Christy Matthews had a panel discussion with some other blowhards tonight, Chuck Todd, undercover GOP establishment figure Howard Kurtz, and some dame from New York Magazine named Jennifer Senior. This small establishment blowhards' convention wished out loud that some of the lower tier candidates would be kept of out the GOP and Democratic debates. Senior went so far as to call Ron Paul a 'deadbeat' because this so-called minor candidate was getting free coverage by being included in the debates. I tuned in during the middle of this East Coast establishment gabfest, which I assume was precipitated by Sen. Brownback's withdrawal from the Presidential sweepstakes. No doubt this group of New York City and Washington, DC pundits wish for a subway series Presidential election starring Hilary and Rudy, and screw the rest of them.
Now I am not one of those frothing lunatics who jam C-SPAN's Washington Journal switchboards just for the privilege of uttering Dr. Paul's name. I'm a New Deal liberal who is against most of what Paul is proposing. I also admit that I am going to miss Sen. Brownback, a pro-lifer who gave some indication that he cared about the welfare of people after they were born. Democrats Kucinich and Gravel don't have a chance of winning, but those two have kept me awake during Democratic debates, just like Paul has kept me awake during the GOP debates. Paul may be ten years older than Fred Thompson, but he talks as if he's 30 years younger than the Tennessee Titan.
I also am dismayed by the establishment heads' denigration of so-called second tier candidates. Matthews' rationale for trimming the debate panels is that guys like Tancredo and Gravel never will become President. Matthews doesn't realize that these candidates keep the 'top tier' honest and on their toes. If Matthews gets his wish and Ron Paul is dropped from the next GOP debate panel, then it is only fair that Sen. McCain, who raised less money last quarter than Dr. Paul, should be dropped as well!