Edwards potentially awkward Move concerning the Fox Debates in Nevada

[illinoisprogressive]

A POTENTIALLY AWKWARD MOVE. I'd like to revise and extend my remarks on John Edwards and the Nevada Fox News debate, as I've just received new information that casts Edwards' decision in a rather different light.

Later this week, the Congressional Black Caucus Political Education and Leadership Institute plans to announce two debates in concert with Fox News, according to a source familiar with the negotiations, which have apparently been going on for weeks. The CBC Institute previously worked with Fox on a 2003 Democratic presidential primary debate in Baltimore.

"Both CNN and Fox have presented the Institute with two great proposals and at some point in the coming days we will be making an announcement," she said Candice Tolliver, a consultant working with the CBC Institute on the debates, adding that the Institute's plans are not final.

If the CBC Institute does go forward with Fox News, it will mean a couple of things:

First, while MoveOn and the netroots can go after the Nevada Democratic Party without alienating anyone except Nevada Democrats (one of whom, it should be noted, is the Senate Majority Leader), it is going to be much harder for the largely white netroots to go after the CBC Institute for its debate partner without setting up a very unpleasant intra-party clash between constituency groups, thereby bringing smiles of delight to Fox News and its viewers.

Second, no further candidates will drop out of the Nevada debate for the time being, at the risk of alienating the CBC Institute and losing access to its debates, and to audiences of black voters who will be electoral heavy-weights in the primaries.

And, third -- and again, this is if the CBC Institute picks Fox -- either Edwards has now shut himself out of the CBC Institute debates, one of which will likely target a Southern audience he needs, or he will have to reverse course on his decision to avoid Fox News debates this cycle.

All this, of course, is contigent on the final CBC Institute decision and announcement. It does, however, explain why the other Democratic presidential candidates have yet to announce their decisions about the Nevada debate, and instead said they will decide within a few days. It's not that they are slow or afraid of being leaders. They've been waiting for the CBC Institute to make its final decisions and announcement before giving a public answer to the netroots, in order to avoid alienating allies.

UPDATE: Well, that was ahead of schedule: Daily Kos takes on the CBC.

http://www.prospect.org/weblog/

[madfloridian]

1. I will say it.

The CBC should not align themselves with Fox News at all. Period.

Not for a presidential debate for the Democratic primaries.

If the CBC wants its members to go on Fox, fine and dandy.

I say good for Edwards. He took a tough stand without equivocating.

[illinoisprogressive]

2. Look, I'm not taking sides. It's a story I thought you supporters should have

a heads up on. Just trying to help

[madfloridian]

5. I am not a supporter of anyone yet.

I like Edwards, but no decision yet.

I just read about the CBC thing earlier. They had the debate in 2003 with Fox in which Hume said Dean had a racist gun policy...huh? And in which Larouche supporters nearly yelled them off stage.

I don't think we should legitimize them by having presidential debates there.

[bigtree]

3. yea, because the CBC is just playing into the man's hands

damn them for thinking the candidates would have the most control over the message.

[madfloridian]

6. I am simpleminded. Explain your comment.

.

[bigtree]

7. who cares if FOX holds the debates? The candidates will have control over the message

The CBC isn't naive. They know FOX has an audience which is more than just limpballs. I think it's a mistake to think we couldn't hold our own in that forum, which is a fraction of the total planned.

[madfloridian]

8. BENNETT: ... "and eight mostly white, mostly dull people."

This is the commentary on Fox after the 2003 debate. Digby put up the transcript at Hullaballoo.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1167

Here's what Digby's opinion about it was:

"Let's be clear here. Fox news likes to host Democratic debates in order to maintain the fiction they are an unbiased network. But they also format them in such a way as to send plenty of coded, rightwing messages to their viewers, the most hardcore Republicans in the nation.

Fox News particularly likes to host the Congressional Black Caucus debates for the express purpose of riling and entertaining the racist Republican pigs who watch their network, on behalf of the Republican Party. I know how they're received --- I watched that one in the company of a racist Republican and he got the message loud and clear.

There is more. Bill Bennett was their main go to guy.

BENNETT: "But I think, in terms of the larger picture, Sean, the more serious point is, if Al Gore and Hillary were watching, if the DLC, the Democratic Leadership Council, was watching, they have to say somebody there may get the nomination, but nobody there tonight..."

..."BILL BENNETT, EMPOWER AMERICA: There wasn't a lot of gravitas, I guess you'd say. I think that would be fair.

...."HANNITY: I agree.

BENNETT: ... and eight mostly white, mostly dull people."

It is interesting. I had not seen it because I don't watch Fox news.

[saltpoint]

4. I'm inclined against FOX News no matter what after their abysmal record

of smearing our party.

Edwards is right. FOX deserves a slap in the face after all it has dished out in the name of "balanced" news these last several years.