Debate shenanigans in Maine

 

 

After being invited into four US Senate debates, the Portland TV station WMTW decided to exclude Independent candidates Lisa Savage and Max Linn from the final debate.  The reason?  The stations corporate legal counsel (based in North Carolina) stated that neither of the two were 'newsworthy'.

Most debate watchers felt that Lisa won most (if not all) of the previous debates because she: (1) answered the questions (2) didn't engage in blistering negative attacks throughout like the Republican Susan Collins and the Democrat Sara Gideon routinely did (3) had the courage to actually stand for something rather than beating around the edges (Medicare4All, demilitarized Green New Deal and much more).

My guess is that one of the major political parties (if not both) had someone make a call to the Hearst Corporation which owns WMTW-TV and urged them to dump Savage and Linn.  

 

 

One can only wonder.  Why kick them out of the last debate unless internal polling for the two major party candidates was showing that one or both of the Independents were cutting into their votes?  Could we call this corporate intrusion into the electoral process?  Forget about the Russians - this is home town election rigging!

I grew up on military bases going to schools run by the Pentagon.  I was spoon fed all the patriotic stuff about democracy, the sacredness of the vote, the value of an educated citizenry and more.  And I internalized all of it and now in my adult life I expect to have a fair and untampered with election for the US Senate in Maine.

I think of the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858 that most of us were taught were the epitome of democracy in action. Today our nation bombs countries around the world to 'bring them this democracy and rule of law'.  

So I don't easily swallow this tampering with Maine's Senate debate just so they can ensure their two corporate backed candidates (Sara Gideon has now raised $69.5 million for this race) come out on top.

If you feel like calling WMTW to urge them to include Lisa in their US Senate debate tonight, here are their direct lines:

 

• WMTW President and General Mgr. Dave Abel: (207) 835-3880
• WMTW President's Assistant Stephanie Robinson:(207) 835-3771
• WMTW News Director Amy Beveridge: (207) 835-3808

Lisa plans to attempt to enter the debate this evening (station located in Westbrook).  We'll see how the corporate masters handle this one.

Bruce