Democrats Fear Debate Sponsor Bias Will Undermine Their Message
Lets clear up some facts about the calls to oust Fox News and Fox News Radio from the Nevada Presidential Debate:

• Roger Ailes joked: "It is true that Barack Obama is on the move. I don't know if its true that President Bush called {Pakastani president Pervez} Musharraf and said: Why can't we catch this guy?" The butt of this joke was President Bush. The similarity in names between Obama and Osama is obvious and Ailes is playing on the long running joke about Bush's incompetence by suggesting he doesn't recognize the difference.
• The controversial August Presidential debate, to be held in Nevada, will be a debate amongst only the Democratic candidates for President. There will be no Republican with whom Fox could side.
• All of the coverage of the debate will be of Democrats. (As there doesn't appear to be a conservative Democratic candidate at this point, it may be difficult to slant the coverage towards the conservative candidate.)
• Moderators have the opportunity to influence debate through their selection of questions. Sponsors simply fork over money to allow the debate to take place, in hopes they benefit from the publicity.
• Fox News Radio is quickly becoming a major player in the distribution of news to major radio affiliates -one would think Democrats would want to get their message out to as many listeners as possible. (Plus I am pretty sure that every news source in the area will be fawning over the candidates and their performances immediately following the debate.)
• Fox News Channel is clearly the most powerful cable news network so an alliance to promote the debate is a sound business decision. http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/default.asp
  

In regards to the joke in question, I am guessing George Bush chuckled when he heard the comment because he gets the game. On the other hand, liberals, including John Edwards, are now calling for a boycott of an August debate in Nevada because Roger Ailes, who won't be moderating the debate, made a joke about Obama. Sticks and stones, people.

This is clearly a political move to appease the ultra-left moveon.org group and fuel their grassroots base. Do liberals actually believe the Nevada State Democratic Party and the Western Majority Project, led by Janet Napolitano and Harry Reid, are so inept they will be unable to work with Fox to prevent any possible bias? I for one hope this is true but am surprised Democrats would openly admit such a thing.

On Edwards: the all-powerful trial lawyer, based on skill-set alone, should be able to hold his own in a debate with all comers. (Those of us who debate know that good debaters can argue ANY position effectively.) Come on John, I would think you would be saying "Bring it on" to show your strength in this sort of forum.

Finally, lets just revisit the 2004 presidential debates between all candidates:

A nationally respected moderator: Jim Lehrer- PBS
A political lefty: Charlie Gibson- ABC
A representative of CBS, the network that aired the faked Bush military memo via Dan "Duped" Rather: Bob Schieffer

Republicans know they face moderators who often slant questions to support liberal positions. Conservatives accept the fact that any media venue they enter will be heavily influenced by a liberal viewpoint. They may comment on this obvious bias but they don't whine and they don't boycott debates.

Conservatives know that our ideas are simply better and no debate sponsor, or moderator, can negate that truth.