Vox: CNN is basically begging Joe Biden to join its Democratic debate

[portlander23]

Vox: CNN is basically begging Joe Biden to join its Democratic debate

The criteria are quite simple. Essentially, all you have to do is hit an average of 1 percent support in three national polls from CNN's approved list of organizations, which Biden has already done. After that, you just have to say you'll declare your candidacy to the FEC by Wednesday, October 14 — the day after the debate.

This is quite unlike the rules CNN set for its Republican presidential debate earlier this month. In addition to reaching a poll threshold, candidates had to officially file with the FEC and say they were running three weeks before the debate. They also had to have a paid campaign aide working in at least two of the four early voting states (Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Nevada). And they had to have visited two of those states at least once.

But the disparity between CNN's own Republican and Democratic qualifying rules is just the latest to raise some uncomfortable questions about the role of ratings-hungry cable networks in these increasingly important debates. Indeed, neither Fox News nor CNN has yet managed to lay out clear qualifying rules for a debate well in advance and stick to them.

CNN's rather late announcement of these Democratic debate rules is just the latest in this pattern. Once again, there's a lack of transparency. The debate is only 15 days away, and the qualifying rules are just being announced now. Once again, the rules seem to be designed to benefit one person in particular — in a way that just so happens to seem likely to boost ratings.

I say lets give all debates back the the League of Women Voters.

[daleanime]

1. Definitely bring back the League of Women Voters.....

they run honest debates, not sound bite competitions.

[PoliticAverse]

10. Well that's why they lost their control over Presidential debates. n/t

[Fumesucker]

12. The League did not "lose control", they walked away from the debates and refused to sanction them

Because of the demands of the Republican and Democratic parties...

[PoliticAverse]

14. Here's the explanation page from The League...

http://library.lwv.org/content/lwv-presidential-debates

Note that the Commission on Presidential Debates was established and took control of the debates away
from The League. The Commission selected The League to sponsor the last debate in 1988 but The League
refused due to conditions imposed on them.

[daleanime]

16. Which is why we need them back.

[brooklynite]

17. Did the LWV ever run a Primary debate?

[daleanime]

18. As long as they ran honest debates....

would that matter?

I can't be the only one tired of politicians thinking that trading sound bites passes for real debate.

[brooklynite]

19. And the content of LWV debates was any different?

[daleanime]

20. My friend, if that question is in ernest.....

I have nothing but sympathy for you.

[brooklynite]

21. Im deadly serious...

I remember the LWV debaters, and they were the same 2 min answer/1 min response formats. There was nothing dynamically different, other than the decision as to who got in, which isn't relevant today.

[daleanime]

22. So you think the LWV walked away from the debates....

because they didn't like the color scheme that the parties wanted?

Or the need to bring in extra equipment?

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&ved=0CEAQFjAFahUKEwiMkI7Yj5vIAhWTth4KHRBnBkQ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.democrats.com%2Fbulge&usg=AFQjCNEtFjstxMwC0Y4z0loyn3p1oiYFvA&sig2=qG11Ef1YhRIymU1AOoGg2A

Or maybe the Leagues own release from then.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CB0QFjAAahUKEwj_7c20kZvIAhUM1h4KHSwoByY&url=http%3A%2F%2Flwv.org%2Fpress-releases%2Fleague-refuses-help-perpetrate-fraud&usg=AFQjCNHbew0NcjQusd-eMSXiwCqq-ZAMXw&sig2=I3JCCB_dnKYtSzIczme-OQ

But let's face it, I can't make you see dishonesty if you don't want to. So like I say, you have my sympathy. I hope the shock of dealing with the world isn't too much for you.

[Hortensis]

2. +1000. Just another shameful and corrupting twist to what our elections have become.

[Metric System]

3. Increasingly the MSM outlets CREATE a story instead of REPORTING on a story.

[Kelvin Mace]

4. Neither party will give the debates back

because their corporate masters do NOT want honest debates of substance.

[99th_Monkey]

5. Interesting how "the rules" show up just in time to fit whatever narrative PTB/M$M want to spin -nt-

[reddread]

6. crookedest debates ever

what is really fueling this election is media consolidation.
ill be looking forward to those questions, CNN, TIA!

[senz]

13. Thank you for recognizing the role of media consolidation in the current mess.

The 4th Estate used to serve as a balance to elite power. Now they are elite power.

[Snotcicles]

7. CNN needs to quit trying to steer politics and just report on it. From the sidelines. nt

[jfern]

8. Wow, the day after the debate?

So he could literally just show up as a total surprise it everybody?

[kenfrequed]

9. CNN is crappy news

They really, really don't like Sanders very much and desperately want another candidate in the race that will act like the kinds of candidates they prefer that play the "he said/she said" negative spinmeister bull.

They do not like candidates that pivot to the issues or that fixate on policy that makes them have to do research when asking their questions. They also don't like candidates that threaten their ad revenue.

[Fumesucker]

11. The League stepped away from the debates rather than the other way around

The reason being they said the parties were corrupting the debate process.

I don't think the League would be interested in having anything to do with the "debates" as they are currently arranged by the party.

[senz]

15. If they could be given major control, they might be.

If they're still as fair as they used to be, I could go along with it. What we have now is a farce.