Rigged Against Trump: Presidential Debate Commission

The decision of the Presidential Debate Commission to hold two of the general election debates on nights that conflict with high profile NFL games — and their refusal to reconsider the scheduling — raises the question of pro-Hillary/anti-Trump bias on the Commission.

By deliberately setting the debate dates opposite highly popular football games, the Commission seems to be angling to cut the viewership of white males, a key voting groups generally supporting Trump, in a bid to reduce their interest in the election.

While theoretically bi-partisan, the Commission is currently dominated by high profile Hillary supporters and Republicans who oppose Donald Trump — elite insiders. So, in sum, it about as anti-Trump as a commission can get.

And the Commission also chooses the moderators for the debates. Look for a Hillary-friendly choice.

Take a look at some of the “non-partisan” members:

The two co-chairmen are Mike McCurry, Bill Clinton’s press secretary and Frank Fahrenkopf, who held the same post under Reagan. Sounds fair? Look closer. Fahrenkopf is 90 years old and well past his prime. His co-chair? Mike McCurry, 62, who remains a vigorous defender of the Clintons working especially hard to ward off negative stories.

When you check out the rest of the Commission’s board, it gets worse.

Honorary Chairman? Former President Jimmy Carter.

The Board also includes:

Paul Kirk, former Democratic National Chairman, a long-time aide to Ted Kennedy who took his Senate seat after his death.

Former journalist Charles Gibson who crucified Sarah Palin with sexist questions during her inaugural 2008 national television interview.

Howard G. Buffett, son of billionaire Warren Buffet, who has endorsed Hillary and worked with the Clinton Foundation and side by side with Hillary at the State Department’s Global Hunger Conference. His father has endorsed Hillary and recently campaigned for her.

Antonia Hernandez, a Scholar in Residence at the Clinton School of Public Service Center former president and general counsel of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), a national nonprofit litigation and advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Latinos.

And the Republicans are hardly Trump supporters or even neutral. Former Republican Senator John C. Danforth who publicly stated that he wants Donald Trump to leave the Republican Party.

Former Democratic Congresswoman Jane Harman who endorsed Hillary in 2008 and, as head of the Woodrow Wilson Institute, gave her an award.

John Griffen, hedge fund manager, who donated to both Obama and Romney, two Trump opponents.

Jim Lehrer, a noted but also liberal news commentator

Former Republican Senator Olympia Snow who said Trump is hurting the Republican brand.

Rockefeller Foundation head Richard Parsons who said Trump was not “presidential timber.”

Leon Panetta, former Clinton Chief of Staff, served on the board when the dates for these debates were set. Panetta, of course was Bill Clinton’s chief of Staff.

It’s very hard to see how Trump could ever get an even break from these members. And he didn’t.

Comment by clicking here.

Dick Morris, who served as adviser to former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) and former President Clinton, is the author of 16 books, including his latest, Screwed and Here Come the Black Helicopters.