ABC, Fox News cutting low-polling presidential candidates out of debates

Spencer Collins · #1 (**permalink**) 12-31-2007, 07:00 PM

ABC, Fox News cutting low-polling presidential candidates out of debates

ABC and Fox News Channel are narrowing the field of presidential candidates invited to debates this weekend just before the New Hampshire primary, in Fox's case infuriating supporters of Republican Ron Paul.

The roster of participants for ABC's back-to-back, prime-time Republican and Democratic debates Saturday in New Hampshire will be determined after results of Thursday's Iowa caucus become clear.

Fox, meanwhile, has invited five GOP candidates to a forum with Chris Wallace scheduled for its mobile studio in New Hampshire on Sunday. Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson received invites, leaving Paul and Duncan Hunter on the sidelines.

The network said it had limited space in its studio — a souped-up bus — and that it invited candidates who had received double-digit support in recent polls.

In a nationwide poll conducted Dec. 14-20 by The Associated Press and Yahoo, Thompson had the support of 11 percent of GOP voters and Paul was at 3 percent.

ABC, Fox News cutting low-polling presidential candidates out of debates - International Herald Tribune

I'm sure FOX and ABC will reverse this decision when Ron Paul wins the New Hampshire primary..

cnredd · #2 (**permalink**) 12-31-2007, 08:33 PM

I don't know about ABC, but Fox ISN'T having a GOP sponsored debate...

Here's the story from a Paul supporter...

Ron Paul: Fair and Balanced

Quote:

For those who missed the story, Fox News and the New Hampshire GOP had been engaged in discussions about holding a Republican Presidential Debate. Those plans were abandoned when ABC and WMUR committed to a broadcast debate one day prior to the Fox proposal. In light of that situation, Fox News felt that it needed some visibility just prior to the January 8th primary. They decided to host a "round table discussion" in a closed studio with a few of the candidates (presumably as a supplement to Chris Wallace’s Fox News Sunday program). They sent out invitations to those that they considered likely to be the leading contenders in that primary, which (in their initial judgment) did not include Ron Paul. That upset Paul supporters and his campaign, which continued its efforts to gain his admission.

This event is not a "debate", nor even a "forum", which implies a public event with the direct engagement of the Republican Party in a legitimate effort to inform their members and voters of New Hampshire. Even if the NHGOP facilitated arrangements for TV studios, as it has done for many media outlets, the intended broadcast is a private event. Which presents a bit of a conundrum for Ron Paul and his supporters (I count myself among them).

engineofideas · #3 (**permalink**) 02-21-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cnredd

I don't know about ABC, but Fox ISN'T having a GOP sponsored debate...

Here's the story from a Paul supporter...

Ron Paul: Fair and Balanced

This is what you will tell to your children, impartial and honest journalism.

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