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Title: CNN changes debate criteria, clearing path for Fiorina (and more than 10)
Source:
Politico
URL Source: http://www.politico.com/story/2015/ ... r-fiorina-213237#ixzz3kWitNbmU
Published: Sep 1, 2015
Author: Hadas Gold
Post Date: 2015-09-01 20:23:35 by Hondo68
Keywords: None
Views: 5035
Comments: 56
Getty CNN announced on Tuesday that it has changed the criteria for its upcoming debate, making space for Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina on the primetime stage. Fiorina had argued for weeks that CNN's debate criteria unfairly weighted early field leaders over contenders like her who have polled better since the Fox News debate on Aug. 6. According to CNN, any candidate who ranks in the top 10 between Aug. 6 and Sept. 10 will be included in the primetime debate on Sept. 16. Also allowed in the main show will be candidates who scored in the top 10 averages of all approved national polls between July 16 and Sept. 10, as the original criteria released in May stated. This means it is possible there will be more than 10 candidates on the primetime debate stage. The new approach allows the network to avoid looking like it's favoring Fiorina at the expense of candidates such as Chris Christie and Rand Paul who would have been at risk of getting bumped to the earlier debate if CNN had more heavily weighted later polls, as Fiorina had suggested. Still, CNN warned in an announcement that final podium placements won't be known until Sept. 10, after all national polls have come in. "In the event that any candidate is polling in the top 10 in an average of approved national polls released between August 7th and September 10th, we will add those candidates to our top tier debate, even if those candidates did not poll in the top 10 in an average of approved national polls between July 16th and September 10th," CNN said in a statement. "We have discussed these changes with the Republican National Committee and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, and they are fully supportive." Despite weeks of statements claiming that there would be no change, CNN said they decided to change the criteria after learning that there would likely only be two more polls conducted before the Sept. 10 deadline. The new format was announced in a conference call with representatives from all Republican campaigns on Tuesday afternoon, with sources on the call describing the change as a last-minute decision. CNN also said in its statement: "We learned this week that there will likely be only two more polls by the deadline of September 10th. In a world where we expected there to be at least 15 national polls, based on historic precedent, it appears there will be only five. As a result, we now believe we should adjust the criteria to ensure the next debate best reflects the most current state of the national race." RNC chairman Reince Priebus released his own statement saying that he supports the decision. "I applaud CNN for recognizing the historic nature of this debate and fully support the network's decision to amend their criteria," Priebus said. He later said during an appearance on CNN that the network had made a judgment based on prior patterns that did not hold true, that there would be more polls closer to the deadline. "By not altering the criteria to maybe exclude people who were counting on it, by adding a podium for anyone that might be in the top 10 but not otherwise meeting the criteria I think that the problem is solved and I think that was the right decision and they did the right thing," Priebus said. According to a POLITICO calculation, in the three polls conducted since the first debate on Aug. 6, Fiorina is in seventh place, with an average of 5 percent. Fiorina was in the earlier "happy hour" debate during last month's Fox News debate, and delivered a standout performance that has fueled her bid to make it onto the primetime stage next time around. The CNN debate will similarly be split into two sessions, with a 6 p.m. undercard debate, and a 9 p.m. main show. On Twitter, Fiorina tweeted her gratitude, saying "THANKS TO YOU, we will be able to share our message of leadership and citizenship with Republican voters on the main debate stage." She followed the message with a second tweet: "…and thank you to @RealBenCarson and @realDonaldTrump who spoke out in support of a fair debate process." Ben Carson also celebrated the move on Twitter, saying "Big win for We the People! Pleased to see @CarlyFiorina having an opportunity to have her voice heard at the debate." In addition to the new criteria, campaigns were told that further decisions about format, such as opening and closing statements, will be made next week, according to a source who was on the call. Many campaigns on the call asked about tickets and credentials, since the debate will be held at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, which has a much smaller capacity than the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. At the moment, each campaign is limited to seven tickets per candidate. 
CNN says they expect just two additional national polls will be released between now and the Sept. 10 deadline, making it difficult for Fiorina to fall out of the additional, post-debate top 10. (If Fiorina was at only 2 percent in the two forthcoming polls, she would still be in ninth place in this subsequent average.)
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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 56.
#4. To: Too Conservative (#0)
Can't remember who this is for, exactly, but you'll do as a proxy. TOLD YA SO! OF COURSE they were going to change the rules to get Fiorina on the stage with Trump.
OF COURSE they were going to change the rules to get Fiorina on the stage with Trump. Your prophetic claims aside, I don't recall you making any such prediction.
Back on the thread where people were screaming about "Changing the rules!" and how bad that was, I said from the get go that the rules would most certainly be changed to get Fiorina up on that stage, because she would be there to hit at Trump from a female perspective, and because she was the most interesting in the "Kid's Table". I could go back and find it, but nah.
It is relatively straightforward. CNN is simply weighting the qualifying polls toward more recent polls, to reflect the change in candidates' standing. Fiorina is #3 in Iowa now so of course it makes more sense to include her on the big stage. The only real question is whether some of the 1%ers and 2%er candidates (Paul, Jindal, Huckabee, etc.) should be shuffled out of the main debate and down to the junior varsity debate. The whole point of Iowa and New Hampshire is to allow less-funded, less-known candidates to have a chance. CNN's move is in keeping with the roles of these two classic primary contests.
They are NOW. But that wasn't the original criteria. And that's what's important. Screw CNN for caving in and changing the rules. And screw Fiorina for whining and crying and stomping her feet until she got her way by pressuring CNN to accommodate her. Yes, she won the battle. But, in my opinion, she lost the war. I don't want a crybaby President, and I hope Trump pounds the shit out of her by saying the same.
Come on. You're way overboard. The "original criteria" as you describe them were merely what Fox News came up with for their debate and it was a reasonably fair picture of how the race stood when they held their debate. However, those were only the "rules" for one debate. CNN is completely free to rewrite the "rules" entirely. They could split it into a dozen debates. They could give the underdog debate in primetime and the main event in the afternoon or after midnight. The only "rules" are that the two political parties cannot dictate any debate rules to the networks. Otherwise, the FEC considers that as a kind of "coordination" and it will result in heavy fines. Take another scenario, like Romney or Mitch Daniels getting into the race late, like in October. You might see Biden or Warren get in as late as October. So they might enter the race and get 10%-15% in one or two polls before the next debate happens. However, because they were not in all the polls all year long like the other candidates have been, they would never score high enough to be included in any headline debate and either wouldn't qualify at all or would only qualify for the junior varsity debate. For instance, Kasich very nearly missed being in the main debate last time and largely because he entered the race so late. These "rules" you're touting are a big nothing, IMO. But there are no perfect answers to the problem posed. Just ones that are considered more or less relevant to the state of the race.
No. Fox News had rules for their debate. CNN had rules for their debate. And the CNN rules used the average of national polls dating from mid-July to September 10. CNN has now changed those rules to use the average of national polls dating August 6 to September 10. This eliminates all the low Fiorina polls prior to her first debate. What about the candidates who polled high before the first debate? Now all those polls are ignored. Is that fair to them? "CNN is completely free to rewrite the "rules" entirely." I agree. But my point was never whether or not they could but whether or not they should.
CNN has now changed those rules to use the average of national polls dating August 6 to September 10. This eliminates all the low Fiorina polls prior to her first debate. What about the candidates who polled high before the first debate? Now all those polls are ignored. Is that fair to them? Fox also changed the rules immediately before their debate and added 7 candidates and aired them in an additional debate before the main event. The CNN change had to be made to bail the RNC out from looking like total tools. The only effect of the CNN rules change is the potential (probable) addition of one or more people on the stage. All who qualify under the initial rules will still be eligible. There will likely be 11 debaters, adding Carly Fiorina. More could theoretically qualify. http://www.cnn.com/2015/09/01/politics/cnn-debate-rules-september-16/index.html To receive an invitation to the September 16, 2015 Republican Presidential Primary Debate, a candidate must satisfy the following criteria: 1. Fulfill the requirements outlined in Article II, Section 1 of the Constitution of the United States. 2. File a Statement of Candidacy and register with the Federal Election Commission by August 26, 2015. 3. Achieve an average of at least one percent in three national polls from among those that are recognized in this document. Recognized polls must be released between July 16, 2015 and September 10th, 2015. 4. Have at least one paid campaign aide working in two of the four "early voting states" designated by the Republican National Committee: Iowa, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Carolina --no later than August 26, 2015. 5. Visited two of the four "early voting states" designated by the Republican National Committee at least once --no later than August 26, 2015. 6. Agree to accept the rules and format of the debate. 7. The first 10 candidates -ranked from highest to lowest in polling order from an average of all qualifying polls released between July 16 and September 10 who satisfy the criteria requirements outlined in this document --will be invited to participate in "Segment B" of the September 16, 2015 Republican Presidential Primary Debate. In the event of a tie for 10th place, the tie-breaker will be an average of all qualifying polls released between August 26 and September 10. The second tie-breaker will be an average of all qualifying polling conducted in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada released between July 16 and September 10. 7a. In the event that there is a candidate (or candidates) polling in the top ten in qualifying polls between August 7 and September 10, but not polling in the top ten in polls between July 16 and September 10, that candidate (or candidates) will be added to the debate stage and will appear in "Segment B" of the debate. 8. Candidates who satisfy the criteria and achieve an average of at least one percent in three national polls, but are not ranked in the top 10 of polling order will be invited to participate in "Segment A" of the September 16, 2015 Republican Presidential Primary Debate. Polling Criteria Polling data will only be considered for live interviewer national polls sponsored by the following sources to determine eligibility for the September 16, 2015 Republican Presidential Primary Debate: ABC/The Washington Post, Bloomberg, CBS/The New York Times, CNN, FOX, Gallup, Marist, McClatchy, Monmouth University, NBC/The Wall Street Journal, Pew, Quinnipiac, USA Today, Time. For the second tie-breaker, qualifying polling includes all live interviewer polls in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada conducted by organizations listed above as well as those sponsored or conducted by Clemson University, the Des Moines Register, the Las Vegas ReviewJournal, the University of New Hampshire, the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Winthrop University. To determine eligibility, poll averages will not be rounded up or down to the , closest whole number.
They changed no rules. They added a completely separate second debate which had its own rules.
They had a rule that only the top ten would debate. 17 debated. The change was made at the last minute.
In the prime time debate.
There was to be no other debate. The GOP committee started taking heat because of the exclusion of seven, and then, lo, there was a debate added. They got an hour of free airtime and we know it changed things.
Was that in the "rules" or are you simply assuming that? Adding a second separate debate does not change the rules of the first debate.
Adding a second separate debate does not change the rules of the first debate. A change is a change. If Fox can change its rules, CNN can change theirs. http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/28/politics/fox-news-tweaks-second-debate-rules/ By Eric Bradner, CNN Washington (CNN)Fox News is making it easier for Republican presidential candidates who don't make the cut for the network's August 6 prime-time debate to get at least some attention in an earlier event. A network spokeswoman confirmed to CNN Tuesday that it is dropping the mandate that candidates earn at least 1% support in an average of the five most recent national polls in order to qualify for its 5 p.m. debate -- an appetizer before the main event, an evening debate for the top 10 highest polling candidates. Fox News executive vice president Michael Clemente first told Politico of the change, saying in a statement that it's due to "overwhelming interest" in the event. [snip] http://www.politico.com/story/2015/07/fox-republican-debate-lowers-threshold-120748 The change serves to guarantee the presence of candidates such as Lindsey Graham and Carly Fiorina. By Mike Allen Fox News is opening its 5 p.m. debate to all the announced Republican candidates who fail to make the cut for the Aug. 6 prime-time event, removing a requirement that participants reach at least 1 percent in polling. The change amounts to an insurance policy for candidates who were in danger of being disqualified from the vital first debate based on low polls – Carly Fiorina, former New York Gov. George Pataki and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). The announcement by Michael Clemente, Fox News Executive Vice President, News, means that all 16 announced candidates will qualify for Cleveland — either the 5 p.m. undercard, or the 9 p.m. main event. [snip] http://mediamatters.org/blog/2015/07/30/report-fox-debate-rules-generating-controversy/204687 Blog ››› July 30, 2015 12:46 PM EDT ››› OLIVER WILLIS New York magazine reports that Fox News' rules for the upcoming Republican presidential debate are generating considerable controversy among staffers at the network. Fox News has previously announced that the top 10 performers in national polls will qualify for the first debate, but the network has yet to provide clarity on which polls will be included in its tally. Fox has described their debate as the "Cleveland Primary." Supporters of candidates near the cutoff have been buying ad time on the network to reportedly increase their likelihood of qualifying for the debate. Gabriel Sherman writes in New York that "inside Fox, the debate is generating controversy among Ailes's senior ranks. "A Fox personality told the reporter that there is "total confusion" about the debate process, and accused Ailes and other executives of "making it up as they go along." Another personality described it as "crazy stuff" where "you have a TV executive deciding who is in -- and out -- of a debate." According to Sherman, advisers for Gov. John Kasich and Gov. Rick Perry "have taken to lobbying Ailes and Fox executives to use polls that put their guy over the line." A source close to the Perry campaign said that "GOP fund-raiser and Ailes friend Georgette Mosbacher recently called Ailes" on his behalf. Sherman notes that "Ailes is certainly hoping to produce the best television, which would give the unpredictable Perry the advantage." [snip]
Isn't politics filthy business? How do these people look themselves in the mirror daily?
Can't argue there. With a big smile, admiring how smart, powerful, and wonderful they are.
There are no replies to Comment # 56. End Trace Mode for Comment # 56.
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#8. To: Vicomte13 (#4)
TOLD YA SO!
#13. To: TooConservative (#8)
Your prophetic claims aside, I don't recall you making any such prediction.
#14. To: Vicomte13 (#13)
Back on the thread where people were screaming about "Changing the rules!" and how bad that was, I said from the get go that the rules would most certainly be changed to get Fiorina up on that stage, because she would be there to hit at Trump from a female perspective, and because she was the most interesting in the "Kid's Table".
#18. To: TooConservative (#14)
"It is relatively straightforward. CNN is simply weighting the qualifying polls toward more recent polls"
#19. To: misterwhite (#18)
They are NOW. But that wasn't the original criteria. And that's what's important.
#20. To: TooConservative (#19)
"However, those were only the "rules" for one debate."
#34. To: misterwhite, TooConservative (#20)
No. Fox News had rules for their debate. CNN had rules for their debate. And the CNN rules used the average of national polls dating from mid-July to September 10.
Candidate Criteria for September 16, 2015 CNN-Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Republican Presidential Primary Debate
#36. To: nolu chan (#34)
"Fox also changed the rules immediately before their debate and added 7 candidates and aired them in an additional debate before the main event."
#38. To: misterwhite (#36)
They changed no rules.
#41. To: nolu chan (#38)
"They had a rule that only the top ten would debate."
#44. To: misterwhite (#41)
In the prime time debate.
#50. To: nolu chan (#44)
"There was to be no other debate."
#51. To: misterwhite (#50)
Was that in the "rules" or are you simply assuming that?
Fox News tweaks debate rules, helps trailing candidates
Updated 8:53 PM ET, Tue July 28, 2015 Fox lowers threshold for early debate
07/28/15, 06:39 PM EDT
Updated 07/30/15, 10:49 AM EDT Report: Fox Debate Rules "Generating Controversy" Among Network's Staffers
#55. To: nolu chan (#51)
According to Sherman, advisers for Gov. John Kasich and Gov. Rick Perry "have taken to lobbying Ailes and Fox executives to use polls that put their guy over the line." A source close to the Perry campaign said that "GOP fund-raiser and Ailes friend Georgette Mosbacher recently called Ailes" on his behalf. Sherman notes that "Ailes is certainly hoping to produce the best television, which would give the unpredictable Perry the advantage."
#56. To: redleghunter (#55)
Isn't politics filthy business?
How do these people look themselves in the mirror daily?
Replies to Comment # 56.
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