PBS (Bill Moyers Journal): Ron Paul ; Dennis Kucinich

[CGowen]

January 4, 2008

Bill Moyers talks with Ron Paul

BILL MOYERS: In politics, it's usually the insurgent who carries the discontent of people who feel excluded from the mainstream. This campaign Ron Paul is the insurgent. Congressman Ron Paul from Texas placed fifth in Iowa with ten percent of the vote. But turn on your computer, and you'll find him at the top of the world's most watched video posting site.

STEVE: Congressman Paul. It's nice to meet you. My name's Steve. I'm from YouTube. The news and politics politics center over there. Yeah, welcome. You have quite the following over there.

RON PAUL: I've heard about that.

STEVE: I'm sure you have more subscribers than any other candidate on the platform.

BILL MOYERS: Some seven million viewers at last count had clicked on Ron Paul's You Tube offerings. More viewers then tuned into the first two Republican debates on cable television. Whatever happens now, this libertarian Republican has become a phenomenon in his own right taking on the powers that be in his party to argue against the war in Iraq among other contrarian positions. He stopped in our studio en route from Iowa to New Hampshire. Congressman Paul, Thanks for coming.

BILL MOYERS: You've got quite a following on the YouTube and on the Internet generally. What's your explanation for that and the difference between that and what happened in the primary?

RON PAUL: You know, every time I meet some of the young people who come, you know, and join the campaign, I ask them that question. The answer are generally very similar. And I've been very pleased and very surprised. A lot of them will just say, "Well, you're a strict Constitutionalist. We like your respect for the Constitution." That sort of thing, very encouraging. And others will say, "We like your respect for personal liberties, you know." And even monetary policy. I talk about monetary policy--

BILL MOYERS: Right.

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http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/01042008/watch2.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2r29HcH5nA

Bill Moyers talks with Congressman Dennis Kucinich

BILL MOYERS: Earlier in the broadcast you heard Kathleen Hall Jamieson say the country loses when contrarian voices are excluded from the political debate. Well, if you were watching the presidential debate in Iowa before Christmas, you would be forgiven for thinking that one of the most persistent and prophetic insurgent voices among the Democrats had dropped out of the race.

BILL MOYERS: Dennis Kucinich was nowhere to be found on that stage. This former mayor of Cleveland, six-term member of Congress, and progressive champion was excluded by the sponsor, the DES MOINES REGISTER. So viewers were denied the voice of Dennis Kucinich. But he's a man with a lot to say about democracy and the media and he's with us now. Congressman Kucinich, thank you for coming down from New Hampshire for this broadcast.

DENNIS KUCINICH: Good to be here. Thank you, Bill.

BILL MOYERS: You know, you barely registered in Iowa. You don't have much money. And big media had pushed you off the stage. Are you staying in the race?

DENNIS KUCINICH: I am. But I didn't really contest in Iowa, Bill. And, you know, four years ago I spent more time in Iowa than almost any other state in the country. And I felt that my time would be better spent laying the groundwork for later primaries and caucuses. So I didn't, you know, I can't say that we made much of an effort in Iowa, although we did-- do have supporters there. And I'm grateful for their support. But the main thing about Iowa, the most noteworthy thing is how the Democratic Party there is so tightly controlled that any contrary voices that would challenge the status quo are not only-- there's an intentional attempt to exclude. I mean, I was--

BILL MOYERS: Controlled by?

DENNIS KUCINICH: I think the health insurance industry has an enormous impact in Iowa, particularly in Des Moines. And I think that has an effect on the decisions that are made.

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http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/01042008/watch3.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woyL1eDFg88