OPEN DEBATES CONDEMNS EXCLUSION OF KUCINICH FROM LAS VEGAS PRIMARY DEBATE

Open Debates
Press Release

January 16, 2008

Contact: George Farah (617) 828-8296

Open Debates vigorously condemns NBC’s decision to exclude Congressman Dennis Kucinich from the January 15 presidential debate in Las Vegas.

Kucinich actually met NBC’s candidate selection criteria, which required candidates to have finished in at least fourth place in either the New Hampshire primary, Iowa caucuses, or one of six major national polls.  And on January 9, Kucinich received a formal invitation to participate in the debate held four days before the Nevada caucuses.

But two days later, NBC suddenly changed the criteria, deciding to invite those candidates that finished at least third in either Iowa or New Hampshire, and astonishingly, Kucinich was disinvited to the debates.  

"It is outrageous that a debate sponsor would arbitrarily change its criteria to justify the exclusion of a candidate it unilaterally deems unworthy,” said George Farah, Open Debates Executive Director.  “Presidential debates, particularly primary debates, are supposed to provide voters with an opportunity to evaluate the contenders for the presidency – not provide debate sponsors with an opportunity to delegitimize candidates before a single vote has been cast.”