Field Set For N.H. Dem. Debate: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Bill Richardson.

[MethuenProgressive]

http://www.wmur.com/politics/14978023/detail.html

A poor showing in Iowa means no showing for several candidates in this weekend's presidential debates in New Hampshire. ABC News and WMUR-TV are eliminating Republican Duncan Hunter and Democrats Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel from their prime-time debates Saturday night.

The Democratic debate will include Iowa caucus winner Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Bill Richardson. The GOP matchup will include caucus winner Mike Huckabee, John McCain, Rudy Giuliani, Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.

To be included, candidates had to meet at least one of three criteria: place first through fourth in Iowa, poll at least 5 percent in one of the last four major New Hampshire surveys or poll at least 5 percent in one of the last four major national surveys.

[jefferson_dem]

1. I think the Dem debate is going to be more of an "open dialog" sort of format.

That's good. I'm sick of the hand raising and 30 second sound bite answers.

[frogcycle]

4. I wish they could have Biden ask the questions

he'd cut through the bullshit and find us the best candidate

[Renew Deal]

2. They should eliminate Guiliani.

I bet they wanted to eliminate Ron Paul too.

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. I'm glad that they are winnowing the field to the more serious candidates

It's about time.

[MethuenProgressive]

5. That was what Edwards said -on tape- to Clinton.

"We should try to have a more serious and a smaller group," says Edwards. blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2007/07/the-edwardsclin.html

[Freddie Stubbs]

6. He was right. Now that some candidates have shown that they have virtually no support, it is time

to focus on the serious candidates.

[harmonicon]

15. serious? In what way?

[Nedsdag]

7. Gravel dropped out, but Kucinich didn't.

Include everybody!

[MethuenProgressive]

9. Rules is rules:

"To be included, candidates had to meet at least one of three criteria: place first through fourth in Iowa, poll at least 5 percent in one of the last four major New Hampshire surveys or poll at least 5 percent in one of the last four major national surveys."

[Freddie Stubbs]

11. All 22 candidates?

http://www.sos.nh.gov/Dem%20ballot.pdf

[Blackdog4241]

8. This is bullshit....

If your name is on the ballot you should be in the debate.
Dennis is on the ballot and should be included.
I'm not sure if Gravel is on the ballot or not.

[MethuenProgressive]

10. I think Dennis and Joe should be the moderators.

And only address their questions to Bill Richardson.

[Freddie Stubbs]

12. There are 22 candidates with names on the ballot in NH

http://www.sos.nh.gov/Dem%20ballot.pdf

If that were the criteria to appear in a nationally televised debate, hundreds of publicity seeking nutjobs would file simply to get their 15 minutes. There has to be some quantifiable criteria to separate the serious candidates from the jokes.

[Blackdog4241]

13. I had no idea...

there were that many people on the ballot.
Just can't stand my guy getting shut out all the time.
Dennis is on Bill Moyers' Journal tonight.

[MethuenProgressive]

14. What happened to the Kucinich/Obama deal to keep him in the debate?

Kucinich offered up his Iowa supporters - and got nothing? :shrug:

[harmonicon]

16. was the deal to keep him in the debate? I didn't think so.

Didn't Richardson have an identical deal with Obama? I really hope they let Richardson have more air-time in this debate. It's a shame that DK won't be there too. If only they'd given all of the candidates equal time in the debates prior to this, we could be looking at a completely different 4.