elected, assuming that's what he wants. Even if not that many people watch Hardball, even fewer have heard of Kucinich. I think when posters here spent too much time (like myself) on these kinds of sites, we lose perspective from what "ordinary" Americans or voters think. It's easy to get caught up in the passions of a candidate that we admire, but personally, I'm starting to try to think out of the box, and while my box was originally an angry white liberal for Dean, it's now a more realistic (I think) Clark supporter. Please, anyone.....anyTHING but Bush.

[joeybee12]

2. It's a no-win decision for him

He could have gone on and challeneged Tweety, but that might make him look shrill. Tweety is a twit, of course, but once you're on, you sort of have to play his game.

[MuseRider]

4. He has chosen

not to play the game with their rules. I am not surprised by this.

[IndianaGreen]

82. Dennis has chosen wisely

We have seen enough of Tweety to know that he is a total jerk that likes to play "Gotcha" politics with those he dislikes, and throws softballs to those he likes.

[private_ryan]

5. he's toast

now his poll numbers will go down to 0.02% from a respectable 0.03...

[huckleberry]

7. Last time DK was on Hardball

Tweety was unbelievably and unnecessarily RUDE to him! I don't blame DK for not doing the show again.

[piece sine]

10. oh! heavens to Betsy!

...we musn't muss our hair in a politically-incorrect forum where we can defend our values. If Dennis the menace can't handle Chris Matthews, how would he ever handle the press hounds on Washington en masse at a Presidential news conference? He MUST drop out now and stop distracting Democrats from the real candidates. Like Carol and Al, his novelty candidacy has worn thin. What's so progressive about making a complete nusance of yourself in public? Every day he stays in the race helps BUSH!!!

[MuseRider]

15. The real candidates?

Really, huh. How about one that stands up for what he believes. Now THAT would be a novel idea.

[tom_paine]

20. "Politically-incorrect forum?!?"

Would that that was all it was. But it is a propaganda organ of the Busheviks, nearly lock, stock and barrel (the 10% that isn't is a marked contrast to O'Reichly and the rest of the Right-Wiong Sub-Media).

Whatever else Kucinich is...he's right about this. But I do agree that thsi is a thorny question considering evermore media is of the Right-Wing Sub-Media variety or tapdancing to their "politically correct" tune.

And trust me, the Busheviks have turned the originally bad idea of "political correctness" on it's ear and entered into the "Orwellian madness" territory that used to be reserved for dystopian books like "1984" and "Farenheit 451"

"The struggle is now a light one. Radio and press at our disposal."
--Josef Goebbels 1933

[piece sine]

41. the show's called HARDBALL!

matthews plays "hardball" because nastiness in talk TV sells well. Dennis can't cut it! Kucinich is not ready for prime-time and he admits it.

[tom_paine]

47. Please, Matthews is a Bushevik propagandist

The show isn't Hardball, it's Bushball.

Is there ANY circumstance you could imagine Matthews coming out for the Democratic candidate? ANY circumstance?

Of course not. Perhaps if Bush murdered Ted Kennedy with his bare hands on the floor of the Imperial Senate.

More likely, matthews would say, "So, Bush finally got around to doing what we all agree had to be done sometime, which is put that degenerate Ted Kennedy out of his misery. I think it shows how manly and Chruchillian he is and it makes his critics look like the liberal bed-wetters they are."

Ok, I'm being facetious, but such is the Orwellian state of Imperial Amerika, I am not exaggerating by much.

[piece sine]

53. then based on that...

guests should hit that show well-prepared; come out swinging! Not hide! Progressives need to be more assertive, not less!

[twilight]

38. my letter to Matthews

My letter to Matthews after he treated DK so horribly. No wonder I never got a reply eh?


<<Dennis Kucinich is the ONLY candidate who has unwaveringly and staunchly opposed the war in Iraq. Also, we are tired of the biased coverage of the debates on NBC and want to see some coverage of the other, lesser-known candidates who were also onstage and who have important things to say. Chris Matthews should correct himself, and should make an effort to be better informed of the facts if he's the one NBC uses as their "morning after" commentator.

Furthermore, I felt the way Chris Matthews interviewed Cong. Kucinich on Hardball was disgusting. He owes the Congressman an apology for being so disrespectful!

Frankly, your program is beginning to sicken me the longer it goes on.>>

[benfranklin1776]

8. Agreed he called Tweety on his game.

He ripped away the veneer of Tweety as a supposedly non biased commentator by calling it like it is. Why engage in the pretense that he is a journalist and go on his show to be abused.

[demdave]

9. So at least 6 other candidates can take the heat but Dennis cannot.....

I think Lieberman and Clark will end up doing the show also. That will make him the only one that decided he couldn't handle the job of being questioned by Matthews. What does that say about his own estimate of his ability and risk threshold. I think this is political suicide. He needs to be on the show. I would watch.

[DifferentStrokes]

14. Tweety owes Kucinich an apology

Then we'll see about a repeat appearance.

There is a major difference between hard questions and deliberate misrepresentation of facts. Matthews lied; Kucinich called him on it.

Kucinich is standing up to a bully and setting an example that other political candidates would do well to follow.

Remember, too, Matthews has something riding on getting guests to come to his show. It' called career survival. This is an even playing that could tilt in any direction.

[demdave]

16. Sorry the president has to have thicker skin than this

Between the time of the post and the one I posted near the top, I gave this some thought and have decided this is a deal breaker. I heard about the first Matthews show but didn't see it. If, as you say, Kucinich called him on it, then I see no reason for hesitation now. If he handled himself well before he can do it again. Step up to the plate or become the waterboy.

[wildwww2]

29. Court appointed pResident`s don`t have thick skin at all. Staged events

(only nine of them in 2 and a half years.) are his excuse for press conferences. Bu$h isn`t good enough to lick Dennis Kucinich`s boots let alone any Democrat out there. Good for Dennis for standing up to one of Bu$h`s nazi propagandist`s. The waterboy is squatting in Al Gore`s White House. And Bu$h has to have tweety carry the water for him. How pathetic.
Peace
Wildman
Al Gore is My President

[Dhalgren]

31. IMO any Dem candidate that agrees to appear

on Matthews' silly program is a whore. They agree to be butt-kicked on national television just so people can see their faces as the host mugs and derides them.

It will be interesting, though, if now Priss Matthews is more polite to the Dems because of the courage shown by DK. DK may have made things easier for the DLC shills who actually appear on that disreputable show.

[otohara]

11. Way To Go... I Refuse To Watch

I will watch any debate/interview - but I'm drawing the line at Matthews and any other ass____ so called right-wing journalists/interviewers who just want to hear their own voices and own opinions.

Matthews voted for Bush, he admitted it. He gored Al Gore to death in 2000 and cheered the illegal war.

Bravo to Kucinich for outting Matthews.

[Nottingham]

18. Oh this is AWESOME! Kucinich is soo right ON here!

Chris Mathews is a smake in the grass! :bounce:

[Judi Lynn]

19. Chris Mathews' claim of former identification with Democrats

reflects he gave lip service to progressive values during the Viet Nam war, spent some time in the Peace Corps, and totally avoided any dangerous threat to his grubby life which could have befallen him had he not hidden out in the Peace Corps, pretending to be a liberal person philosophically. Every public move he made then seems to have been crafted to keep this image intact.

When the heat was off, he apparently started a total slide to the right. He could NOT be more agressive in his promotion of the very worst parts of the Republican agenda and "personalities."

[Neecy]

24. an interesting tidbit

..about Matthews in The Clinton Wars.

"...Matthews had been a speechwriter for President Carter and a press secretary for the Democratic Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill before becoming a talk-show host. He had lobbied the White House to replace DeeDee Meyers as press secretary, but the job had gone to Michael McCurry. Even before the impeachment Matthews had turned into a detractor of Clinton. He freely told perplexed friends that as a consequence, his ratings had improved."

So...a disgruntled job seeker, an opportunist, a total dick.

[Neecy]

21. call a spade a spade

I like this move, if only because it will make the whore Matthews sputter and fume about being publicly called a RW corporate shill (which, as we all know, he IS).

It's time to strip away any vestige of respectability these whores have, and call them exactly what they are - not 'journalists' but wingnut shills with an agenda trying to fly under the radar.

[leetrisck]

23. Why would anyone be mystified because

he won't go on the show. I don't think he should. What Matthews did last time he was on, was awful and uncalled for. I actually wish the candidates wouldn't go on his show at all but I know they are and that's up to them - Matthews show isn't that widely watched but I guess all exposure helps. Matthews just tries to trash them.

[Nottingham]

27. I agree Mathews does trash them!

:bounce:

[blm]

28. After the way Matthews threw pure venom at both DK and JK

I don't blame Dennis one bit. They way he treated Kerry last week should show that he'd be even worse toward Dennis. Matthews HATES LIBERALS and blames them for every problem in government.

Let him push the "manly" Dean and the "manly" Bush down the public's throats. Maybe they'll tire of it.

[tom_paine]

32. I'm not sure the Imperial Subjects of Amerika will ever tire of that

nonsense.

It's entertaining.

The destruction of the Old American Republic is entertaining.

Orwellian Madness is, in fact, quite entertaining.

Imperial Subjects of Amerika, like the Romans before them, want nothing more than to be entertained.

[qanda]

34. Not only does Chris Matthews treat the candidates unfairly

When he is interviewing them, he trashes them after they are gone leaving them no ability to defend themselves. I noticed, while watching the focus group on C-SPAN, that many of the sheeple repeat the lines and phrases that I hear Tweety and others say. I think DK will probably get more press out of not appearing on Hardball than if he actually showed up-- Good for him!

[donsu]

36. Good for Kucinich!

he's not going to play Matthews game.

[corarose]

39. Good for Kucinich declining LARDBALL!

Can you imagine what Mathews is going to say about Kucinich?

F*ck you Mathews...........Damn I love Kucinich for what he stands for.

[LeftHander]

40. The Road to Oval Office is not through Hardball

Chris Matthews likes to think he has some kind of influence over the American people. I never watch the ass...

[tlb]

42. Another thread calls Bush INSECURE for ducking hostile press.

Predictably the thread ridicules of Bush as a coward. But Dk is cheered for the same behavior ?

Bunk. I don't support Dennis but I cedited him with at least as much guts as it would take to confront Matthews. He tripped up on this one.

[sallydallas124]

48. Two totally different situations

Bush dodges hostile press because his handlers don't want him to look stupid hemming and hawing over tough questions and possibly saying something stupid or revealing. The guy has a lot to hide. The president, as a representative of the people, has a responsibility to confront and answer our questions, no matter how difficult they are.

Kucinich on the other hand, doesn't have a president's responsibility, he can not do an interview if he wants. I think it actually takes more guts to deny Matthews and in turn affect exposure than go on and deal with his dumb ass. I think Dennis is also aware that it might work to further marginalize his candidacy. I'm glad he declined. F you Matthews you damn apologist.

[wabeewoman]

44. Its not that he isn't tough enough

to handle Matthews. Its that he is saying it is a biased program passing itself off as something else. The show just plays gotcha. I don't believe Kucinich is electable because he is a true Democrat but I totally agree with him on this. If all the candidates starting calling it like it really is, it would, at the very least, expose them and get people thinking (those who think anyway). Have you ever noticed how big an elephant is when its in the closet but once someone is brave enough to talk about it, its size dimminishes and then others will acknowledge the truth. Kucinich impresses me as someone who plays by his own rules and remains true to his beliefs. How do you fault that?

[sandnsea]

45. Well cheers for Dennis

This is a bold stand. I love this. I still think if Dennis had presented himself as a realist instead of an idealist, he'd be making alot more headway.

[Loyal]

46. Ditto

And if he laid off the attacks on other Democrats, in light of his previous religious anti-choice record.

[readmylips]

49. Amen to Dennis...

Democrats should not help to increase Matthews' ratings and the $25Ms he makes on Hardball. After Matthews interviews democrats, he smirks and makes crued and dishonest comments. Let Matthews interview the repigs only. There are other better news programs for democrat candidates to appear. Fucq Matthews!

By not making himself a doormat for Matthews, Dennis K wins.

[Voltaire99]

50. Dennis is merely taking a page out of Bush's successful playbook

Bush never lets the opposition press corner him.

Nor should Dems. Paying lip service to the old forms and metaphors will only get you skewered.

If the Dems ever recapture the White House, the next president should sharply manage his media appearances. Do hand-picked questions. Put the Fox people in the back row, and avoid calling on them.

Of course, that's not an open, healthy democracy - that's a managed charade. And, well, why not? We might as well face the fact that we're living in a poisoned system largely controlled by extremists, quit pretending this is 1960, and play some "Hardball" of our own.

As for those bemoaning Dennis' choice by saying it's critical to go before the public in any and every forum, I think in time they, too, will realize the futility of this position. The rightwing suburban public is lost, my friends. It's never coming back to the fold. Never. They'll embrace full-blooded fascism first.

[dArKeR]

51. "Battle for the White House" good name for a peaceful democratic society

which teaches its children civility.

[Jack Rabbit]

52. Kudos to Kucinich

It is time to call the corporate media for what it is: something with an agenda that has to do with something other than informing the public. Indeed, it has to do with misinforming the public. Bush and other members of the junta got away with linking Saddam with the September 11 attacks for months simply because people like Chris Matthews let them.

Mr. Matthews is either a yuppie fascist or a useful idiot for them. He will forever be, in my mind, the journalist who made a fool of himself talking of how "the women will love it" as the Frat Boy played Fly Boy on the Lincoln. Mr. Kucinich and his spokesman may be harsh in citing Mr. Matthews' "(bias) in the direction of right-wing and corporate interests", but it is not unfair to state "It is not clear to us that it is in the public interest to dignify (Matthews') show by treating it as a reasonable forum for discussion of the presidency."

Mr. Matthews is simply far from a first-rate journalist. It is unforntunate that this can be said of too many television news personalities today. These people are deserving of no respect and, in my opinion, Mr. Kucinich has shown up Mr. Matthews for what he is.

[twilight]

56. excellent point(s)!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: I couldn't agree with you more!! :thumbsup:

:kick: :dem:

[leetrisck]

54. John Edwards on Tweety's show - had

forgotten it, but after the fact, Tweety made fun of Edwards because he couldn't name a favorite movie.

[Name removed]

57. Deleted message

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

[kwolf68]

58. Any wonder why people love Dennis?

What two-bit politician would turn down an opportunity to place his/her ugly mug on the idiot box and pontificate about the glories he/she will bring with the hopes they will persuade the masses of morons into "on a blink" agree with them and become part of the loyal masses?

Of course, Dennis is far from a two-bit politician. Instead of going onto these right-wing gabfests, where the goal is ultimately to discredit or mock said Democrat, Kucinich has opted to not whore himself out for a chance to be turned into a clown act in Chris Matthews' circus even if it meant possibly bringing his unique perception to the world.

Kucinich is out here speaking his mind saying things...the old fashioned way. Maybe there is an arugment for DK to go in there and hammer away the best he could, but I doubt these silly demonstrations provide Dennis any intellectual stimulation. At the end of the day, Dennis chooses what he really believes over political expediancy.

Few may notice, but in my view this demonstrates who of all these Dems have true convictions and while he likely won't win the nomination for our party, his like will rise again; mark my words.

[karlschneider]

59. Sorry, but that is just really fucking stupid.

Add this as another reason why he is completely unelectable.

[kwolf68]

60. And there are others who don't agree

This may "make" him unelectable, but it shows he is really the only one who should be elected.

[karlschneider]

75. Well, pissing into the wind may appeal to some folks. I find it useless.

And it makes your face smell bad. I don't know how to say this without sounding rude, so I'll just say it. There is no, nada, zip, zero possibility that Dennis Kucinich has any chance to be nominated much less elected. It does NOT please me to acknowledge that unfortunate fact, but the real actual world out there is not about to let it happen. No way, now how.

Try (really try) for a minute to imagine this beginning part of any headline in the complicit press: "President Kucinich....xxxxxxxx"

I'd give everything I own to get DK elected. But I'm not gonna bet it all on a long shot that 99.5% of murkin voters wouldn't support. Yes, they're wrong, they're stupid, but there they are.
:grr:

[Astarho]

61. Good for Kucinich

for not walking into the lion's den. Finally someone who speaks up and calls the conservative media for what it is.

And as for missing a chance to get his message out, he can do that better on Letterman, Leno, The Daily Show, or Conan O'Brien anyway.

[DemBones DemBones]

62. Great strategic move -- Dennis will get more attention for NOT

appearing on "Hardball" than he would for wasting his time putting up with Tweety for an hour.

[David Zephyr]

64. Good for Dennis!

:toast:

[Gloria]

65. Millions???? Aren't Matthews numbers around 600,000 or less??

Good for Dennis. Why waste your time with this jerk??

[quaker bill]

67. A mistake

I have watched Edwards and Kerry on Hardball. Matthews is a blowhard rep shill. On the other hand he has allowed each candidate to make his point and get his positions out before the public.

Free media is free media. Whether it is a million or half a million households hardly matters. It costs alot of cash, which Dennis is apparently short on, to get your message out to that many folks.

Squaring off with Matthews would not hurt Dennis' image either. Matthews is not much of a debater, I expect Dennis could handle him easily.

However, it is clearly Dennis' call on how to run his campaign. The results he obtains will come from the choices he makes.

My call is that this is a strategic error, but we will see over time.

[bpilgrim]

69. unless

his refusual garners even MORE press ;->

:hi:

peace

[laylah]

80. I didn't see this at all.......

"Matthews is a blowhard rep shill. On the other hand he has allowed each candidate to make his point and get his positions out before the public..."

I remember, during the Edwards and Kerry interviews yelling at the t.v. telling "Tweetie" to "SHUT UP! Just shut up and let them make their points"! (I must have been having an o'really moment :silly:)

Seriously, imho, Mr. K. has given blowhard Matthews the proverbial 1-finger salute and, for that, I applaud him.:toast:

Jenn

[bpilgrim]

68. BACKBONE

Strap'm on Dems

DK is da MAN :bounce:

peace

[TheWebHead]

70. This is why Kucinich is afraid to go on Hardball

his previous appearance he was made mincemeat of...

MATTHEWS: We’re back with more “Political Buzz” with Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, who’s running for president, and Duncan Hunter.

Here’s the Congressman Kucinich earlier today addressing the Human Rights Campaign, a gay and lesbian political advocacy group..

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KUCINICH: I would nominate any gay to the Supreme Court, or lesbian or bisexual or transgendered person to the Supreme Court, as long as they were ready to uphold Roe v. Wade.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MATTHEWS: What are we to make of that, Congressman Kucinich, statement?

KUCINICH: You’re to make of it that equality before the law is an essential and cardinal principle of our government. And in
addition to that, women in our society will never truly have equality if Roe v. Wade is repealed, and so I’m take a stand of behalf of equality for everyone.

MATTHEWS: But it just looks like the most patent kind of pandering. You’re saying the only issue that matters to you in terms of picking a Supreme Court justice, in terms of the person’s background, the only issue that matters to you is an issue on which you took a 180 degree different position throughout your career. In other words, you will only accept judges on the Supreme Court who totally disagreed with you your entire life until recently when you decided to run for president and go national.

KUCINICH: Actually, Chris, what I’m saying here is that I believe that upholding Roe v. Wade...

MATTHEWS: But you were always against it. Now you’re for it and saying if a judge is against it, they can be gay, straight, transgender, whatever, as long as they agree with you this instant and they didn’t agree with you your whole career. It looks like pandering and it looks like, I don’t know what. Hypocrisy of the worst kind. But go ahead. Explain it.

KUCINICH: OK. Thanks, Chris. I think criminalization of abortion would set this country back.

MATTHEWS: Who is proposing criminalization of abortion?

KUCINICH: Actually, Congress has been increasingly moving in the direction.

MATTHEWS: Who supports criminal punishments for abortion.

KUCINICH: Congress has been increasingly moving in the direction towards criminalization.

MATTHEWS: Name a U.S. congressperson.

KUCINICH: It’s a fact.

MATTHEWS: Name a Congressperson who supports putting people in jail for having an abortion. Name one.

KUCINICH: Trent Lott, at the beginning of this Congress, stated that it was the number one agenda for his, the legislative agenda to move forward to make abortion illegal.

MATTHEWS: No, you said to put them in jail, to criminalize abortion. Name a member of Congress who wants to-name any member of Congress in either party who says put a person in jail for having an abortion. Name one.

KUCINICH: I campaigned for Congress in 1996 against an opponent who was backing a constitutional amendment to make abortion illegal. And what I’m saying that it’s important in this country-

MATTHEWS: You didn’t say that. You said criminalize it. You said put a person in jail for having an abortion. Do you believe any member of Congress wants to do that?

KUCINICH: Well, I think there are members of Congress who want to do that. That’s absolutely right.

MATTHEWS: Name one.

KUCINICH: This isn’t about naming one.

MATTHEWS: Name one. Name one.

KUCINICH: I think Chris Smith would support it. I do...

MATTHEWS: He would. Well, that’s a nice subjective move, but you don’t have his testimony supporting it. We’ll check with him on that. I think it’s a rotten thing to say. Let’s go on...

KUCINICH: What’s a rotten thing to say?

MATTHEWS: To say that somebody in Congress wants to put a woman in jail for having an abortion when you don’t even know their name.

KUCINICH: Well, you asked me to...

MATTHEWS: Name one.

KUCINICH: You asked me to who would be responsible and take that kind of a position. And I think Chris has had a strong position all of his life on it, and I think he’s probably be..

MATTHEWS: You’re desperate. Let’s move on here. Congressman Hunter, let me ask you a serious question because you’re a serious man. This was not a serious conversation.

[Desertrose]

85. Yeah & I watched how they turned DK's mic down...

so you couldn't hear his answer....


I say GOOD ON YA DENNIS!!!!

Matthews is a coward & a bully...nothing fair about shouting at someone & then turning off his camera & mic...why would anyone want to do a show with that POS as the shouting head.

If everyone would turn Tweety down he'd be out of ratings & down the drain where he belongs. I hope I can see these guys end up on the other end of the stick....Rush is learnin'.....

Peace & more power to ya Dennis!!!
DR

[goforit]

72. Well , if Gore won without Mathews then maybe Kucinich will too!!!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...................

KUCINICH!!!!!!!!!!!

:bounce:

[kwolf68]

77. What is missing here is

These media whores NEED the Democrats. With Kucinich boycotting this decidedly right-wing show, he is basically saying ALL Democrats (politicians, actors, activists, etc) have the power to completely CHANGE these news shows.

If NO Democrats ever go on then guess what? People will THEN GET IT that its right wing news.

Kucinich has demonstrated exactly how we change this right-wing media: We talk to them the way a capitalist does. The bottom line is ... w/o argument, disconted and controversy these shows cease to exist.

IF NO DEMOCRAT goes on any of these shows then what? You'd have a bunch of boobs up there acting like Limbaugh just spewing out their garbage. AT LEAST when there is a Democrat in presence it gives the news channels a perception of "objectivity."

We should either boycott the shit all together, or get some equal time. If these bastards don't think Democratic pundits or talk show hosts can't work on the air, then why do they need our politicians? ...Easy...to serve as a tool for right-wing hacks.

I applaud what Dennis did and if Democrats really believe the media is right-wing controlled, then immediately begin a protest. Ignore shows, cancel shows, dont go on...See if these nutbobs can fill up their programming then? Show these pricks they need Democrats to "sell TV time" and then you have a high card in your hand.

[lebkuchen]

78. I never watch Hardball. It is tainted toward a neo conservative viewpoint

Arnie didn't attend a single worthwhile debate and he's governor. Why is Hardball so important, then? This story is about Matthews' overinflated ego more than anything else.

[VolcanoJen]

79. Kick!

:dem:

[farmbo]

81. Should have tee'd it up, Dennis. The Harvard crowd would love you.

Granted... Tweety went out of his waty to be rude to you in his talking head format, but you would have rocked the Harvard crowd!

:shrug:

[suegeo]

83. Matthews is a lying whore

Chris Matthews' show Hardball ought to be renamed "Jackass."

Can't forgive you Chrissy, for suggesting that Walter Mondale was "HORNY" to get into the senate race after Wellstone's "Accident".

[Dr Fate]

84. A better idea would have been to say this to his face on the air...

and turn the entire interview into a discussion about RW bias in the media. NEVER turn down a debate- but DEFINE it instead.