I really don't buy into conspiracy theories, especially the ones that most of the very fervent Ron Paul supporters throw out, but this latest report on the New Hampshire debates even makes me wonder:

The roster of participants for ABC's back-to-back, prime-time Republican and Democratic debates Saturday in New Hampshire will be determined after results of Thursday's Iowa caucus become clear.

Fox, meanwhile, has invited five G.O.P. candidates to a forum with Chris Wallace scheduled for its mobile studio in New Hampshire on Sunday. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Senator John McCain of Arizona, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former Senator Fred Thompson of Tennessee received invites, leaving Paul of Texas and Representative Duncan Hunter of California on the sidelines.

The network said it had limited space in its studio - a souped-up bus - and that it invited candidates who had received double-digit support in recent polls.

In a nationwide poll conducted Dec. 14-20 by The Associated Press and Yahoo, Thompson had the support of 11 percent of G.O.P. voters and Paul was at 3 percent. Paul's support is at 6 percent in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll conducted in early December.

He raised $20 million in the 4th quarter, and $6.6 million in a single day.  Not only that, but in New Hampshire his polling much higher than nationally... polling at least 3rd place in that state, ahead of others who were invited.  What's the point of having state by state primaries if you're going to use national polls to weed out the crowd for a state election?  Why have primaries at all then?  Let's have a two cycle election, with one big national election where everyone can be on the ballot, and then a run-off of the top two.

If you bother to watch Fox News, it's amazing how they systematically ignore Ron Paul as well.  They will talk about every single candidate, except him, every single time during their round table coverage.  So I guess based on that "fair and balanced" coverage, I shouldn't be surprised.  Fox News may not like him, but as a media organization, it's not their call.  Obviously enough people like him, that he should be included, especially in the early primaries.  Otherwise, once again, what's the point?  The job of the primaries is to weed out one person from a small crowd.  The crowd shouldn't be weeded out before you even get there.