This is an excerpt from the Tucker show on MSNBC following the Nov. 15th Democratic Debate.  I thought it was interesting and not something that I've heard brought up or examined before, though this effect should be more alarming in a democratic society.  Here's the direct link to the source.  Unfortunately I could not find any video clip of this.  Also you see Tucker mention Dennis "talks to UFOs" the rumor that got embellished from the joke I have a clip of on my page.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21883087/

Here to tell us, associate editor of "The Hill, A.B. Stoddard and "L.A. Times" columnist Rosa Brooks.  Welcome back.  Before we get to that, which I think is an interesting question.  I want to talk very quickly about Dennis Kucinich.  Now, people laugh at Dennis Kucinich, and they kind of gently mocked him last night.  People—he's short.  He's a vegan.  He talks to UFOs.  He's got a tall wife. 

On the other hand, almost everything he believes in is Democratic dogma.  He's against the war in Iraq.  He's against Yucca Mountain.  He's for universal health care.  He's against the Patriot Act.  He's kind of a trail blazer.  Why isn't he the Democratic nominee, apart from the fact—seriously? 

BROOKS:  Apart from the fact that he's short? 

CARLSON:  Yes.

BROOKS:  Good question.  He doesn't have the machine behind him.  He doesn't have Bill (Clinton) behind him.  He doesn't have the money behind him.  But I think clearly he's got a grass roots following.

CARLSON:  He's more a Democrat than Hillary Clinton.

BROOKS:  Part of it is people like us, not to be self loathing, Tucker.  But we sit around here.  We talk about polls.  They become self-fulfilling.  I don't want to put ourselves out of business, but I sometimes think we should just shut up about the polls, let these folks go out there, just talk and talk and talk as much as they want.  Then let the voters vote.  I think we would actually get somewhat different results.  We keep driving the process.  We're creating the inevitability. 

CARLSON:  I can see that.  Except then you have Howard Dean or Ron Paul or Mike Huckabee, who is not the media darling, at least at first, and then comes out of nowhere.  But Kucinich is—I think part of what you're saying is right.  But Kucinich is mocked by his own party.  Why is that? 

STODDARD:  I just think the country has moved to the center and the
Democrats want to win.  Dennis Kucinich is the Democrat party, just like
you said, pro union, anti-war.  Everything he went through last night—
it's not palatable any more for them in a general election.  He has to be -
he's at the end.  He's belittled.  He's not the centrist enough Democrat who can win and go all the way. 

CARLSON:  You're right.  But what bothers me is they claim to believe the things that Dennis Kucinich clearly really does believe. 

STODDARD:  They nuance those positions.

CARLSON:  Right.  But they claim—they ape his positions, and yet they mock him.  Shouldn't they give him their due?  Shouldn't they bow down before Dennis Kucinich and say, Dennis, you were there before we were. 

STODDARD:  I think he had a great night.  I thought he was articulate about—I actually think the moderators were giving him a lot of credit.  Do you feel vindicated now on these issues.  Yes, I do.  And he also had that great line about reading the Patriot Act. 

But I am impressed by Dennis Kucinich.  I've said it before.  I think that—I think if he had enough of a following, he would be ahead in the polls. 

CARLSON:  If he had enough of a following, it would be a different country.

BROOKS:  As with Ron Paul in the Republican race, he's playing a really important role of trying to keep the other guys honest.  He's forcing them to not be so full of BS and articulate their positions a little bit more clearly.