Kucinich is being openly hostile to Hartmann

[MalloyLiberal]

On air now.

[MalloyLiberal]

1. The tone that you're setting is inappropriate, man you're nasty Kucinich

It's HARTMANN's show you little *%#*!

[xultar]

5. Kucinich has been off his game lately. Perhaps the stress of the race is getting to him.

[LakeSamish706]

9. How about the stress of loosing his brother? n/t

[sandyd921]

13. Maybe that's it

Thanks for reminding me. Makes sense.

[Kucinich4America]

21. I'm afraid that's the answer.

I don't think Dennis is going to stay in the race and fight this time, and under the circumstances, I can't blame him :(

[xultar]

24. I didn't know he lost his brother. That has got to be hard. People are not themselves

after the death of a loved one.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

Perry Kucinich was found dead in his home

just before Christmas. This younger brother of Dennis was an artist but also was mentally ill. I think Dennis tried to always help him because of Perry's troubles. So yes, this was a big blow to him. I don't think the cause of death was ever announced-all we know is that the police don't think it was murder.

[MalloyLiberal]

25. Bull..he's been nasty this whole campaign

[Kucinich4America]

31. Nasty?

Yeah, sure he's nasty, Miss Jackson. :eyes:

[MalloyLiberal]

39. Viciously attacking Democrats in past debates..not one positive thing

[fascisthunter]

49. Ahhh..... I Knew You Had an Agenda here

So who are you voting for?

[Adelante]

56. Take that mirror away from your face

You might actually see something.

[LakeSamish706]

47. I have no idea who you have been watching but that's just Bullshit....

He has not been nasty at all.... Is he stressed now, you bet your ass he is... I would be as well, with campaigning and loosing a brother that I was very close to....

[Mark Twain Girl]

Oh hey, that's a good point.. nt

[patrice]

55. No one is ever lost. nt

[rodeodance]

6. Thom just said he was sorry.

[MalloyLiberal]

20. Yeah, if he wanted theinterview to continue...Kucinich was just nasty

Hartmann asked very simple questions and Kucinich was testy

[Kucinich4America]

28. Hartmann accused him of "ranting" when he clearly was not doing such a thing.

I respect the hell out of Thom, but he was out of line to call that "ranting".

[MalloyLiberal]

44. He was talking in the terms of himself, and Kucinich was testy and mean before that exchange

Didn't want to answer anything - just wanted to get his points across.

Being rude to one of the most progressive thinkers and talk show hosts.. not nice.

[sandyd921]

52. Sorry, but there was no negative connotation to what Thom said.

Actually, I wondered whether Kucinich had a poor phone connection and couldn't hear well. It sort of sounded that way. By the way Thom said he has made contributions to Kucinich's campaign (yes, he has also contributed to Edwards).

[xultar]

2. What do you think the deal is.

[rodeodance]

3. I am listening. DK--upset over 527's (those doing so for edwards)

[rodeodance]

7. But recall that Edwards has de-nounced these 527s!! (which DK did not mention as

far as I can tell).

[peoli]

27. Ha! Edwards LOVES the 527's! He is full of shit.

[rodeodance]

32. Edwards has denounced 527's Publicly several times.

[cali]

42. Bridge. Brooklyn. Rock bottom price. n/t

[TheDebbieDee]

48. All the candidates have to denounce 527s or at least claim

that they have no control over the 527s or they'll be accused of receiving help from them.....

[Radical Activist]

57. Dennis hates hypocricy.

Its one reason he disliked Dean. I can understand why he would back a consistent progressive like Obama over someone who has shifted so much like Edwards.

[SharonRB]

4. I agree

I think he misinterpreted what Thom said and really got defensive about it.

[rodeodance]

11. and Thom was a gentleman about it all.

[NOVA_Dem]

15. Yeah, right after DK checked his ass.

Hartmann accused DK of "ranting" and was very dismissive of DK views on the apparent coordination going on w/ the 527 helping Edwards.

[rodeodance]

18. sometimes we all need a little reminder.

[sandyd921]

8. He's sounding like a real jerk

I always had respect for him, but now...

[NOVA_Dem]

10. Hartmann seemed to be rude and condescending IMO. n/t

[Windy]

12. Hartman is an Edwards supporter. He let his bias show. He did apologize though... n/t

[rodeodance]

14. Thom has his answer--as to why DK threw his support to Obama vs Edwards. why was

thom scratching his head. its right there as I listen!!

[rodeodance]

16. BUT DK--'forgets" this!!

Forum Name General Discussion: Politics
Topic subject Obama, Cozy with Corporate Lobbyists, Risks Much with Edwards Attack
Topic URL http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x3927315#3927315
3927315, Obama, Cozy with Corporate Lobbyists, Risks Much with Edwards Attack
Posted by DaLittle Kitty on Wed Jan-02-08 11:36 AM

Thought this was very poignant...:nuke:


Obama, Cozy with Corporate Lobbyists, Risks Much with Edwards Attack
By Christine Escobar, HuffingtonPost.com
Posted on December 31, 2007, Printed on January 2, 2008
http://www.alternet.org/story/72079 /

While John Edwards announced this weekend that he will ban corporate lobbyists and foreign government lobbyists from his White House, Barack Obama has stepped up criticism of Edwards on everything from his populist views to Iowa ads about Edwards by an independent organization backed by union members.

With these latest remarks, however, Obama is wading into treacherous territory if he thinks no one will notice his close ties to big business lobbyists and their money, all while he attempts to play connect-the-dots on Edwards.

Obama has been relying on the advice and support of Washington lobbyists since early in his 2008 predential campaign. In an article from March of this year on The Hill, Alexander Bolton detailed Obama's K Street connections:

"Former Sen. Tom Daschle (D-S.D.), a consultant for Alston & Bird; Broderick Johnson, president of Bryan Cave Strategies LLC; Mark Keam, the lead Democratic lobbyist at Verizon; Jimmy Williams, vice president of government affairs for the Wine & Spirits Wholesalers of America; Thomas Walls, vice president of federal public affairs at McGuireWoods Consulting; and Francis Grab, senior manager at Washington Council Ernst & Young."

These lobbyist ties surfaced again before the holidays, when The Hill published this story on December 20 that exposed two federal lobbyists currently on Obama's campaign payroll, one of whom appears to have received payment while she was working as a lobbyist.

"Teal Baker, who received her first payment from Obama's campaign on June 13, represented 18 corporations between Jan. 1 and June 30 of this year while working as a lobbyist for Podesta Group, a K Street powerhouse. Clients paid Podesta Group over $2 million during those six months for Baker and her colleagues to represent them, according to documents filed with the Senate Office of Public Records.

Clients such as Oshkosh Truck and Pinkerton Consulting paid more than $700,000 for Emmett Beliveau and his colleagues at Patton Boggs to represent them during the first half of 2007. Beliveau received a $3,050 payment from Obama's campaign for advance work on Feb. 21, a campaign finance report shows.

In addition, the article states, "Brandon Hurlbut, Obama's liaison to veterans, union members and senior citizens in New Hampshire, represented clients such as the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies and the Allegheny County Housing Authority from January to June, according to public records. Six clients paid B&D Consulting $380,000 for Hurlbut to lobby their causes.

Until recently, Hurlbut had a voice mail greeting at B&D Consulting informing callers that he was on "a temporary leave of absence" to work for Obama's campaign."

On its website, Patton Boggs, (the firm that employed Beliveau), proudly boasts of being "consistently ranked as the nation's number one lobbying firm by the National Journal."

The Podesta Group, (the firm that employed Teal Baker), is run by Tony Podesta, a Chicago native. Podesta was listed third in Washingtonian magazine's list of the city's top lobbyists. The Washingtonian article from June says Podesta was hired by British Petroleum, whose pipeline problems and refinery fires have created regulatory and public-relations issues. Podesta had been "guiding BP through congressional hearings."

The author of the article, Kim Eisler, writes, "Podesta and his team of 23 lobbyists are said to collect $12 million to $15 million in annual billings."

A chart on current and former lobbyists who've worked for presidential campaigns for the 2008 election is published on The Hill's website. Wondering who's on Edwards' payroll? The chart names two men: Adam Jentleson and Matthew Morrison.

Jentleson "lobbied on behalf of the Center for American Progress, a liberal think tank," and Morrison, "was registered as a lobbyist for the American Federation of Teachers," (a trade union). Trade union and liberal think tank, quite the distinction from Obama's political movers, isn't it?

According to Colleen Murray, a spokeswoman for Edwards, both aides have ceased lobbying.

As Paul Krugman recently confirmed in his column for the New York Times, Obama is attempting to compare labor unions and progressive interests with groups that advocate for corporations as he criticizes Edwards, those recent Iowa ads and tries to link Edwards to Washington lobbyists.

But by doing just this, Obama glaringly leaves the door wide open on his own involvement with big business lobbyists and more importantly his denial of what's at stake in this era of rampant corporate greed.

Christine S. Escobar is a Chicago based writer whose work has appeared online and in print at Life Without School and Organic Family Magazine.


Go John Edwards! :woohoo:

[LosinIt]

22. OK, for those of us not listening, can you share with us why?

I was surprised to hear that. Thought that Edwards was a much better match politically and philosophically. Is there bad blood?

[rodeodance]

29. dk was very upset with 527's group giving ads to Edwards--that was the beginning--and then

Thom asked about labor unions contributing--a few times he asked but I do not think dk gave a good answer and thom as pushing him.
that is my take on the beginning.

[MethuenProgressive]

17. Doesn't matter - this might be Kucinich's last TV spot ever.

His support was small, but devoted. And he's sold them out.

[rodeodance]

23. Thom said this interview was RE-corded Mon am--before dk gave obama his votes.

[bunny planet]

19. Just heard it, Thom is a real labor union man, and he was talking about his

own rant on the subject as related to the 527 conversation. Kucinich jumped all over the word rant and thought Thom was saying what he said was one. Dennis definitely got hot under the collar and misinterpreted Thom's statement. However, Thom did bring his own brand of passion to the discussion as he likes Edwards and felt that labor unions were being unfairly maligned.

Dennis is great, but he's a bit too earnest for his own good sometime.

Seems like the interview ended on a better note, but I bet Thom will talk about the tension after the break.

[Cuauhtla]

26. Though I agree...

...with many of Kucinich's policy recommendations, this reinforces my view that the man himself is just too flaky.

[NOVA_Dem]

33. When Tom said "rant" he talking about Kucinich's statement and it..

was meant as a put down.

[MalloyLiberal]

35. NO..he was talking about HIMSELF..geezus

[bunny planet]

40. I disagree. Thom always uses the word rant after he's gone off on a topic

he's passionate about, That's how he meant it in this instance. The part where I think he got froggy with Dennis was when he asked him if he was accusing another candidate (Edwards) with a crime? That seemed to be the part where the tension began. He may have also included Dennis as a ranter however, but Thom always uses that word, usually not with the negative connotation that others attribute to that word.

[rodeodance]

41. at the end Thom said he does not use the term in a negitive fashion--and dk did not

know that.

[NOVA_Dem]

51. That may be but I'm not a regular listener. When tuned in it seemed

like Hartmann's interview style towards DK was like Hannity-lite. When he used that word "rant" it was after DK finished answering his question and to someone not familiar with the show it definitely sounded like a put down. Given the confrontational tone of the interview prior to Thom's use of the word rant I don't see how DK could not have been offended.

[Adelante]

30. Campaign finance reform and election reform

These things mean something to some people. The 527 ads are ILLEGAL. They are not issue ads; they are campaign ads. The groups will be fined down the road, but so what? It's only the law.

[rodeodance]

34. caller saying good interview--thom saying he uses the rant word too often and it upset dk.

[MalloyLiberal]

37. DK was irked BEFORE he said rant..he just wanted to be hostile

[rodeodance]

45. dk was not hostile--he was passionate about what he was saying and thought Thom

was being dismissive. then the word rant was used by thom and the interview broke down.
its been a long campaign for dk. i will give him some leeway.

[NOVA_Dem]

53. I agree. That seems to be what happened.

[rodeodance]

36. Caller saying he does NOT understand dk giving votes to Corportist like Obama and Thom

said that he is still stratching his head over this move also.

[fasttense]

38. Yeah I heard.

I'm not sure if Thom was wrong for using the word rant but Kucinich made few friends by beating up on Thom. Doesn't Kucinich know Air America is on his side and Thom's show attracts Thom's fans? Being abrupt and rude about the word Thom used made Kucinich few friends.

Oh well, Thom apologized and was very careful about the words he used after that.

[MalloyLiberal]

43. Kucinich was mean and avoiding answering questions BEFORE the word rant was used

[cyclezealot]

46. Helderheid posted 16 minutes ago, Hartman is interviewing

Kucinich. The media player version from that link did not let us hear the Kucinich /Hartman hostile exchange. Why? All I heard is that Hartman apologized. Wish I could have heard it. Hartman says Kucinich took it as a personal attack.

[Bitwit1234]

50. Probably the type of person he has been all along.

[redqueen]

54. A rich bitch?

:rofl: