Clinton, Edwards Plot to Oust Colleagues from Debates

Washington, DC (TLS). Unaware that a Fox News microphone was open and the tape was rolling, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards were heard scheming to oust certain of their Democratic colleagues from future debates.

Upon hearing the news that Clinton and Edwards were plotting to exclude some of the contenders, campaign aides for Democratic Representative Dennis Kucinich expressed outrage over the secret plan.

The exchange took place at a political forum in Michigan, which included Democrats Clinton, Edwards, Kucinich, Barack Obama, Bill Richardson, Chris Dodd, Joe Biden, Mike Gravel, and Republican Congressman Tom Tancredo.

At one point Edwards turned to Clinton and said in a low voice, 'We should try to have a more serious and a smaller group.'

Clinton agreed and stated, 'We've got to cut the number. They're not serious.'

Hillary further stated that the Clinton and Edwards campaigns had already tried to limit the number of participants, and that 'we've gotta get back to it.'

It is difficult to comprehend how Edwards can consider himself a 'serious' contender given his fundraising woes of late and his plummeting poll numbers. The only true top contenders at the moment among the Democrats are Clinton and Obama.

Even so, it is nonetheless highly presumptive of any of the candidates at this point to attempt to limit debate so early in the campaign. Under normal conditions, a Presidential campaign doesn't get started in earnest until the winter of the election year, which in this case would be January of 2008. And even then it is normally early enough for ALL of those seeking their Party's nomination to be hitting the campaign trails, doing interviews, and taking part in debates.

Only as the primaries are held in late winter and early spring does the weeding out process begin.

No doubt this year is very different, given the fact that all of the major primaries have been moved up. This has forced everything to an earlier schedule. Even so, it is the height of arrogance on the part of Edwards and Clinton to merely think about excluding anyone at this stage. The elitist snobbery of such a thing is mind-boggling.

After all, the first primary is still six months away.