I have always been a fan of Fox News. I love the morning show and I love Shep Smith at 7 p.m. I've also harbored a small crush on Neil Cavuto in the past. All of this makes me a very unlikely person to suggest a boycott of Fox News. However, a boycott is exactly what I am suggesting. Why a boycott? Well, to put it simply, I believe Fox News has lost its way.
I was shocked and dismayed to read this morning that Fox is not allowing all of the major candidates to debate. It was also interesting that they are allowing Fred Thompson to debate, but are not allowing Ron Paul. Ron Paul recently had a huge fundraising coup. In some polls he is leading Thompson. One of the supposed reasons for this is space. I find it odd that Fox News couldn't find space to accommodate the two candidates who are being excluded. Are we to believe Fox News could only afford a crowded, "souped up bus" to conduct debates? Excuse me if I'm a bit skeptical.
Paul has done very well in some of the earlier votes, though there are many who do not like his message. Personally, I find his message very republican on many levels. I do realize Ron Paul has run for president on the libertarian platform in the past. According to a previous Fox News article, Ronald Reagan himself called libertarianism "the heart and soul of the republican party." When Paul speaks, I am reminded of what I once believed the Republican Party stood for.
But, maybe the Republican Party really has lost its way. Some of the very things they criticize Paul for are things that they once required their candidates to believe. Many republicans have left the party to join the libertarians in past elections. Libertarians have also picked up many democrats. Of course, without its heart the republicanit won't get very far. Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and the others need to stop and watch what is happening.
Each candidate needs to stand up and be a man. They need to insist that Ron Paul and Duncan Hunter be included in the debates or they will not participate. The candidates must do this because if they anger the libertarians, they will lose any chance they have of picking up libertarian votes in the general election.
This is why I am calling on the Republican candidates to boycott the Fox News debates until they allow other national candidates to participate. We should not allow our news sources to determine who are candidates will be.
I am a fan of Fox News and I hate the idea of boycotting it. But, I've always believed Fox stood for freedom of ideas. Now, I'm not so sure.
recommend this
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 32
As far as boycotting Fox news, that's going to be about as effective as a group deciding not to buy from major department stores to try to banish outsourcing.
Thompson is polling in a five way tie nationally. He is not polling well in NH because he is not working there. Thompson happens to be in the top three in Iowa.
These debates have been too big so real debate has not occured. At this point it would be good to exclude some that have no chance so we dont wind up with a poor nominee because they were never challanged on their ideas in debate.
What! The same people that blasted me for. . .Ahem! freedom of speech (I should put that in quotes) is now blasting you for YOUR freedom of speech!
haha!
This is comedy at its zenith level!
It's madness!
Who let the inmates out this time?
Haha!
Thanks LaNita, I generally don't do the 1 thing even on posts I disagree with. I even feature people I disagree with in The Great Debate. However, not everyone is for freedom of ideas. This, ironically is the same problem I see with the debate.
The real reason they don't want Paul to debate is they are afraid of what he will say. What if he does pull in some Reagan like voters with his policy ideas.
I'm interested in a debate that's a little more substantial than arguing whether Huckabee or Romney has better morals.
I don't think it should be up to tv reporters to decide who has a better chance.
Ron Paul has been a Republican for about 30 years and ran as a Libertarian ONCE but people keep calling him a Libertarian. I one was to check his views it would be discovered that he is pure Republican of the old school. He is definately NOT one of the crowd of neocon, fundie, republicans of today.
I hear it a lot. He don't have a chance. Why? That is exactly what the Republican Party of today wants everyone to think. They are afraid of the Ron Paul Revolution. The records set in the campaign should have gotten wide spread publicity but hardly got mentioned. Why. The main stream media is controled by mega bucks that flat don't want a Constitutionalist in office.
MDP Ron Paul would have a better shot at winning if people like you quit predicting the outcome of the elections before they happen. You do a good candidate an injustice.
Thanks. I may go republican so I can vote Paul in the primary. Last election I voted libertarian in the general after the LaRouche in the Primary. If the major parties would give me a candidate I didn't feel uneasy about voting for, I'd vote major party. I have a hard time supporting any candidate that would benefit from the press shutting people out of the process.
I understand you are excited about him. He gets most of his votes from the democrats because they want him to win the nomination. He is soft on National Security and is only a cantidate that gets attention because a lot of internet users find one issue they really like. The internet does not translate to votes. He will be at the end of the Iowa Caucuses and that will be that.