Jamie Burnett is still not happy with Fox News, even after the network announced Wednesday that it would be providing two separate debate forums for the growing field of Republican presidential candidates.
Burnett, a public relations professional, is the Republican activist in New Hampshire who sent out an open letter Wednesday calling on Fox News and the Republican National Committee to revise the format for the first GOP presidential primary debate. The letter was signed by dozens of activists, state party officials and representatives who argued that the decision to invite only the top 10 candidates based on recent polling put some of the serious contenders with less name recognition at a disadvantage.
The letter suggested an alternative format that would divide the GOP field into two panels that debate back-to-back. Each debate would feature a mix of top-tier and bottom-tier candidates.
Fox Executive Vice President Michael Clemente said in a statement after the letter came out that the network’s intention “has always been to provide coverage to the wide field of Republican candidates.”
He said in addition to the debate, there would be a 90-minute “candidate forum” for other candidates who are averaging above 1 percent in national polls. It will take place in the afternoon and is to be moderated by anchors Martha MacCallum and Bill Hemmer.
But Burnett said simply providing two venues is not enough.
“Fox News hosting varsity and junior varsity debates is not an improvement,” he told the Washington Examiner media desk on Thursday. “Since Fox is seemingly willing to allocate more time to this, then they should follow the suggestion made in the letter. With the addition of more time, there shouldn’t be an obstacle to using a blend of higher- and lower-polling candidates who are randomly divided over two back-to-back debates.”
Burnett said he was only speaking for himself and not for everyone who signed his letter.
Both the debate and the “candidate forum” are scheduled for Aug. 6.
