PoliTick-Tock

Kucinich support sparse, but solid

Carol Dale was protesting at The Palace Theatre that her candidate, Dennis Kucinich, was prevented from speaking at CNN's Democratic presidential debate.

"It's very disappointing a candidate is barred from speaking at a debate," said Dale, 52, from Wilmington, N.C. "It shows freedom of speech is something we have to fight for."

Dale said since both she and her husband are self-employed, they cannot afford health insurance. Kucinich, she thought, is the only candidate that can provide adequate universal health care.

Recently, she said, she had to borrow money so a dentist could tend to an extremely painful toothache.

"I lose sleep over the fact that I should get my heart checked, but I can't afford to do it," said Dale, a furniture artist. Her husband is a marketing consultant.

Dale said she was being driven back to Wilmington tonight, and that the person driving her may need to g while the debate is in progress. But that did not bother her.

"I don't think there is much reason to watch the debate," she said. "All the candidates have the same message."

CNN relays rules for Dem debate inclusion

It will take a small but swift uptick in the polls and a large push by Nevada voters to get anyone other than former Sen. John Edwards and Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama on stage in Myrtle Beach at the Democratic presidential primary debate Monday.

CNN, the network airing the debate, released its criteria for inclusion to The Sun News. The network will invite candidates who have:

• Come in the top three in Iowa, New Hampshire or Nevada
• Received 5 percent or more in two national polls taken between Jan. 1 and Jan. 18 by the following groups:
  
  CNN; U.S. News and World Report; New York Times; CBS; Gallup and USA Today/Gallup; NBC/Wall Street Journal; Fox/Opinion Dynamics; Washington Post/ABC; Time Magazine; Newsweek; LA Times/Bloomberg

By those criteria, it would be difficult for Rep. Dennis Kucinich - who has protested after he was left out of previous debates such as the one Tuesday night in Las Vegas - to make it in.

A CBS News poll showed Kucinich at 4 percent in January. American Research Group and NBC both had him averaging 4 percent in December. At the same time, other pollsters had him at an average of 1 percent or 2 percent for December.

The Nevada caucuses are Jan. 19, and Clinton, Edwards and Obama have rounded out the top of the first two contests.

In comparison, the S.C. Republican Party and Fox News said the candidates had to finish in the top five in New Hampshire OR receive 5 percent of a major national poll. The party did not, however, specify which polls those were or when the absolute cutoff time for those polls would be before the debate.

Kucinich in the middle of Nevada debate fight

The Associated Press reports:

NBC News said Monday it will appeal a judge's ruling rather than include Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich in a candidates' debate in Nevada.
...
Hours earlier, Senior Clark County District Court Judge Charles Thompson ruled that Kucinich, an Ohio congressman, must be allowed to participate. If he is excluded, Thompson said he would issue an injunction to stop the televised debate.

                                                 

Kucinich's lawyer had argued that MSNBC at first invited him to participate, then last week reversed course and told him he could not.

                                            

A lawyer for the network said MSNBC decided to go with the top three candidates after the Iowa and New Hampshire primaries.   

CNN has still not responded to repeated requests for comment from TSN on how the participants in Monday's debate will be selected, or when they will be invited.

Zeppelin campaign shows whole lotta love

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul might travel by plane, but some of his supporters opt for more unconventional means. Several of the candidate's supporters have been flying a 197-foot long blimp around the South with the message, ``Google Ron Paul'' written on the side.

The campaign issued an invitation to several other Democratic and Republican candidates to come out for a ride while the zeppelin is docked in Myrtle Beach for the debate.

Local caucus watches

The local branches of several presidential hopefuls will be watching the Iowa returns tonight-- some with baited breath, others with beer.

A few of the campaigns including those for Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee will host events at restaurants and bars. Others will be having smaller get togethers at the homes of local supporters on an invite-only basis.

"I think a lot of people will be watching to figure out who will move on and who will be dropping out," said Barbara Leonard, a local organizer for the John McCain campaign. "There are going to be some little home get togethers, but nothing formal."

The Presidential Debates: Frequently asked questions

Now that the dates for the two presidential debates have been nailed down – Jan. 10 for the Republicans, followed by the Democrats on Jan. 21 – you might be wondering how you can attend.

The answer is, you probably can’t, unless you have friends in the state Republican Party or the U.S. Congressional Black Caucus Institute. No tickets will be available for the public.

“Most debates are invitation only,” said Amie Lee, executive project coordinator with the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

Who issues the invitations?

 The two sponsoring entities, the state Republicans for the Republican debate and the Congressional Black Caucus for the Democrats, control the majority of the invitations, Lee said. Other groups attached to the debates, such as the networks (Fox News for the Republicans, CNN for the Democrats), will also be allocated tickets, Lee said.

Will the volunteers be able attend?

Not necessarily, Lee said.

“We need tons of volunteers to make this thing run smoothly, but unfortunately that does not promise a ticket into the debate,” Lee said.

Much of the volunteer work will take place prior to the debates or off site, such as stuffing welcome bags to working as volunteer concierges at area hotels, Lee said. Another big need will be helping place directional signs for visitors all over town, and picking them afterward, Lee said.

How can I volunteer?

Call local volunteer coordinating organization Step Up!, (843) 349-6488, or go to www.myrtlebeachpresidentialdebates.com. That site is a portal to detailed information on both debates, Lee said, and also has an online sign-up form for volunteers.

Who will moderate the debates?

The networks are still making the final decision, Lee said, but Fox’s Brit Hume has been discussed for the Republicans, and CNN’s Wolf Blitzer for the Democrats.

How will questions be selected?

The networks will select the questions, Lee said.

Who will provide security?

Security will come from all over, Lee said – the State Law Enforcement Division, the Secret Service, Capitol Hill Police, local agencies and private security firms.