More debate controversy-no Hunter and Paul, no GOP endorsement.

As many know, ABC cut Dennis the Menace Kucinich, Crazy Uncle Mike Gravel and Duncan Hunter from the two debates tonight. Kucinich already filed an FEC complaint. Not that it will do any good but even a pebble in the ocean must cause some kind of stir, however small.

Now the Granite State GOP has withdrawn its co sponsorship from tomorrow night’s Fox News debate because Congressmen Paul and Hunter will be excluded. Good for New Hampshire.
ABC and Fox are wrong to exclude the three sitting Congressmen. Mike Gravel is a different story. He is no longer a significant public figure, entitled by his position to a share of the public debate. Gravel left politics and stayed gone for a generation. He has no standing in the Democrat Party and even less with the public at large.

However, Gollum and the two Republican congressmen are a different story. Whatever one thinks of their positions, and I obviously think Dennis is pretty much out of touch with reality and I have significant difficulties with Ron Paul’s view of America in the world, Kucinich, Paul and Hunter are sitting United States Congressmen. All have received millions of votes through their many successful elections. All three are major national spokesmen for millions of people. All have stayed in the battle and earned their right to inform public opinion through the Presidential debates.

We certainly don’t need less informed public discussion in this country. Future media sponsors of the Presidential primary debates should give far greater consideration to their civic responsibilities to fully inform the public when planning this debate.