Demoted Rand Paul Boycotts Debate, Declares ‘War’ on ‘Arbitrary, Capricious’ Standards

[brooklynite]

Source: New York Magazine

Fox Business Network has announced the lineup for Thursday's GOP debate, and while Rand Paul managed to argue his way onto the main stage in the past, he's finally been demoted to the undercard debate. However, we won't see the Kentucky senator sticking it to the other weaker candidates because, as promised, he's decided to throw a tantrum instead.

Weeks ago, Fox Business Network declared that it would be cutting the number of candidates on the main stage from "a ridiculous amount" to "a lot"; only those who topped an average of the five most recent national polls, or five recent polls from Iowa or New Hampshire, would be invited to participate. The network predicted that would cut the debate down to six candidates, but John Kasich was saved by his strong numbers in New Hampshire. He'll be joined on the main stage by Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, Marco Rubio, Ben Carson, Chris Christie, and Jeb Bush.

Paul and Carly Fiorina were invited to debate "kid's table" regulars Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum earlier in the evening, but Paul is not having it. "I think they’ve made a mistake," he told the Washington Post. "I'm not willing to accept a designation as a minor campaign. We've raised $25 million. We've gotten on the ballot on every state. It's kind of ridiculous to arbitrarily rate the campaigns based on national polling."

When asked if he thinks his supporters will be upset about his decision to entirely forgo a national TV appearance, he said they're already fed up with the "arbitrary, capricious polling standard" imposed by the media. "It won't take much for our supporters to understand why we're doing this," Paul explained. "You want war? We'll give it to you."

Read more: http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/01/rand-paul-gets-debate-demotion-declares-war.html#

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How interesting that when OTHER candidates got relegated to the kiddie table, Rand didn't complain about ‘Arbitrary, Capricious’ Standards

[JonLeibowitz]

1. Brooklynite, it makes perfect sense: Rand is so very Randian

[Reter]

2. He's got a partial point

He's polling higher than John Kasich. Why did he make the main debate?

[brooklynite]

3. You could get it if you had 5%+ in Iowa or New Hampshire.

[Jim__]

4. Kasich's polling average in New Hampshire is 11.2%.

Source

New Hampshire polling average is one of the qualifying criteria for the debate.

[groundloop]

5. Rand should definitely pursue an Independent campaign

[reddread]

7. im sure many will

this will be an entertaining GE

[yellowcanine]

6. Well Rand is a whiny little wiener but he does have a point.

I do love the kid's table metaphor though but if it were truly a kid's table Donald Trump would be sitting at the head of it and throwing food at the adult table.

[AleksS]

8. Of course:

Of course:

"when OTHER candidates got relegated to the kiddie table, Rand didn't complain about ‘Arbitrary, Capricious’ Standards"

He's GOP, or in other acronyms, FYIGM.

You see it all the time on the right. They Laugh at the folks they call "losers" who lose their homes or jobs, right up until the GOPer falls on hard times. Then it's a different story.

A complete failure to empathize , or even consider "dang, that could happen to me!"

Everyone else getting screwed-over is awesome, as long as it's affecting just someone else. The world could burn, and to the GOP that's great as long as they get to turn a buck. But the moment their pinky gets singed, OMG IT'S THE WORST THING EVAH! IT'S WAR!

Speaking of, what's with everything being a war? War on marriage, war on Christmas, now the war on Rand Paul's debate status?

[padfun]

9. Really?

When asked if he thinks his supporters will be upset about his decision to entirely forgo a national TV appearance, he said they're already fed up with the "arbitrary, capricious polling standard" imposed by the media.

So, all three supporters are fed up?

[PeoViejo]

10. Why is JEB still in the debates...

I would love to see Poppy Bush live long enough to be witness to his legacy going down the shitter.

[beveeheart]

13. I want to see that too.

[ProfessorGAC]

11. I Can Think Of Little Greater Capricious Standard,

than the one that allows someone to "inherit" a place in national politics because of who their daddy is.

There is no way this guy gets the irony of his statement.

[Babel_17]

12. Let's see if anyone is smart enough to appease his diehard supporters

Hard to imagine that Trump or Cruz don't have staffers who can smell an opportunity to pick up an extra percentage point or two when Paul finally has to call it quits.

I can imagine Trump blasting Jeb! as actually being the weakest, his funding aside, and in need of removing his offending weakness, and low energy, off the stage. Cruz, like Paul, has been arguing against all that surveillance power in Democratic hands.

So I wouldn't be surprised to see either offer some objections.

[apnu]

14. Waaah! Rand cries because he can't make the cut.

Suck it Rand, your mystical-hand-of-the-free-market just bitch slapped you. Deal with it or get out.

[keithbvadu2]

15. RP whines about ‘Arbitrary, Capricious’ Standards

when he had to make his own medical board because he was afraid he could not re-qualify in his own field.