NY1 Silences Debate

Refuses to allow Clinton challenger Tasini in television primary debate
"There is a heated debate among Democrats about the direction of the party, with centrist party stalwarts facing challenges from the left on issues like the Iraq War. But New York City voters will have a more difficult time seeing this debate play out, as New York City cable news channel NY1 (which is owned by Time Warner) has blocked the anti-war Democratic challenger Jonathan Tasini from a primary race debate against incumbent Sen. Hillary Clinton."

"In a statement (Village Voice, 8/2/06), the channel said it had "established criteria to identify which candidates would be invited to participate" in the debates: poll at least 5 percent and have spent and/or raised $500,000."

"In a recent Marist poll (7/19/06), Tasini stood at 13 percent, but his campaign has only raised $150,000."

"By contrast, Tom Suozzi, seeking the Democratic nomination for governor of New York, is less popular with voters—at only 9 percent in a recent poll (NY1.com, 7/24/06)—but he was included in NY1's July 25 gubernatorial debate, having spent over $6 million on his campaign (Ithaca Journal, 6/26/06)."

- Vox