Rand Paul issues a statement regarding the debate.

[kbs021]

https://randpaul.com/news/rand-paul-for-president-issues-statement-on-fox-business-debate

Totally agreed.. This criteria is a joke.. Rand should definitely be on that stage.

[Joeinmo]

Rand expects to be in with his numbers, I agree. Picking various polling data smacks of fixing the debate candidates. How can you tell if one poll is more reliable than another, in addition how can you tell if polling is reliable at all?

Rands total polling numbers are better than Bush, Kasuck, Carly etc.

with the exception of Bush in money and nobody in ground game, Rand qualifies for the other parts of a campaign that matter, as well

[kbs021]

Rand is saying this morning (ON FOX) that he fully expects to make it. He has a lot of confidence. He should.. He has made top 5 in Iowa, and top 5-6 in national polls more than once. Although the average isn't there, he has a great argument. That announcement of the 1,000 captains in Iowa may force their hand

[EBounding]

I really don't get why you would change the duhbate rules right before voting begins. Change it afterwards, but it makes no sense to do it before other than to create drama.

[mwkaufman]

The whole debate process is a mess with the undercard debate, podium ordering, and unequal time all denigrating the democratic process. The center stage and extra time Trump was afforded in every debate has essentially given him boosts every step of the way. Senators like Cruz, Rubio, and Paul have always had the advantage in polling over Governors like Perry, Jindal, Gary Johnson, and Pataki since Senators have access to the national media, but before this cycle it only was really worth a podium or two. This cycle, they basically killed those Governor's campaigns just as they started by relegating them to the unserious table, and showed being a television star like Trump is a way bigger advantage over a Senator than a Senator has over a Governor.

[Crashland]

I think this statement is pretty much an admission/expectation that he won't qualify with his averages according to the official criteria, but it's an argument to FBN about why he should be included anyway. We'll know by tonight...

[TheNewYorker]

Breitbart and politico are calling it that he won't be in the debate

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/01/10/main-stage-3-establishment-3-insurgents/

[cajuncocoa]

Breitbart and politico are calling it that he won't be in the debate

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/01/10/main-stage-3-establishment-3-insurgents/
Wow. That sucks.

[65fastback2+2]

i personally dont really care and dont think it matters. one last debate with everyone trying to kill each other before iowa on public tv is a moot point.

[supermario21]

If Kasich doesn't make it he should be pissed, as well. He's actually getting good NH numbers. And Carson is just the waste of a spot on the stage.

[squirl22]

Interesting that two of the candidates mentioned by Breitbart may not even be eligible for the position, i.e. Cruz and Rubio. I think Rubio's eligibility is quite questionable; his parents were not citizens at the time of his birth. They didn't become citizens until three years later; does this make Rubio an anchor baby?


Breitbart and politico are calling it that he won't be in the debate

http://www.breitbart.com/big-governm...-3-insurgents/ (http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/01/10/main-stage-3-establishment-3-insurgents/)

Brietbart is just quoting Politico and who would believe anything Politico writes. They are just trying to slant the results; now if Rand gets in they can say he really shouldn't be or something. Furthermore, so far, no one knows what criteria they are using to make their stupid decision. Totally corrupt.

[thatpeculiarcat]

Rand is saying this morning (ON FOX) that he fully expects to make it. He has a lot of confidence. He should.. He has made top 5 in Iowa, and top 5-6 in national polls more than once. Although the average isn't there, he has a great argument. That announcement of the 1,000 captains in Iowa may force their hand

Here's your tube:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL_YkhT6CuA&sns=em

Rand: "There's absolutely no scientific criteria that could exclude us."

[SilentBull]

New Quinnipiac Iowa poll has Rand at 2%.

[mit26chell]

That interviewer sounds like she knows Rand won't be in the debate. 'Well, we want you there whether you're in the main debate or not.'

[EBounding]

Rand should do the undercard debate if he's going to be the only one there.

:toady:

[Liberty74]

I'm afraid Rand is out this time.

He killed the debate the last 2 times and got no traction. Will it really matter if he was out?

Needs to find another way to break thru.

[TheNewYorker]

I'm afraid Rand is out this time.

He killed the debate the last 2 times and got no traction. Will it really matter if he was out?

Needs to find another way to break thru.

True. He did do extremely well at the last two debates, and it seems his poll numbers didn't change, maybe even declined.

I think Trump is stealing all his support.

[luctor-et-emergo]

I'm afraid Rand is out this time.

He killed the debate the last 2 times and got no traction[in the polls]. Will it really matter if he was out?

Needs to find another way to break thru.

Fixed that.

[idiom]

Walk away, debate Sanders same time different channel. Give the people what they want to see, answer the issues of the day instead of Fox's pony show.

[libertyplz]

Walk away, debate Sanders same time different channel. Give the people what they want to see, answer the issues of the day instead of Fox's pony show.

Would Bernie be willing to do this? Rand has said that he would debate Sanders anytime, anywhere. From Bernie's perspective, I'm not sure if there is anything for him to gain by debating Rand. I think Bernie could only lose by debating Rand at this point, but that's just my opinion, so I don't think he would accept a debate.

[Peace Piper]

Would Bernie be willing to do this? Rand has said that he would debate Sanders anytime, anywhere. From Bernie's perspective, I'm not sure if there is anything for him to gain by debating Rand. I think Bernie could only lose by debating Rand at this point, but that's just my opinion, so I don't think he would accept a debate.

I don't think Bernie could even if he wanted to.

This is from the agreement/contract that the DNC made the candidates sign


DNC To Sanction Six Presidential Primary Debates
May 05, 2015

(excerpt)...While a six sanctioned debate schedule is consistent with the precedent set by the DNC during the 2004 and 2008 cycles, this year the DNC will further manage the process by implementing an exclusivity requirement. Any candidate or debate sponsor wishing to participate in DNC debates, must agree to participate exclusively in the DNC-sanctioned process. Any violation would result in forfeiture of the ability to participate in the remainder of the debate process.
https://www.democrats.org/Post/dnc-to-sanction-six-presidential-primary-debates


Wasserman Shultz (DNC Chief) even dis-invited her vice chair to the debate last year in Las Vegas for calling for more debates. The pathetic Democrats (the ones who know about it) won't even protest this.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AyxxxqIVrtw

This process is completely corrupt. Both "sides". People keep giving the benefit of the doubt though. Americans won't protest anything anymore. Just go along, everything will be great when you're part of the team. You can see this with Rand even- few seem to care when he lies about Crimea or Iran. It's hopeless.

[derek4ever]

I've always favored having multi-candidate debates. With the current 12 or 13, you could have 3 debates of 4 or 5 candidates. No undercard or main debates. All 3 debates would be equal. I'd only use polling to avoid a debate with only "first tier" or "second tier" candidates and keep the debates open for a breakthrough moment. Undercard+main debate is segregation. :(

[TheNewYorker]

i personally dont really care and dont think it matters. one last debate with everyone trying to kill each other before iowa on public tv is a moot point.

Yes, but with Rand being bumped down, the media will use it as a hit piece against him and claim he's not a viable candidate anymore. Watch and see.

[luctor-et-emergo]

I've always favored having multi-candidate debates. With the current 12 or 13, you could have 3 debates of 4 or 5 candidates. No undercard or main debates. All 3 debates would be equal. I'd only use polling to avoid a debate with only "first tier" or "second tier" candidates and keep the debates open for a breakthrough moment. Undercard+main debate is segregation. :(

They should stick to people who could actually win, as in who are on the ballot in every state (or enough to win). Then if there's many, exactly, multiple debates but do a lottery for that, makes it fair for everybody. Also randomized podium placement would be nice.

[Mr.NoSmile]

Yes, but with Rand being bumped down, the media will use it as a hit piece against him and claim he's not a viable candidate anymore. Watch and see.

Was that done for Christie? Especially since he bounced back to the main debate after that?

[cajuncocoa]

I don't understand why this undercard "kid's table" debate has to go on to the fifth debate anyway. It made sense for the first one. There were so many candidates, and it was obvious those 5-6 at the bottom would probably not survive (yet there's Carly, being propped up by the establishment types who love her.) They had 10 candidates on stage for the main event that night...why can't they handle 9 for this one? Once again, the media gets to decide the nominee (with an even bigger voice this time.)

[Joeinmo]

Breitbart and politico are calling it that he won't be in the debate

http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/01/10/main-stage-3-establishment-3-insurgents/

well it tells you what Breitbart knows, they quote yesterday's poll from Marist as the reason Rand won't make it, but they must have missed something as that poll shows Rand in 5th in Iowa with 5% ahead of Bush. It's the 6th poll showing Rand in 5th place in this cycle in Iowa

[kahless]

What the heck is so hard having them all up there, asking them all the same question and one rebuttal for the same question. It is so half ass the way they do it now and you can blame this all on the GOP and Preibus.

They could have set those rules but they allow the networks to use the debates for shock value ratings in a deal for the media to take out anti-establishment candidates.

[r3volution 3.0]

Yes, but with Rand being bumped down, the media will use it as a hit piece against him and claim he's not a viable candidate anymore. Watch and see.

Yup, and that's what actually matters (post debate commentary), not so much the debate itself.

...which is why Rand's trying to get ahead of the narrative.

Anyway, it's a bummer, but not the end of the world.

[LibertyEagle]

She was dismissive as all hell.

[cajuncocoa]

Walk away, debate Sanders same time different channel. Give the people what they want to see, answer the issues of the day instead of Fox's pony show.
That could backfire. Sanders might not be willing, he's not being frozen out of Dem debates, and he's hanging in there with HRC in the polls. He has nothing to gain from this and might try to make Rand look foolish for asking.

[Feeding the Abscess]

I'm afraid Rand is out this time.

He killed the debate the last 2 times and got no traction. Will it really matter if he was out?

Needs to find another way to break thru.

Rand has received a bit of a bump from those debates. He went from 1-3% to 2-5%. Not a quantum leap, but an improvement nonetheless.

[William R]

Just announced Rand will not be in the next debate.

[Crashland]

Fail.