Meet Your Debate Sponsors!

That's right -- from the people who wiretap your phones and are praying for a government bailout comes the TOTALLY fair and nonpartisan vice presidential debate!

Of course, this isn't your League of Women Voters, tired, outdated debate! This baby is organized by the Commission on Presidential Debates, the group run by Paul Kirk (D), who has lobbied on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry, and Frank Fahrenkopf (R), the nation's leading gambling lobbyist.

But since Kirk is a Democrat and Fahrenkopf is a Republican, the Commission HAS to be nonpartisan, right? Well, it is, unless of course you're a candidate representing Independents, or the Green party, or you're poor, or anti-corporation. Then you can't get into the debates to save your life.

A lot of fuss has been raised over the impartiality of tonight's moderator, Gwen Ifill. Yet, no one is examining the larger bias of tonight's debates toward the interest of corporations. Ifill may have reflected certain biases toward the Obama camp in the past, but the ENTIRE debates are being run by an organization funded by corporations like Anheuser-Busch.

Where is the outrage over this bias toward corporations? Where is the outrage that the previously unbiased League of Women Voters was ousted in favor of the Commission on Presidential Debates that effectively hijacked the democratic process in favor of cronyism and corporate cash?

Joe and Sarah have agreed to answer questions with responses no longer than two minutes to prevent embarrassing gaffes. Many similar agreements are hashed out between the parties pre-debate, behind closed doors. No one really knows what the Democratic-Republican debate contract looks like because the contract is not available to the public.

While these arrangements surely benefit the parties, they harm the American people, who aren't likely to receive much information during the short two-minute window. Two minutes is enough time to repeat a stump speech, or deliver a sample audience-tested zinger, but it's hardly adequate time to explain economic or foreign relations platforms.

Since AT&T is one of the sponsors, what is the likelihood that topics like FISA and telecom immunity will be breached? Because Wachovia is other other sponsor, will Gwen ask about the failure of the Free Market and Deregulation? Surely, no moderator in their right mind will bring up the corporate sponsorship of our elections during a debate SPONSORED by the very corporations that are taking over America.

Sounds like some good, old-fashioned aggressive moderating to me!

Follow Allison Kilkenny on Twitter: www.twitter.com/allisonkilkenny

Comments

[WorkingClass]

Thanks Allison. The very fact of the existence of this "debate" is proof that we are a nation of sheep. We are supposed to believe that we are participating in this "election". Bah!

I never said *Bah!* before. Now I feel pompous and self-righteous. I think I like it.

Keep up the good work Allison. Bah!

[pshelleyg]

It's not just corporate control. We need to talk about how Ms. Ifill got railroaded by the McCain campaign into throwing softballs at the debate on the basis of her race. The pre-debate suggestion was that any tough questions, ones "off script," directed to Palin would show Ifill's pro-Obama prejudice. It worked. The questions were all pretty insipid and generic.

[OliverHouston]

Now, now - be fair: you all know that questioning the power of corporations is Anti-American!

You must all be Communists­/terrorist­s (delete as applicable). Now shut up and switch the shopping channel back on.

;-)

[Yankeegirl1958]

Good article.

[LesserOf2Evils]

Good article Alison.

So many people are just going through the motions on this election. Pretending the whole ritualized dance somehow makes a difference because it comforts them.
The debates are just part of this elaborate sham, brought to us by the corporations who own the game. Their two pre approved candidates will fight about abortion, gay marriage, Jesus, and other wedge issues while all the important stuff is ignored.

It seems like lots of people from both parties who have foolishly played this game for years are waking up, waking up angry.
Third parties, peaceful protest, and courage will be required to change this game.

[tbone99]

So all Palin has to do is hem and haw vaguely til her time is up.
By preventing the participation of third party candidates. Americans are 'protected" from any new ideas coming anywhere near them.

How can we even call these two parties the opposing parties - they BOTH supported to bailout Wall St. .
That is so telling.

[runswithscissors]

We've got a better chance of seeing W. on TV praising Charles Darwin than we do of hearing one question, thoughout this entire charade of an election season, hinting that corporate control over our lives could be even mildly detrimental. The presidency was bought and paid for a long time ago, now the only decision is between the red model or the blue one.