Kucinich Fights Back

From Newsday (snippets):

Democratic presidential hopeful Dennis Kucinich is demanding that New Hampshire television stations stop broadcasting ads from rival Howard Dean, arguing that the spots distort the records of both candidates. Earlier this week, Dean began airing two 30-second spots in New Hampshire criticizing his opponents' record on the war in Iraq and prescription drug benefits. While highlighting his opposition to the war, the former Vermont governor says "the best my opponents can do is ask questions today that they should have asked before they supported the war." Dean does not name his rivals. Kucinich, the Ohio congressman and the only candidate who voted against the resolution authorizing the war, took exception to the spots. "I am proud of my record of opposition to the war on Iraq and the occupation of Iraq, and I will not stand by while a fellow Democrat distorts my record and his own," Kucinich said Friday. Later, at a news conference in Portsmouth, N.H., Kucinich said he would not let the issue drop "until those ads come off the air and he issues an apology to the people of New Hampshire, as well as to the candidates -- not just myself -- but all the candidates whom he has misrepresented." Kucinich's lawyer, Donald McTigue, sent a letter to New Hampshire television stations asking them to pull the ad and give Kucinich's campaign free air time to respond. The campaign said it also plans to petition the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communication Commission. ------ Democrat Dennis Kucinich won't be joining "Hardball" host Chris Matthews anytime soon. The Ohio congressman is refusing to participate in a candidate forum hosted by Harvard University and aired live on MSNBC's "Hardball," arguing that Matthews has tainted the show with a conservative and corporate agenda. Kucinich, who voted against the congressional resolution authorizing the Iraq war, also complained that Matthews wrongly said that only Howard Dean opposed the war. "He's biased in favor of corporate interests over the public's interest," Kucinich campaign spokesman David Swanson said Friday. Matthews "has made false statements about the campaign."