Petition: Equitable Time For All Candidates Participating In CNN/YouTube Debates

We’ve covered all the presidential debates so far and something that has always frustrated us is the fact that there is such a huge disparity between in the amount of time that the individual candidates receive.  In some debates some candidates have received 3 times as much speaking time their opponents in the same debate!

Accordingly, we’ve decided to take action and have created a petition that we plan on delivering to CNN and YouTube prior to the first debate (which is being held on July 23, 2007).  The petition simply calls for them to reduce the time disparity by pledging to provide equitable time to all participating candidates.

Enough is enough.  Together we can maximize the utility of these debates by demanding that all candidates be allowed to express their viewpoints in a somewhat comparable way. 

Read the petition here.
Don’t want to read it and just want to sign? Go here.

Please spread the word about this effort to ehance presidential debates. 

Text of the petition:

Petition For Comparable Time Distribution For All Candidates In CNN/YouTube Debates

[Organized by 2008Central.net]

This petition is to request that the presidential candidates participating in the CNN/YouTube Debates receive comparable time allotments.

Thus far this election cycle, there have been 5 presidential debates: 3 Republican primary debates (hosted by MSNBC, Fox News and CNN) and 2 Democratic primary debates (hosted by MSNBC and CNN). In all of these debates, the participating candidates were not offered equitable time allotments.

In both of CNN’s previously hosted debates, some candidates were allotted as much as 3 times more speaking time than some of their rivals in the same debate. In the CNN Republican primary debate, John McCain received more than 11 minutes, while his rivals Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter and Tommy Thompson barely 5 received minutes. In the CNN Democratic primary debate, Barack Obama was offered more than 15 minutes of speaking time, which was 2 to 3 times more than his rivals Joe Biden, Dennis Kucinich, Bill Richardson and Mike Gravel received.

By extending an invitation to these candidates to participate in a debate, CNN, and other hosts networks, are recognizing these individuals as legitimate contenders in the presidential election. Accordingly, participating candidates should receive comparable time allotments. Otherwise, why invite them to participate in the first place?

Equitable distribution of time amongst all candidates participating in these debate is not only a matter of fairness, it is necessary to ensure that these debates are informative and useful. The absence of comparable time allotments reduces the value of discourse that should accompany a debate with such large groups and diverse opinions.

All candidates, deemed legitimate by virtue of receiving an invitation, should be treated as such and thereby offered equitable time. We request that the hosts of the CNN/YouTube debate pledge to reduce the enormous gaps in time allotments that have so far plagued these debates by offering all participating candidates comparable time allotments.

This petition will be delivered to CNN and YouTube on July 19, 2007 (prior to the first debate on July 23, 2007), but in order for it to have any effect, we need your help. Please sign this petition and spread the word.

URLs for time allotments from previous debates:

• CNN Republican Primary Debate (6/5/07)
• CNN Democratic Primary Debate (6/3/07)
• MSNBC Republican Primary Debate (5/3/07)

Confirmed or expected candidates in the CNN/YouTube Debates…

Democratic Candidates
Joe Biden
Hillary Clinton
Chris Dodd
John Edwards
Mike Gravel
Dennis Kucinich
Barack Obama
Bill Richardson

Republican Candidates (not confirmed yet)
Sam Brownback
Rudy Giuliani
Jim Gilmore
Mike Huckabee
Duncan Hunter
John McCain
Ron Paul
Mitt Romney
Tom Tancredo
Fred Thompson
Tommy Thompson

Sign this petition today!