Good afternoon. I the first time at a forum. Very much at you it was
pleasant to me.

I was wondering why they weren't there. I am voting for Ron Paul, and am every bit as outraged at this as when Ron Paul was not invited to the Energy debate, coming up in Houston. You can tell who the truth-tellers are.

DON'T VOTE CFR!!

Four, united for truth, cause: fear, smear, and media blackout.

Until the Primaries ALL Americans deserve to hear from all of the candidates in order to make informed choices. I agree with the poster who states that the oldest candidate and the candidate who offers to take the profit out of healthcare weakened the debate and allowed those who want to increase the profit of health insurance companies (now, why would that be? Think for yourselves!) to continue this charade that we have to allow insurance to profit from our health or illness. I am very disappointed that many Senior Citizens still do not know about the Kucinich health care plan! I hope he will push this issue front and center in the time remaining and won't be excluded simply because he doesn't have as much money as the others. Do we want a "bought" President? One that owes tons of favors? NO!!!

I find it highly ironic that the oldest candidate can't show up at an AARP sponsored debate and that the man who is sponsoring a bill that would be most beneficial to the retired is also excluded. Gravel & Kucinich have diverse and different views from the rest of the Democrats. These views are needed to be heard. Putting them down and marginalizing them in the news, and shutting them out of the debates because they aren't getting the money to get their message out is a vicious circle! These 2 are not beholden to corporations. We should celebrating their inclusion as a democratic society in the political process, not penalizing them.

Once again, mainstream organizations which want mainstream solutions are selling us mainstream candidates. America, if you ever wonder why our so-called leaders are corrupted, bloated, unaccountable to the people they are supposed to be serving, and impervious to change, it's because your candidates for office are chosen for you by powerful interests who want to keep it that way.

The people running this debate are only hurting themselves. These two guys have a lot of good things to say and they should be heard. We need to mix it up with fresh ideas. Goodness knows we don't want the same old, same old. Those who are lowest in the polls have less to lose and are more likely to think outside the box and are also more likely to tell it like it is.

The facts are Dennis is for a not for profit health care system and that would eliminate the need for Health insurance. ARRP has a $4.4 billion vested interest in preserving a for profit health care system. Dennis is a Presidental Canidate who was not allowed to attend.

Dennis, too bad. Gravel, you sound like an evil uncle no one wants to be seated next to on Thanksgiving. Save it, you are a distraction and a grump.

Christian wrote, "However, there is a point at which we should face reality and accept that these candidates are not going to win. We should be seeing more from the frontrunners by themselves."

I agree, there should be a time the public should face reality and accept that these candidates are not going to win. That time should be the day the results of the primaries are made public, and never before.

Mr. Hightower, you're joking, right? As I recall, Bill Clinton had a wife who did a lot of talking for him too. Mrs. Edwards seems to only be taking a page from the Mrs. Clinton play book.

Well the keebler cookie elf is standing there smiling, so I don't think he's to unhappy about not being invited to Harkin's annual Steak Fry.

They probably won't get elected into office, but if they're running, they should at least be given a chance to let people know what they think is right for our country.

Edwards is a viable candidate and rising as a direct result of his and his wife's willingness to paint the "inevitable" Hillary as what she is– shrill, inexperienced, divisive, corrupt and unelectable in a general.

Look, it's nice to have Kucinich and Gravel during the debates because they represent diversity of opinion and they often act as comic relief.

However, there is a point at which we should face reality and accept that these candidates are not going to win. We should be seeing more from the frontrunners by themselves.

This sounds like a state can bribe a candidate to get any attention in their state. Hope these two win the primaries.

Seems like the previous poster has reading comprehension issues. The article is about Kucinich and Gravel, too far down in the polls in Iowa, to qualify. Time to separate the wheat from the chaff – no matter how much you like these guys.

As to the We Hate Edwards Squad, the Republican Nasties Idiot War Room is at it again. Just goes to show you how much they fear this guy Edwards, knowing, that from the polls, he is quite capable of beating a Republican in the general election.

Besides, Independents like me are already organized across the nation to pick the Democratic nominee – and it isn't Hillary.

Dear CNN

The comment above has nothing to do with the article, please remove it

I'm amazed at how dumb the democrates are. The two canidates that could possibly offer change are snubbed out. We're in a lot of trouble America, its time to wake up!

Since race issues are so dominant right now – WHAT would be the outcry if Kucinich and Gravel were black?

Denny, Mike, the reason you weren't invited is because you haven't gotten any support. You don't have any media coverage, among the mainstream media or elsewhere, you don't have any money. And your grassroots movement pales in comparision to Ron Paul. Drop out, and take Brownback, Tancredo, Keynes, and Hunter with you.

At first I thought John Edwards had possibilities but not any more. We do not need a president whose wife does the talking for him. If Mrs Edwards wants to help her husband then she should speak out in favor of his programs rather than critizing those who are also running. She sounds like a mother defending her son against all "those bullies."