Just Because You're Paranoid That Doesn't Mean They Aren't Out to Get You
| posted by Jeff Fecke | Tuesday, January 01, 2008Ron Paul, as we've stated often here, is a terrible candidate, and would make a terrible president. His good positions on Iraq and wiretapping are more than counterbalanced by his friendly relationships with racists, his abhorrent positions on abortion rights, and his insane plan to eliminate the federal government.
That said, though, Paul has run a credible campaign. He's raised a bunch of money, he's running in the high single digits in New Hampshire, he's not going to win the presidency, but neither is, say, Fred Thompson. He certainly belongs in any discussion of major GOP candidates.
Which is what makes this so very interesting:Republican Rep. Ron Paul and his supporters are targeting the Fox News network today after an Internet discussion spread during the weekend that the cable network wasn’t giving the Texas lawmaker a seat at the table for a New Hampshire forum scheduled two days before the state’s Jan. 8 primary.
The Associated Press reported last Thursday that the New Hampshire Republican Party would be sponsoring a forum at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, N.H., with Fox News host Chris Wallace moderating the discussion.
Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson were the only candidates listed as participants, and so the Paul supporters mobilized.
[...]
Two Paul campaign aides said today that they have attempted to contact Fox to discuss the forum but haven’t received a response. On Paul’s Web site, www.ronpaul2008.com, campaign chairman Kent Snyder lists details on the main page. A New Hampshire Republican Party aide said today that it remains unclear if Paul will participate, and that the ultimate decision rests with Fox. The network (owned by News Corp., which also owns The Wall Street Journal) hasn’t responded to Washington Wire for comment.
Now, let's take a look at New Hampshire. Romney leads with about 30 percent, with McCain close behind. Giuliani is somewhere in the low-to-mid teens with Huckabee close behind, and Paul follows with about six percent. Thompson lags way behind, with support around three to four percent.
If you're going to pick the top four candidates in New Hampshire, you'd leave out Fredie of Hollywood. More likely, you'd just expand the debate to five spots and bring all five men in. The only reason not to is if you've decided that Paul simply doesn't fit as a GOP candidate.
Which, I'm sure, is what Fox has done.
Steve Benen points out that this isn't because the state GOP wants Paul excluded. And Digby, as always, says things better than I can:Not that we didn't know that Fox was a simple Republican house organ, but it's never been more starkly illustrated than this. The Republicans don't like what Paul is saying and they told their boy Ailes to shut him down. They aren't even trying to hide it.
Exactly. Every day, the decision of the Democrats to bypass Fox looks better and better. And Fox looks less and less like a news organization, and more and more like TASS.
That said, though, Paul has run a credible campaign. He's raised a bunch of money, he's running in the high single digits in New Hampshire, he's not going to win the presidency, but neither is, say, Fred Thompson. He certainly belongs in any discussion of major GOP candidates.
Which is what makes this so very interesting:
Republican Rep. Ron Paul and his supporters are targeting the Fox News network today after an Internet discussion spread during the weekend that the cable network wasn’t giving the Texas lawmaker a seat at the table for a New Hampshire forum scheduled two days before the state’s Jan. 8 primary.
The Associated Press reported last Thursday that the New Hampshire Republican Party would be sponsoring a forum at St. Anselm College in Goffstown, N.H., with Fox News host Chris Wallace moderating the discussion.
Rudy Giuliani, Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson were the only candidates listed as participants, and so the Paul supporters mobilized.
[...]
Two Paul campaign aides said today that they have attempted to contact Fox to discuss the forum but haven’t received a response. On Paul’s Web site, www.ronpaul2008.com, campaign chairman Kent Snyder lists details on the main page. A New Hampshire Republican Party aide said today that it remains unclear if Paul will participate, and that the ultimate decision rests with Fox. The network (owned by News Corp., which also owns The Wall Street Journal) hasn’t responded to Washington Wire for comment.
Now, let's take a look at New Hampshire. Romney leads with about 30 percent, with McCain close behind. Giuliani is somewhere in the low-to-mid teens with Huckabee close behind, and Paul follows with about six percent. Thompson lags way behind, with support around three to four percent.
If you're going to pick the top four candidates in New Hampshire, you'd leave out Fredie of Hollywood. More likely, you'd just expand the debate to five spots and bring all five men in. The only reason not to is if you've decided that Paul simply doesn't fit as a GOP candidate.
Which, I'm sure, is what Fox has done.
Steve Benen points out that this isn't because the state GOP wants Paul excluded. And Digby, as always, says things better than I can:
Not that we didn't know that Fox was a simple Republican house organ, but it's never been more starkly illustrated than this. The Republicans don't like what Paul is saying and they told their boy Ailes to shut him down. They aren't even trying to hide it.
Exactly. Every day, the decision of the Democrats to bypass Fox looks better and better. And Fox looks less and less like a news organization, and more and more like TASS.
