Thread: ABC Cuts 3 From Presidential Debate

ABC Cuts 3 From Presidential Debate
Friday, January 4, 2008 9:30 AM

NEW YORK -- ABC News is eliminating Republican presidential candidate Duncan Hunter and Democrats Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel from its prime-time presidential debates Saturday night because they did not meet benchmarks for their support.

The Democratic debate three days before the New Hampshire primary will include Iowa caucus winner Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Bill Richardson. It starts at 7 p.m. EDT.

Shortly after Democrats leave the stage in Manchester, N.H., Republicans Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul will arrive for their own forum.

ABC anchor Charles Gibson will moderate both debates.

The network set up benchmarks to narrow the field for the debates. Candidates had to meet at least one of three criteria: place first through fourth in Iowa, poll 5 percent or higher in one of the last four major New Hampshire surveys, or poll 5 percent or higher in one of the last four major national surveys.

ABC said the rules were quite inclusive, and that none of the candidates objected ahead of time. Its decision was made easier by Democrats Joe Biden and Chris Dodd dropping out of the race Thursday night.

http://www.newsmax.com/politics/abc_deb ... 61733.html

That's just wrong.