“Let’s have an honest debate on the debates”

Larry Diamond and David King in The Hill.

Political debates matter. They can alter the course of a campaign, propel a candidate or an idea, and provide voters an unfiltered window into how potential leaders handle tough situations. For the last six months, there has been a significant conversation over the state of the general election presidential debates and the role that the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) plays in maintaining the two-party duopoly that is so fiercely protected by the Republican and Democratic parties.

From the first moments of this conversation, the debate over the debates has been characterized by misinformation from the CPD in order to make it appear to be a nonpartisan organization. Perhaps they should be renamed the Commission on Partisan Debates.

In particular, there are three untruths that the CPD is perpetuating that, in order for there to be an honest debate over the inclusion of a non-major party candidate, must be dispelled.

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