Who picks the president?

UPI tells it:

NBC had invited Kucinich on Jan. 9, but rescinded its invitation Friday, when NBC Political Director Chuck Todd told the Kucinich campaign that the network was "redoing" its participation criteria, according to the campaign.

Kucinich had qualified to participate in debate by coming in fourth in a national poll with 3 percent.

NBC changed its criteria to focus the debate on the three national front-runners

Okay, you might say, Kucinich got 3% in New Hampshire. He can't win the election. Well, he certainly can't if everybody - I'm looking at you, Nation - who likes him refuses to support him... but that's not the point here.

"It's not our candidate who's in trouble; it's democracy."

The media shouldn't decide which voices will be heard and which won't. NBC says they want to explore issues in depth, and they'll get some nuanced takes on very similar positions. With Kucinich on the platform, there would be different issues discussed, issues that resonate with most Americans.

Here's a video take on it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaI27QNBNgQ

Write NBC and DNC and demand that they stop deciding for us who's running for president.

NBC/MSNBC
(212) 664-4444 Ask for the Comment Line
Email: letters@msnbc.com
Subject Line: Let Dennis Debate

Howard Dean and the
Democratic National Committee
(202) 863-8000 Leave a message
http://www.democrats.org/contact.html

And these partners in the debate:

• Nevada Democratic Party
  (702) 737-8683
  http://www.nvdems.com/contact/
• US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
  1-800-USHCC86
  (202) 842-1212
  Email: ushcc@ushcc.com
• IMPACTO (a Las Vegas Latin Chamber committee)
  Leave message for Tony Sanchez or Brian Ayala
  (702) 385-7367
• 100 Black Men of America
  (404) 688-5100
  Email: info@100bmoa.org
• College of Southern Nevada
  http://www.csn.edu/contact/index.asp

You ought to do this even if you don't support Kucinich. Next time, it may be your candidate who's shut out.