Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina cut from main Republican debate

[webfact]

Rand Paul, Carly Fiorina cut from main Republican debate
STEVE PEOPLES, Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul and former technology executive Carly Fiorina will not appear on the main primetime debate stage when the Republican Party's 2016 presidential class faces off later this week in South Carolina.

Debate host Fox Business Network announced the debate lineup Monday evening, dealing a blow to both candidates just three weeks before Iowa's presidential caucuses kick off the state-by-state nominating contests.

Just seven candidates — the smallest Republican group so far — will be featured in Thursday's 9 p.m. ET (0200 GMT) main event, based on criteria established by the network that relied on recent polls.

Real estate mogul Donald Trump, the leader in most recent polls, will again appear center stage in the debate. He'll be joined on stage by Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.

Paul and Fiorina were invited to participate in a 6 p.m. ET (2300 GMT) "undercard" debate, although Paul said he would skip the second-tier faceoff.

"An artificial designation as being in the second tier is something we can't accept," he told CNN on Monday. "I won't participate in anything that's not the first tier."

Before the lineup was announced, Paul strategist Doug Stafford said: "This race is hitting its final stretch and Rand Paul is a serious contender for the nomination. He expects to be on the stage this week because he has qualified to do so and because he has a top-tier campaign." Stafford noted that Paul has qualified for primary ballots in every state, has more than 1,000 precinct captains in Iowa, and has a 500-person leadership team in New Hampshire.

Fox Business Network said the primetime lineup would include the top six candidates in the five most recent national polls in addition to any candidate in the top five in either Iowa or New Hampshire.

Others invited to the undercard event include former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-12

[impulse]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

We need to go back to the League of Women Voters, before the debates were hijacked.

[otherstuff1957]

After Iowa, Bush will probably join them in the Junior League where he belongs.

[Pinot]

Who cares?

The comedy aspect is there, I suppose.

[Ulysses G.]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

Actually, THE POLLS determine that.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Ulysses G.

[Searat7]

It's time for those at the low end of the totem pole to drop out

[FangFerang]

Carly should have been sent home packing after she uttered six sentences.

And they were all one word sentences, being "Um", "Oh," "Duh", "Mmm", "Maybe", "No" and Yes."

[impulse]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

Actually, THE POLLS determine that.

Fox decided how many candidates would get in and which polls to look at.

Way too much room for shenanigans when a corporation gets that much discretion in picking the next president.

Edited January 12, 2016 by impulse

[Pinot]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

Actually, THE POLLS determine that.

Fox decided how many candidates would get in and which polls to look at.

Way too much room for shenanigans when a corporation gets that much discretion in picking the next president.

Hey, be careful what you say about Fox News. They represent the only real Americans...errr, the only real white Americans. 47% of Fox viewers get 100% of their news from Fox.

Every candidate has already passed the Fox News purity test. Lower taxes on the rich, guns for everyone with no restrictions, xenophobic, no Mexicans or Muslims, pro-forced birth, anti-child, never any negotiations with any other country, pro war, anti-everyone who isn't white and for ending health insurance (Obamacare) for 20 million Americans with nothing to replace it.

All the candidates are the same. Some with less appeal to the base than others. No appeal to anyone outside the base.

I read where Rand Paul will take his ball and go home because he doesn't get to sit with the big kids. Bye bye Rand, love the hair.

Carly was female and never had a prayer. And she told blatant lies. (Not that lying is an issue for Republicans)

They're all terrible candidates.

Your 2016 Republican Party

[Ulic]

I like Rand Paul, I dot like Carly F.

[Ace of Pop]

The names sound like 2 chumps from a Rap Band

[geriatrickid]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

We need to go back to the League of Women Voters, before the debates were hijacked.

Please read.

Fox Business Network said the primetime lineup would include the top six candidates in the five most recent national polls in addition to any candidate in the top five in either Iowa or New Hampshire.

Feel free to fund the "League of Woman Voters" so that they can sponsor your speech event.

[Chicog]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

Actually, THE POLLS determine that.

Actually Fox determine that by choosing which polls they use.

They have also cut the field from nine to seven.

(Added: It's looking more and more like it will be Trump vs Cruz anyway. That's a bit like having to pick between Hitler and Pol Pot).

Edited January 12, 2016 by Chicog

[impulse]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

We need to go back to the League of Women Voters, before the debates were hijacked.

Please read.

Fox Business Network said the primetime lineup would include the top six candidates in the five most recent national polls in addition to any candidate in the top five in either Iowa or New Hampshire.

Feel free to fund the "League of Woman Voters" so that they can sponsor your speech event.

Why 6? Did they not like the expected #7-?? What if they didn't like the expected #6, and decided to go with just 5 candidates? And did they toss out a wild card for one of their favorites by leaving the door open for one of the top 5 from Iowa or New Hampshire? Why not the top 6 if they like that number?

If you believe they just randomly picked "6" with no scheming and backroom dealing, you probably believe they present the news fairly and truthfully, too.

Which National Polls? There are dozens of national polls to choose from. My guess would be they didn't go with the Sierra Club's National poll (If they have one. If they don't- there are plenty of other liberal organizations that poll nationally and are polar opposites of Fox)

I wouldn't need to fund the League of Women voters' debates, they'd get all the funding they need from the networks and their advertisers. They'd probably have a few $$ million left over to donate to charities, too.

And the debate would be under their terms as a civic organization, and not a for profit corporation. The blue haired ladies could probably tell the networks to take a hike and just buy time on cable out of their Bingo proceeds if they didn't like the networks' rules.

Edited January 12, 2016 by impulse

[hawker9000]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

Actually, THE POLLS determine that. [/quote

Now Ulysses, you know the facts-averse wingnuts need their fox-bashing fix. Cheap thrills are an important "release" now that Hillary's making her way up the FBI's most wanted....

[Jingthing]

Kick those losers to the curb. Fiorina is running for VP anyway. They can do better.

[Pinot]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

Actually, THE POLLS determine that.

Actually Fox determine that by choosing which polls they use.

They have also cut the field from nine to seven.

(Added: It's looking more and more like it will be Trump vs Cruz anyway. That's a bit like having to pick between Hitler and Pol Pot).

Ouch! Hitler/Pol Pot indeed

Trump vs Cruz is a fascinating matchup, like Browns vs. Titans in the Superbowl...with Bieber at halftime

[TheCruncher]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

We need to go back to the League of Women Voters, before the debates were hijacked.

After all, it's their show and they pay for it.

[TheCruncher]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

Actually, THE POLLS determine that.

Actually Fox determine that by choosing which polls they use.

They have also cut the field from nine to seven.

(Added: It's looking more and more like it will be Trump vs Cruz anyway. That's a bit like having to pick between Hitler and Pol Pot).

So they should save them some money and throw the excess 5 out as well.

[mopar71]

Interesting.

Fox News gets to decide how to pick the "serious" candidates.

Actually, THE POLLS determine that.

Fox decided how many candidates would get in and which polls to look at.

Way too much room for shenanigans when a corporation gets that much discretion in picking the next president.

Do you think there is that much difference in the polls that far down the list? They are all in the very low single digits.

How do you feel about the Democratic leadership already choosing their candidate with any input from voters or polls?

How do you feel about the Democrats having only 2 debates, the most recent on the Saturday night before Christmas when they knew even less people than usual would watch? Their first debate even featured an empty podium (in case Biden showed up!!) when really it was to make the stage look less empty.

When it comes to debates, Democrats should just sit quietly in the corner until their party finds more than one real candidate and has more than a couple token debates which are really Hillary love fests by Bernie and that other guy who apologized for saying white lives matter.

[Pinot]

I understand the next Democrat debate will have Bernie talking to himself and Hillary discussing current events with a bevy of FBI Agents.

That should be yet another riveting Democrat debate.

No one cares about emails (and Benghazi) outside of wingnuttia.

[chuckd]

I understand the next Democrat debate will have Bernie talking to himself and Hillary discussing current events with a bevy of FBI Agents.

That should be yet another riveting Democrat debate.

No one cares about emails (and Benghazi) outside of wingnuttia.

Now exactly where did I say anything about Benghazi and the federal investigation of her illegal email server?

This thread is about Republican debates with a little side trip into the Democrat's so called debates.

If you insist on quoting me, at least try and be a tiny bit professional about it and try not to drift too far into the twilight zone.

You are an amusing little fellow.

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.

[Chicog]

Face it, the GOP debates get good viewing figures because in reality they are The Trumpman Show.

Edited January 13, 2016 by Chicog

[Langsuan Man]

I am just glad that the bus is getting smaller, now it is a van, soon it will be the clown car that it was last time around

[hawker9000]

I understand the next Democrat debate will have Bernie talking to himself and Hillary discussing current events with a bevy of FBI Agents.

That should be yet another riveting Democrat debate.

No one cares about emails (and Benghazi) outside of wingnuttia.

... oh, and apparently the FBI. Lol. "Nobody cares, nobody cares, nobody cares..." Just keep telling yourself that. (It does have a certain mystical ring to it, huh? And Hillary could probably use some telekinetic assistance with all that baggage she's accumulating. ... if you believe in that sort of thing.)

[bendejo]

Face it, the GOP debates get good viewing figures because in reality they are The Trumpman Show.

You got that right, the whole GOP primary has been turned into a variation of The Apprentice (DT's former TV show). The debates are getting these great ratings not because people are concerned about the issues, but to be entertained by the star of the show.

At one point during the 1984 campaign, an exasperated Walter Mondale said "you can't elect a president on entertainment value" (you have to see the expression on his face to get the full force of the statement). This remark has proved as valid as when the CEO of a very larger computer company said "there is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home." That company no longer exists.

Rand never even had as much of a chance as his father, and Carly has nothing to offer. I think they expanded the card to include her a few months back to avoid being accused of discriminating against a woman. You may have noticed there hasn't been that much inter-candidate interaction with her during the debates -- it's not that they are ignoring her, it's that she doesn't really say anything. Carly as VP? Only as entertainment value, she'd be a real-life Selina Meyer. Kind of funny that Carly's former political rival is now running HP.