Yesterday we learned that ABC News and its New Hampshire affiliate, WMUR-TV — once referred to as WGOP — have on their own decided that some party-endorsed candidates will not be able to participate in the next New Hampshire primary debate.
I believe that this is a serious breach of the tradition in New Hampshire of giving all candidates a level playing field — and that means giving all party-sanctioned candidates the opportunity to participate in primary debates.
The nature of this decision is troubling at another level: who runs our political process? The voters and their political parties? Or the mass media, specifically television stations and networks?
I call upon all voters to protest this decision by calling the WMUR-TV newsroom at 1-800-257-5151. Perhaps this time it is not your candidate who is getting booted off the stage — but what about the next time?
More importantly, I am asking the front-runners in the New Hampshire Democratic primary – Hillary, Obama, Edwards – to show their support for fundamental fairness in the primary process by refusing to participate in the debate unless ABC News and WMUR-TV allow ALL CANDIDATES to debate.
I am also asking Ray Buckley, chair of the New Hampshire Democratic Party to forcefully, unequivocally demand that ABC News and WMUR back off from their decision. Furthermore, Buckley should be actively involved in getting the three major front-runners to agree not to debate in New Hampshire until this media bullying has been stopped.
New Hampshire’s Republicans already have taken a stand against FOX News which threatened to limit participation by GOP candidates.
Let’s see who the real American heroes are in this field of Democrats.
15 responses so far ↓
Froward69 // January 1, 2008 at 1:51 pm
What??? so limiting the debate to the weakest persons against the GOP in the GE is not Doing anyone a favor. Except the GOP. Simple fairness is what America is about. Lack of money shouldn’t Disqualify anyone from a fair trial or from presidential Debate. Shameful.
Rake Morgan // January 1, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Tell your friends to call WMUR-TV to protest: 1-800-257-5151.
SoonerThought // January 1, 2008 at 2:25 pm
In Oklahoma, we call this “horseshit.”
Lynne // January 1, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Yeah, this is pure BS. They should have at least waited until after Iowa to find out what happenens there. I guess this is an attempt to make the top 3 seem more relevant…BS
Rake Morgan // January 1, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Or give Charlie Gibson more face time. Please, call WMUR TV and let them know how you feel. 1-800-257-5151
kad7777 // January 1, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Who do they think they are???!!! Dictating to us who THEY think should be heard!! OUTRAGEOUS!! What kind of a Democracy are we living in?? I’ll be complaing every day, and I’ll let my masses know to call the station and complain. I heard they were doing this to the republicans also. What a load of garbage.
SHAME ON YOU!!
EuroTrash60 // January 1, 2008 at 3:57 pm
Joke will be on them when Biden becomes a top-tier candidate after Iowa. Watch, all of a sudden he’ll be back on the schedule.
Rake Morgan // January 1, 2008 at 4:46 pm
With all due respect, I think you are missing the point. It is not which candidates should be left out, it’s that none of them should be excluded because of some arbitrary criteria set by ABC News. This primary belongs to the voters and the parties — not the media!
Even if your guy gets in, what about next time? Do you think ABC should have that much power? Do you think their decision is fair to all the voters and the candiates?
EuroTrash60 // January 1, 2008 at 4:57 pm
No you missed my point. Face it, the media already controls our every move. We’ve been told for almost a year already who the “front-runners” are in this election cycle. I am sick of this garbage.
I already wrote to WMUR, ALL candidates need to be included in these debates, until the moment the candidate decides to leave the race.
Rake Morgan // January 1, 2008 at 5:13 pm
You made it sound like you only cared that Biden was in the debate. Glad you have a broader perspective on this and contacted WMUR.
I disagree that the media controls our every move. If we can get ABC to change their decision we will have put up one more barrier between the media elite and the democratic process.
Thanks for your help. Please spread the word about this.
EuroTrash60 // January 1, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Of course, just got my Dad on it, he lives in Keene and is a former managing editor, he won’t like this one bit.
Rake Morgan // January 1, 2008 at 5:58 pm
Bravo!
Like It Is // January 1, 2008 at 6:27 pm
The American Media are becoming control freaks, just like Pravda.
Scott // January 8, 2008 at 2:10 pm
Thank you Rake for posting this. I also blogged it the other day. And I also wrote Ray Buckley looking for some outrage, if not a simple comment. Gotta say I’m impressed the GOP stood up for one of their guys when Paul was similarly dissed by Faux News, but the Dems seem to be more interested in coronating King Obama, whom I like just fine, but not as much as I respect Dennis Kucinich’s stands on health care, unions, impeachment, etc. Quite frankly, I believe they were scared DK would steal the show (again)!
Rake Morgan // January 8, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Scott, I was absolutely shocked that there was not more outrage from the Dems on this. I was posting, emailing, and calling all over the place trying to get people worked up. The fact is, the front tier only cared about their own people. I was very disappointed this decision was not challenged.
Your comments are very much appreciated — someone cared about this!
– Rake
Leave a Comment