I am not a Ron Paul supporter, but I found the following a bit suspicious.
According to the latest state polls, John McCain is ahead of the Republican pack leading up to the New Hampshire primary with 33% support, followed by Mitt Romney with 27%. Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee sit at a distant third and fourth at 14% and 11%, respectively. Ron Paul’s numbers have steadily increased in New Hampshire, currently holding at 9%. Fred Thompson, who seems dead in New Hampshire with only 1%, has packed his bags and is heading to South Carolina.
So why is Ron Paul excluded from Fox News’ GOP forum in New Hampshire? Only five candidates were invited to the today’s forum back on December 27 (a week and a half ago): McCain, Romney, Huckabee, Giuliani and Thompson. No Ron Paul, despite the fact that he his support among likely GOP voters has risen from 1% in July to 9% in December. No Ron Paul, despite much anticipation that New Hampshire independents may turn out big for him on Tuesday. No Ron Paul despite the fact that he has been leading Thompson in New Hampshire since November. Yet, Fred Thompson got the nod from Fox News even though his support in New Hampshire has dwindled from double digits to 1% over the course of the past five months, not to mention that Thompson has decided to abandon his campaign in New Hampshire. Fox News claims that is had limited space in its mobile studio and that it only invited candidates who enjoyed double-digit support nationally.
This strikes me as a bit suspect. Fox News holds a GOP forum in New Hampshire two days before the New Hampshire primary, yet it passes on Paul, who trails Huckabee by 2%, and opts for Thompson, who trails Paul by 8%. On top of that, Fox News has invited Paul to participate in a GOP forum in South Carolina, a state where he enjoys very little support among GOP voters (3% to Thompson’s 10% in the latest CBS news report). Why is Paul invited to the South Carolina forum, but not the New Hampshire forum?
Let’s review: In a critical primary in a state where he is challenging both Rudy Giuliani and Mike Huckabee in the polls and is possibly set to do quite well among independent voters, Ron Paul is left out of a crucial televised forum by Fox News. Fred Thompson, who does not even want to campaign in New Hampshire any longer, gets the final spot nonetheless. But, in a state where he is doing poorly and Fred Thompson enjoys double digit support, Fox News has no problem featuring Ron Paul in its forum.
Why is Fox News keeping Ron Paul off its featured forum in New Hampshire but not in South Carolina? Could it be that Fox News in its indisputable and inalienable bias does not want Ron Paul to gain further momentum going into the later primaries? Jesse Benton, Paul’s spokeman, thinks it is a distinct possibility. He told the AP:
There very well might be some bias,” Benton said. “Ron brings up some topics that aren’t very popular with Fox News, as in fiscal responsibility and withdrawing from the war in Iraq … that does leave us scratching our heads a little bit about whether it was deliberate. Based on metrics, I don’t see how you can possibly exclude Dr. Paul.”
In response to Ron Paul’s exclusion, the New Hampshire Republican Party withdrew its support from the Fox News forum. Here’s the New Hampshire GOP statement:
The first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary serves a national purpose by giving all candidates an equal opportunity on a level playing field. Only in New Hampshire do lesser known, lesser funded underdogs have a fighting chance to establish themselves as national figures. Consistent with that tradition, we believe all recognized major candidates should have an equal opportunity to participate in pre-primary debates and forums.
This principle applies to tonight’s debates on ABC as well as Sunday’s planned forum on FOX. The New Hampshire Republican Party believes Congressmen Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter should be included in the FOX forum on Sunday evening. Our mutual efforts to resolve this difference have failed.
While we understand that FOX News continues to move forward it is with regret, the New Hampshire Republican Party hereby withdraws as a partner in this forum.
Already a new website is up protesting the exclusion of Paul from the Fox forum. Fox News has gained a reputation for being the GOP cable news. Now, perhaps, its bias extends past party lines and into the GOP itself. You be the judge.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In