The Nevada state Democratic party has pulled the plug on a presidential debate that was to be broadcast by Fox News after a cryptic joke by Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes set off an uproar among the party faithful nationally. At an awards dinner, Ailes remarked, "It is true Barack Obama is on the move. I don't know if it's true that President Bush called Musharraf and said, 'Why can't we catch this guy?'" Some Democrats quickly charged that Ailes was attempting to link Obama to terrorism, while Ailes defenders pointed out that the joke seemed aimed at President Bush and suggested that the president might not be able to differentiate "Osama" from "Obama." It might also have referred to the embarrassing caption, "Where's Obama?" that appeared on CNN during a recent report about the hunt for bin Laden. In a letter sent by fax and email to Fox News political producer Marty Ryan, Nevada State Democratic Chairman Tom Collins and U.S. Senator Harry Reid wrote, "Comments made last night by Fox News President Roger Ailes in reference to one of our presidential candidates went too far. We cannot, as good Democrats, put our party in a position to defend such comments. FNC Vice President David Rhodes shot back, "News organizations will want to think twice before getting involved in the Nevada Democratic Caucus which appears to be controlled by radical fringe out-of-state interest groups, not the Nevada Democratic Party." In light of his comments, we have concluded that it is not possible to hold a Presidential debate that will focus on our candidates and are therefore canceling our August debate."




12/03/2007