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Open Debates NewsWire

For Trump-Clinton Debate, the Biggest Rules Are Secret

September 26th, 2016|Comments Off on For Trump-Clinton Debate, the Biggest Rules Are Secret

When Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton face off for their first debate on Monday, a strict set of rules are designed to govern the event. Besides the candidates themselves ...

There’s No Debate

September 19th, 2016|Comments Off on There’s No Debate

We had a humiliating sneak preview Sept. 7, when NBC’s celebrity interviewer Matt Lauer hosted a one-hour “Commander-in-Chief Forum” in which Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump spoke with Lauer ...

Break Up the Debate Monopoly

June 10th, 2016|Comments Off on Break Up the Debate Monopoly

Polls consistently reflect widespread public unease about either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton becoming president. The Commission of Presidential Debates should recognize that collective concern ...

End the Debate Cartel

May 31st, 2016|Comments Off on End the Debate Cartel

The Libertarian party nominated two respected former governors as their presidential ticket this weekend. But Gary Johnson and Bill Weld have little chance of becoming known to the American people ...

Open Debates on Television

Read the Book

No DebateIn No Debate, George Farah charges that the Commission on Presidential Debates operates as an arms-length organ of the two major parties, facilitating the exclusion of challenging formats and third-party candidates from the presidential debates. The work of the Commission amounts to an institutional rigging of the electoral process that degrades our democracy and signals worrying bipartisan contempt for transparency and competition.

General Election

The Problem

The presidential debates are the most important election events in the United States. Unfortunately, they often fail to live up to their potential because the major parties exert excessive control over them.
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What is the CPD?

The Commission on Presidential Debates claims to be a nonpartisan organization. But it was created by and for the Republican and Democratic parties and often submits to their nominees’ wishes.
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Secret Contracts

Every four years, negotiators for the Republican and Democratic nominees meet behind closed-doors to draft secret contracts that dictate key terms of the presidential debates.
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Candidate Exclusion

The Commission on Presidential Debates routinely excludes third-party and independent candidates that a majority of Americans want included in the presidential debates.
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Controlled Formats

Major party candidates seek to avoid unpredictable questions and unscripted debate. As a result, they handpick moderators and require the pre-screening of questions during town-hall debates.
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Corporate Sponsorship

Under the CPD’s sponsorship, presidential debates have been primarily financed by private corporations. The most generous contributor has been Anheuser-Busch.
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Debate Monopoly

The CPD maintains a monopoly over the presidential debates. The major party candidates enter into contracts that prohibit them from participating in any debates except those sponsored by the CPD.
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The Solution

Six reforms are necessary to ensure that the general election presidential debates adequately serve the public interest, rather than the political interests of the major parties.
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Primary Election

The Problem

Historically, primary debates have been inclusive and abundant. But the major parties have recently imposed antidemocratic restrictions on the number of primary debates and who can participate in them.
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Candidate Exclusion

Viable candidates – including Congressmen and Governors – have been illogically excluded from primary debates on the basis of polls conducted long before voters have had a chance to hear from them.
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Too Few Debates

The major parties have recently imposed sharp limitations on the number of primary debates. Candidates who attempt to participate in additional debates are subject to punishment by the major parties.
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The Solution

The major parties should ensure that all viable candidates are included in the initial round of primary debates and that a sufficient number of primary debates are held for voters to knowledgeably elect nominees.
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