you guys been giveing obama the shaft in the debate on the news its been all good for hillary just started watching your news but its getting so bias

Thus far, my experience is that there has been much more media attention recently to your candidate.... and your candidatate has been flooding the local media with TV Ads!

I was dismayed that Dennis Kucinich was not allowed to participate in the Las Vegas debate.

There is a brewing disagreement in this country about what is meant by “freedom of the press”. Did our founders intend for us to interpret freedom of the press as the right of corporations to essentially own the press and then choose what the masses are allowed to say and hear? Or, did our founders mean for us to interpret freedom of the press as the right of individuals to express themselves freely through the vehicle of the press and to have access to uncensored information through the vehicle of the press?

I take the latter view, and I felt that his exclusion, on the basis of the “freedom of the press” rights of NBC, was slap in the face to those who believe in freedom of speech for the people. The press has not only censored him, but in the act of censoring him, they have also censored those who share all, or even some, of his concerns.

Dennis Kucinich is the only candidate that actually voted against the war. He is the only candidate who supports a single payer not-for-profit health care system. He is the only candidate calling for a withdrawal from NAFTA, a trade agreement that has left many ghost towns across America . How can there truly be a debate when those with dissenting views are not allowed to be present?

After he was excluded from their health care forum, I decided never to join AARP. I stopped watching ABC after the New Hampshire debate exclusion. Now, I have now stopped watching NBC. How can we trust any network that is capable of blatantly obvious bias to tell us the truth?

It’s easy for some candidates to complain about Bush’s ill-fated war and gain the support of the people when there is nobody there to remind them that they voted to give him the power to launch this venture. I have kids of drafting age. I also have a co-worker who has relatives that live in Iran . What am I supposed to do if they force my sons to go shoot at his relatives? Once, when I was watching the movie Spartacus, I thought about how horrible it must have been to be to be a slave and to be forced to kill. When our kids are drafted for wars we don't believe in, how is it any different than when Spartacus was forced to kill for his master's pleasure? The same thing is still going on after all these centuries. There are powerful people in this country that would force our sons to kill for the pleasure of those who are living lavishly from the profits of defense companies and oil companies. Every time I hear all this saber rattling, it brings me to tears. Some people want an empire and will try to manipulate politicians like puppets to get what they want. Most of us don’t want an empire; we just want a decent country to live in.

A few years ago, my husband almost died due to the conduct of an insurance company. He is only here because I fought hard for his life, but I endured much verbal abuse in the process. Every year, 18,000 people die because they don't have insurance (6 times more people than died as a consequence of the September 11th tragedy). The health insurance companies are holding the whole nation hostage, and none of the other candidates are willing to admit that this situation cannot be reversed as long as private health insurance remains as a for-profit industry.

If Dennis Kucinich is so incompetent, unqualified, and unintelligent, why doesn’t the media let him prove that by allowing him to participate in debates and by allowing him equal time? The exclusions have often been based on poll numbers, but how can a candidate gain support when he has had so little media exposure that many people don’t even know his name? It is quite clear what is happening. Every time he is allowed to speak, albeit briefly, people cheer and clap, so it has been decided that he must not be allowed to speak.

When a Kucinich supporter asked a Des Moines Register employee if he had an opinion about that debate exclusion, the reply was, "It is my job not to have an opinion." This is freedom of speech? This is freedom of the press? God help us. We are losing our country.

The people did not elect the executives of AARP, the Des Moines Register, ABC, or NBC. Why do they think they have the right to have this much control over the election process?

When a company that owns a defense company can also own a major media outlet and then choose who is and is not allowed to participate in a nationally televised presidential debate, it should raise all sorts of red flags concerning conflicts of interest.

Where is the FCC, while all this is going on? They want to relax rules concerning media consolidation -- as if things aren't bad enough already?

Since NBC would not reconsider their decision to ban Dennis Kucinch from the Las Vegas Presidential Debate, and since the Nevada Supreme Court sided with the view that freedom of the press protects the corporate owners rather than the people, I wish they would at least give us a sensible reason why corporate rights are more worthy of protection than the rights of individuals and families. Someday, if my sons come home in body bags, or if I am trying to care for a dying relative, in excruciating pain, that has been sent home from the hospital because he or she overstayed the insurance company time limit, I at least want to know why the one candidate that cared the most was excluded.

Candidates that want to use every means possible to avoid war and who genuinely care more about sick people than about insurance companies are always called "moonbeam" candidates. This is usually meant as an insult, but it could be taken as a compliment. They are like warming, piercing rays of light, reaching through the darkness, revealing secrets that some people don't want known and giving hope to others.

We are living in dark, frightening times, and some of us feel that they are taking away the only small ray of hope we have. We are like small, scurrying bugs, nonchalantly squashed under the steel toed boots of media giants.

It's not just about Dennis. It's about every candidate that really cares about us. Jerry Brown was also made fun of, even though he was the twice elected governor of the 6th largest economy in the world. Maybe, now that Dennis has been effectively silenced, we'll never get to hear another candidate that really cares about us.

The people who made this decision should hope that Mr. Kucinich's friend Shirley isn't right about reincarnation. What if they had to come back here, not as powerful judges or wealthy executives, but as one of us -- as one of the invisible people without a voice?

I tried to participate - found chaos reigning. No one knew how or where I belonged. No debate was really planned. NO registration control carried out. I and many others left without voting. without participating. WITHOUT being heard. I am as disgusted at this debacle as anything I ever witnessed. After voting in every election for the past 50 40 years I felt my vote was stolen from me and resentful. I am considering party change BECAUSE of the total disregard shown and determined to avoid ANY further participation in any caucus ever brought into the state of Nevada. I demand the primary process be returned so people can vote and feel represented.

I can sympathize with the above comment, although I don't agree totally. My husband are newcomers to Clark County although we've been voters in Nevada for over twenty years. I was glad we showed up early, because our precinct ran out of voter registration forms. The precinct chair confided in me that he had been telling the Demo headquarters for a week that the number of forms he'd been given were not enough, and his pleas for more had gone unanswered. My husband and I ended up jumping in to help them get folks registered....there weren't enough volunteers. They could also have used someone at the entrance to the high school with a map telling folks where their precinct was meeting...there was no central "check-in" place, only check-ins at each individual precincts (in different areas of the high school...but folks were wandering around looking for the place to go). Many folks ended up having to write out long written affidavits by hand to be eligible to participate because of the lack of voter reg forms...and several left before voting because it was too arduous of a task. The Democratic Party should have known there would be a lot of interest and had a LOT more voter reg. forms.

I'd like to know why the total percentage numbers don't match the county percentage numbers that each candidate received. Anyone can do the math...total Clinton's numbers and divide by the number of counties, she's at 41%. Here's the site with the totals...
http://www.nvdems08.com/

I to showed up a little early but no seemed to know what they were doing. When I asked simple questions because I always voted in a Primary format before no could give me any answers I became so frustrated I also left without being able to vote. Way to go Nevada.

There was a HUGE amount of non-english pseaking "voters" there on the floor, and I'm just wondering what happened to the read and speak English portion of the U.S. Citizenship test?
I'm guessing that the Democratic Party, is right now ripe for a RICO arrest, and lawsuit.
Conspiracy, and aiding and abetting Illegal Immigrants.
If you just let them participate in a national election activity, you have violated federal law. Lots of them.
Now just who was checking I.D.'s at the door, or just matching signatures, as the Repulicans did?

First of all to Ashley above: You are a rude ignorant a'hole and I am shocked at your lack of knowledge. I have paid higher taxes and prices for everything under Duh BA Yu than under any other president, especially Mr.Clinton. Ashley, when you call people names, look in the mirror if you can.

Re. The caucus: My aprtner and I wasted a lot of time preparing and training for temp. chairmanships. We felt left out by the debate and activities organizers while they continued to seek our support. My partner finally withdrew from temp. chairmanship and ultimately refused to participate at all. I, however, was implored to attend and possibly serve as temp chair only to arrive early at the caucus site and find total confusion and chaos reigning. My potential temporary chairmanship had been co-opted by somone large, in charrge and clearly planted by Obamanistas. I did assist in registering new voters and party changers to give the Dems a better showing. Once I was through with that I hid my calculator and stayed far at the back of the crowd so I would not have to do anything more to perpetuate this cluster screw up called a caucus. I know several people left without partidcipating because they did not have the time to stay till the end. I filled out a survey telling the party not to call me and that I would never participate in another caucus. GIVE US A PRIMARY AND GET OUR VOTES!!!! I, like so many above, am disgusted with the caucus process but am too dedicated a Democrat (I lived in REpublican corrupted OH!)to change parties, but my treatment by the Dems through the lead up to and non-event of the caucus pushed me to the edge of considering changing. If there are law suits and legal actions as a result of the caucus, they are well deserved and should come out of Harry Reid's pocket!

I knew that when I went to the training session that the caucus was going to be a joke. Make it a primary so my vote ACTUALLY counts! The Democratic Party just wanted to control the election. You know Big Reid and Little Reid. What a bunch of losers.

time here: 6:15pm. MSNBC just said that Obama WON the caucus because he won the MOST DELEGATES! Yeah!!!

Thought I'd enjoy and learn something at the caucus today. All I saw was a disorganized gathering of incompetent people. Did any of the people "in charge" have any training for this? From what I heard of the Republican caucuses, they had their act together! If the Dems continue like this, people will wish for the primaries again, or re-register as Republicans!

I attended my caucus and, yes, it was busy, but everyone was counted and all the results were fair. As far as the Republicans having a more organized caucus - I'm sure their numbers were much less! Romney was the only Republican who had a chance here! Those who are complaning about the caucus process, sorry there was some confusion! At least there weren't any people trying to kill you on your way to the polls like in some other countries. I'd take a little confusion over that any day!!

I was the Precinct Chair for a fairly large precinct: 10 delegates. We had 454 registered Democatic voters in the precinct. Of those, 81 showed up. Another 72 voters came who said they were Democats but, for some reason, were not on the roster. Another 40 or 50 people registered for the first time as Democrats! (I counted the actual number and turned in the new registrations; hopefully, most of them will be genuine and will vote in the General Election.) Many of the latter two groups, I suspect, were in the wrong precinct--based on their address--but no matter I didn't turn them away. They didn't have to prove where they lived and we didn't require anyone to identify him or her self by use of an ID. The caucus locations were a bit of mess. It turns out that something like seven of them were at our site, Chaparral H.S., at least three in the cafeteria and a couple more in the gym and still more in the library. There was no map or party official telling people where the caucus sites were, within the school, once they arrived at Chaparral. As it got close to the deadline (11:30 first and then "no shit" 12:00), it was near chaotic (we were right in the same area with another precinct), so rather than turn people away we let them stay and caucus with us. At Noon we determined "viability" (first by a hand count and then officially by adding up the collected "ballots" (preference cards) for each of the two viable candidates. After all was said and done, Clinton 6 and Obama 4

Observations:

1. An amazing turnout from what was expected. I was figuring 10-20% of registered voters plus some add ons--registered Dems not on my roster because they had moved, whatever, and some newly registered Dems.

2. This was pure democrary in action. People had to stand up and be counted. The people who showed up were energized and committed. One can only hope they will do so again in November.

3. This is a pretty good cross section of Clark County voters: young, old, ethnically and economically diverse, and pretty much split between Democrats and Republicans. The older voters tendered to favor Clinton; the younger and mostly African-American and Latino voters favored Obama. The Clinton people did a better job of getting their voters out and were better organized. Edwards and Kucinich people made up only a fraction of the total (8% to be precise). The fact that the Clinton/Obama vote broke pretty much 2/1 for this precinct (as opposed to 55/45 for the rest of the state) I attribute to a higher proportion of senior citizens in this part of town who supported Clinton more so than Obama. (Obama was lucky to get his four votes out of ten; it almost went 7/3.)

4. For future reference, have a party official at each location that has multiple precincts --as we had at the high schools--clearly identified so he/she can direct people to their proper location: cafeteria, gym, library, classroom jos__, whatever.

As it was, many people didn't know where they were supposed to go and many who arrived too late to be directed to where they should have been, likely "voted" in the wrong precinct. I made the decision to allow this to happen because I would rather have a person vote in the wrong precinct than go away pissed off. That might be one Democrat who wouldn't bother to show up in November, or, worse yet, would vote GOP on 11/4/2008.

5. Provide portable sound systems/magaphones, whatever, for the Temporary Chair or make sure there is a sound system/microphone available on site. It was difficult to be heard and there weren't enough chairs for people to sit where I could be heard.

6. Yes, we ran out of preference card. No big deal. A folded-over 8x11 inch piece of paper works just as well (I used the caucus survey forms.) Luckily, we did not run out of the official registrations forms. Yes, we did, but I was able to scrounge some from the precinct next to me in the same area.

Were there problems? Sure, but luckily for us, we worked around them. I can only speak for what happened in the cafeteria at Chaparral H.S., but from what I saw it was it wasn't the disaster some of you are describing. It was almost fun, almost. And most people in our precinct seemed OK with things.

I was really looking forward to the caucus, but must say I came away frustrated and disappointed. Our school was very disorganized and it was ridiculous trying to find your precinct. Maps that showed ALL the precincts would have been a huge help.

At all the tables I heard the same comments about friends and family not being able to participate because they had to work. And what happened to our Jewish friends? They could not be present. Another comment heard was that we were supposed to be there to discuss the candidates and the issues for the Democratic platform, but that was not done. After losing viability, John Edwards group was left to decide on their own what group to join without any discussion. It would have been good to hear from all groups about their chosen candidates. I understood after reading about the process that that is what it was all about.

It was a surprising turnout for the caucus, but the numbers would have been MUCH larger with a primary. Also, some of the rooms did not vote for delegates, but were asked on the way out of the room if anyone wanted to sign up. We ran out of preference cards, but were told it was okay to go ahead without them. Our chairman didn't even tell us to mark them for our chosen candidate and didn't ask to collect them until I mentioned it to him after several people were filing out. I know these are volunteers, but the training was obviously lacking. And if you read Phil's comments above, you can tell that each chair used their own judgement about what was right and what was wrong. Our chair did not let anyone participate who wasn't on the list. Who knows what was legal in this process and what was not? I totally disagree with the Democrat's policy of not using an I.D. also. It's shameful to think that anyone could caucus without scrutiny. Even a Republican who participated earlier could come back and declare for the Democratic party.

Then to find out that once again, as with electoral votes, our voices were diminished by the process just added insult to injury. What good was it to say that Clinton received 51% of the vote in the state if she only received 12 delegates compared to Obama's 13? PLEASE bring back the primary and make this process fair to all.

Democracy in action? Yes, but quite a disorganized display.
P-R-I-M-A-R-Y, please!!

I was so excited to participate. I left the house early.
After a short period of time, I was frustrated and thought about just walking back home.

Not enough caucus cards, no one could tell me where to go to find my precint (even though I found out later there was a table set up just for that purpose), a not so bright person signing people in for my precint. At noon, the precint in the same room was done and we still had a ton of people to sign in. She didn't realize that she needed to put a sticker on our cards...they had to recirculate to find those of us that didn't get a sticker. A big arguement broke out because the Obama materials stated the doors locked at noon. Hillary's info said 11:30. People started leaving early.

Not sure I would ever be willing to do this again.

I agree with Diane, but unless the voters/Legislature will sign off on it, it won't happen. A caucus is paid for by the parties, Dems and GOP. And since the parties, Dems at least, rely almost totally on volunteers you get what you pay for. A primary would have avoided most of the problems, surely. People paid to do a job and clear-cut rules on voting. We wouldn't have seen all those illegal voters, people voting "out of precinct." I guess we'll never know how many people would have shown up if it had been a primary, but I suspect even more voters. Let's just hope we can smooth things over between now and November and get those disgruntled folks back in the in the voting booths on 11/4/2008.

I also hope someone from party HQ is reading these comments and takes heed of them. It's shameful to me that someone from HQ here in Clark County (I don't know how it went outside of this local Las Vegas area), didn't anticipate the problem of people showing up at the various high schools and not knowing where they were supposed to go. Party officials should have had the sites fully prepared beforehand. I saw the problem coming three days ago when I found out that over 40 Republicans precincts were scheduled to caucus two hours before our gathering, but when I tried to point that out to party officials I was ignored. I suspect it was a "cost-cutting measure" on the part of both parties to use the high schools in this overlapping fashion. Shame on them. And the Democrats got the short end of the stick because the Republicans got to go first.

I was at the caucus for las vegas district #6069. It was the most unorganized cluster &%$* I have ever seen. No one new what was going on. You couldn't hear the people talking that were giving directions, and i don't beleave the final numbers they came out with. I counted the people that were there, there was 39 setting in the Obama section, 67 setting in the Clinton section. they said the final count was 89 to 32 Clinton. I DON'T THINK SO

The Democratic I have always know was racist towards blacks and this race is a clear sign that blacks would finally see the truth of the party. In doing so hand back the Presidency to the Republicans, Obama is the only candidate who can bring the independant, republican, democratic and blacks vote on election night. you al have to let loose of the clintos and their self serving ways and realised that the are tearing the party apart for no other good butthier own. since when a person becomes bigger thana party. they are racist i want them out of new york

Off late Mr. Clinton sounds more like the candidate than Ms Clintons. Its unfortunitate that ms. clinton thinks that being married to a president automatically gives her the experience he have garther for 35 years. Not you ms clinton, don't fool yourself because you are not fooling anyone least of all blacks. you believe you a proxy to the nomination because you are the president wife. wrong you are not liked, and no amount of crying from now till next year will give you the nomination. suck it up and give up

They are the white trash of america, desperate and hungry for the presidency to air their dirty laundary again, monica, paula, jennifer impeacment. more of bill less or hillery, the white house for sale to intersted groups and uppered blacks like bobby johnson and charles rangle house slaves that go out to trash black for white for nothing in return but a comforatable place to sleep. sell out, but then again through out time they have tried to set us back and we have prevail. no diffrent here Obama will prevail

I was the Tempp Chair then elected Permenent Chair of Precinct 1468. I had 3 other Precincts in the same GYM. The noise was very bad. People got in the doors of the Gym before we were ready and all hell broke lose. We were late starting because the Republicans were in there and wouldn't let us get started until after 10:30 AM. People were looking for some direction, but I only had information on my precinct and the other Temporary Chairs were at a loss for who went where. The night before, I had a meeting at my home with the other Temp. Chairs to figure out a way to keep our precincts apart in a gym. We did a fairly good job, BUT we knew each other and worked out a way of sending people to the proper precincts. If we would have had someone with a COMPUTER that could look up people's addresses and precincts it would have been MUCH smoother. That was the worst part of the caucus. NO ONE knew what precinct they lived in. That was THEIR problem, not the Temporary Chairs nor the NSDP. I was sent several notices, cards and ads telling me WHERE my CAUCUS place was and what time to be there. If the REPBULICANS would have been OUT of the School ON TIME, it would have been better. Yes, people did leave in a huff, mad at the Democratic Party and at me. I only did what I was trained to do. The training was good and I felt prepaired. I went to TWO trainings in fact. I had an assistant that went to a training also. 3 volunteers from the Clinton campaign and one each from Edwards and Obama. I had 118 people, 7 delegates to choose. 4 went to Hillary, 3 Obama and 0 Edwards. Selection of delegates was not very good. Everyone went home after the count of the votes. I am TOTALLY Pissed that even after we had a majority of the people vote for Senator Clinton, SHE GOT LESS DELEGATES. What the HELL is going on? Didn't we learn after GORE? Popular VOTE is the ONLY VOTE. I VOTE TO GO BACK TO A PRIMARY. I felt Raped and if YOU don't like the fact Clinton WON, too bad. Obama finished SECOND. We will see who gets the delegates at the convention............You think the caucus was crazy? You ain't seen nothin' yet.

I was the Chair for a precinct in Mesquite, which is part of Clark County. I thought that the process went pretty well considering it was the first time. I do think the party could have done more to educate people and to ask for volunteers to help, through the news stations or something. I didn't learn that I could even help at the caucus until about 2 weeks prior to the date because I happened to be surfing. I feel like everyone that attended in my precinct, 59 out of 300 (wish it had been more)were very understanding once I explained that it was a new process, many offered to help and were very complimentary, even though I know it was a bit unorganized. I thought it was absolutely one of the most excilerating experiences of my life, and I will always participate whether it is caucus or primary.

Could someone please explain to me how Obama's 4773 delegates and Clinton's 5355 delegates translates to more delegates for Obama? Is a delegate from White Pine county worth more than one from Clark? How much more?
I was Chairperson for Precinct 5314. We had a great caucus. My secretary and I will do an even better job next time, now that we know what to expect.

I was Chairman of my precinct, and would like to report that we had a great caucus experience, and I would be happy to do it again. I commend all who worked so hard to get people trained and organizing the caucus. What a job! It was easy to follow the directions, and the materials were put together well. I was a bit concerned that I would run out of voter registration forms( what an "exciting" problem..huh?...too many people wanting to participate!???)....turns out I had ONE Spanish form left when we convened. Whew! I had one complaint ..from a man who had gone to a site, found he wasn't on the registered voter roster, re-registered, and then was sent to my precinct site. He was not on my list,and refused to fill out another registration form....left angrily,despite my telling him that we would be happy to have him stay. I think some of the confusion came from voters who were accustomed to going to certain polling sites,which were different locations from caucus sites. I received notices almost daily in the mail notifying me of my caucus site,so communication was not the problem as much as comprehension/ recall of that information. Also, I think that people did not understand the idea of "caucus" vs "election"...many thought that they would just vote and leave. Again,this was not due t lack of prior notification or education prior.
We have to expect glitches for the first time.... Mastery comes with experience.

I participated in the Minnesota caucus for the first time on Super Tuesday. I was stunned by the number of people running around chanting "Obama" It was clear to me the Obama campaign was running the whole show and to hell with everyone else. Any candidate that thinks winning a caucus is a huge win is deluding him/herself. The fact that most of the state is left out of the voting because of the limited times available to participate is an outrage. Most of the people I observed at my caucus looked to be leaning more towards the educated, professionals. How does this translate into a "landslide" win? Lets see, the caucus is held between 6:30-8:00, most people don't even get to vote and the winner is usually the person whose campaign is running the caucus-right, very fair system.