Rejection is tough to take, particularly when you don’t know why you are being rejected.

Gary Johnson was deeply wounded for being shunned by CNN as though he were invisible.

Despite his track record and declaration of his candidacy to run in the Republican presidential primaries, the former New Mexico governor was not invited to participate in CNN’s 90-minute GOP New Hampshire presidential debate broadcast on June 13.

Frankly, I don’t think Johnson missed much. But presidential contenders have to grab as much limelight as possible, especially when opponents are making hay at their expense.

Johnson, who has no federal political experience, had nevertheless met all the complex financial and filing criteria that should have won him inclusion in the debate.

He has been equal in the polls with some of the folks who appeared on CNN where presstitutes, the likes of moderator John King, allowed himself to be coerced into choreographing a journalistic disgrace when he diverted a 10-minute chunk of the debate into a nonsensical game-show atmosphere.

Presidential hopeful Johnson speculated on Fox’s Freedom Watch, just prior to CNN going on air from Manchester, New Hampshire, that he was likely glossed over because of what he has been saying.

For starters, he advocates “a government is best that governs least” and believes that government should empower individuals with the freedom to be the people they choose to be.

He believes in a government of limited behaviour; a government that stays within the confines of the constitution; a government that stays off the people’s backs–identical Libertarian Speak that Freedom Watch host Judge Napolitano espouses every night of the week.

“I vetoed bills all the time in New Mexico, saying ‘no’ to bigger government,” Johnson noted. “Is that the reason I’m being left off the stage? I’m agog. I’ve always believed in the system. And the system is cracking the door. Depending on my gumption, we make the most out of that cracked door…well, that cracked door is not cracked. It’s closed and it’s locked.”

Personally, I doubt that Johnson was excluded for his Libertarian persuasion, although CNN, a member of the Marxist mainstream media, likes neither Republicans nor Libertarians.

After those ignorant “this” or “that” questions that mocked Republicans and insulted the audience’s intelligence, I suspect the reason Gary Johnson wasn’t issued an invitation is because dumb CNN personnel didn’t know he was a presidential candidate.

Whereas the CNN jesters had no qualms about excluding Johnson, it seemed odd that Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor, WAS invited to participate. Yet the producer of Fox News program “Huckabee” had earlier announced he wasn’t running as U.S. presidential candidate.

Huckabee declined the invitation for the public debate, of course. But why was he on the invitation list? Either because an incompetent CNN researcher didn’t know that Huckabee was an undeclared presidential candidate, or maybe CNN was hand-picking seven candidates for a debate that was not strictly focused on bona fide presidential candidates.

Who knows?

Another oddity was Michele Bachmann, U.S. Representative for Minnesota, who might be a RINO (Republican In Name Only). While I was impressed with her enthusiasm to hold classes for politicians each morning to discuss the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence, she waffled over how she intended to vote on extending the draconian Patriot Act, an issue over which no self-respecting Republican politician should have been indecisive.

CNN invited Bachmann to New Hampshire, although at the relevant time she HAD NOT declared her intentions to join the presidential race. What kind of run around the end zone was that?

She did the declaration halfway through the show and was CNN’s choice for winner as the network tries to manipulate a weak candidate into position to face off with the low-in-the-the-polls Democratic opponent, U.S. President Barack Obama.

As usual, Ron Paul, a veteran U.S. Representative for Texas, was the decisive victor. But the Marxist mainstream media are sparse with Paul accolades and publicity.

Another oddity was Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 1990s. Somewhere in the political palaver he was said to have announced withdrawal from the race to throw support behind the Rick Perry camp.

That in itself is another oddity. The Democrat-turned-Republican Texas governor of over 10 years, swore on the Long Star State flag that he wasn’t running as a presidential candidate. “Ah’m Texahn,” he drawled. He must have experienced some kind of an epiphany. Yet Perry, like Johnson, wasn’t at a podium on June 13; Gingrich was.

How does that work in CNN’s grand scheme of guest selection? Damned if I know and neither did anybody else, least of all Gary Johnson and Judge Napolitano.

The sympathetic Judge asked if his Freedom Watch guest would be watching the debate airing later that night to which an emotional Johnson replied that he felt obligated to tape it, then answer the questions for posting on his Johnson 2012 website.

I hope he skipped the aggravating “this” and “that” part. Otherwise, he will have to speculate on what stupid, time-wasting question John King and his handlers could have possibly cooked up to bestow on him.

Ron Paul, a highly-popular, squeaky-clean veteran politician, believes deeply in private property rights and has never voted for a House bill that was unconstitutional, of which there are plenty coming out of Washington, D.C. He was asked if he prefers a “Blackberry” or an “iPhone”?

Paul hesitated in dismay before conceding Blackberry to which King hooted moronically “There we have it! Ron Paul prefers Blackberry”, as though the information was a long-lost piece of information that was extracted to give the audience deep insight into this intelligent man. Always a gentleman, the medical doctor would never give a sarcastically-tinged answer, such as: ‘I don’t use cell phones. Microwaves can cause brain cancer.’

Michele Bachman had a tough time making up her mind between “Elvis” or “Johnny Cash”. She did say she had “both” on her iPod which delighted King who whooped, “Now we know she uses an iPod!” I couldn’t have gone another day without knowing that Michele and I are sisters in sharing the common denominator as iPod owners.

Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator for Pennsylvania, had the right idea when asked if he preferred “Leno” or “Conan”? He said he watches neither. I would have answered the question with: “Who’s Leno? Who’s Conan?”

Newt Gingrich said “American Idol” was his preference to “Dancing with Stars”. Again, I would have asked: “What’s American Idol”? But it’s good to know that an unlikely presidential candidate is attuned to important trivia…unless he had to fudge it.

Neophyte Herman Cain, a “problem-solver”, as the Georgian identifies himself, has zippo political experience. The FED proponent and former Deputy Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City is former CEO of Godfather’s Pizza. It was fitting for the audience to learn that he prefers “deep dish” over “thin crust”.

I’m in huge agreement with Tim Pawlenty, former Minnesota governor, whose choice was “Coke” to “Pepsi”. After all, “Things Go Better With Coke”. Rum. I’m sure that enlightening information will help sway voters into sending Pawlenty “over the top” to the finals.

Mitt Romney, former Massachusetts governor, said he definitely prefers “spicy” over “mild” chicken wings, quickly sneaking in “Bruins up 4 to 0”, having taken the opportunity to check his carcinogenic cell phone during the previous station break.

Had Gary Johnson been present, what would he have been asked? Known for his opposition to the United States’ bombing Libya, he might have been called on to choose between “kinetic action” or “war” to which the contestant could have presented a reverse onus to the moderator: ”Do you prefer “cyanide” or the “guillotine”?

After this base and biased broadcast, CNN should hang its collective brainless head in shame and drop the slogan “The Most Trusted Name in News”.

Jane Gaffin
June 15, 2011