(CNSNews.com) - The Kucinich for President Campaign is expressing "outrage" over rival candidates Hillary Clinton and John Edwards, who "were overheard collaborating on a strategy to eliminate other Democratic candidates from future debates and forums."

Top campaign officials for Ohio Congressman and Democratic presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich pointed to reports that Fox News Channel microphones picked up Clinton and Edwards discussing their desire to limit future joint appearances.

"We should try to have a more serious and a smaller group," Edwards said into Clinton's ear following a presidential forum Thursday in Detroit hosted by the NAACP.

Clinton agreed with Edwards, according to print reports and video footage of the exchange. "We've got to cut the number. ... They're not serious," she said.

Clinton also said she thought that representatives of her campaign and Edwards' had already tried to limit the debates, and "we've gotta get back to it," the Associated Press quoted her as saying.

The Kucinich campaign responded early Friday morning with a news release:

"Candidates, no matter how important or influential they perceive themselves to be, do not have and should not have the power to determine who is allowed to speak to the American public and who is not," the congressman said.

"Imperial candidates are as repugnant to the American people and to our Democracy as an imperial President."

The Kucinich campaign said it "will immediately take steps to address the planned actions of the Clinton and Edwards campaigns."

Eight Democrats are vying for the Democratic presidential nomination: They include Clinton, Edwards, Sens. Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Chris Dodd, Gov. Bill Richardson, Dennis Kucinich, and former Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska.

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