CBS shamefully shafted Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul in the foreign policy debate

There was no excuse for CBS virtually blacking out Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul from the Saturday evening debate. The inadvertently released email from CBS's John Dickerson essentially suggesting Bachmann disappear from the debate was appalling. The mere seconds given to Ron Paul, who has important positions on foreign affairs that deserve a hearing, and who served in the military and deserved better, was equally appalling.

I believe Scott Pelley, the new CBS evening news anchor, is trying — to his credit — to make the broadcast more serious. And I believe Major Garrett of National Journal is an excellent reporter. But what happened in the debate Saturday evening was flat-out inexcusable.

It is not the place of those who cover presidential candidates as journalists to censor those candidates they do not respect or like. It is their job to present voters and viewers with a full choice and diversity of opinion rather than tell viewers whom they are allowed to watch, and whom they are allowed to vote for.

On this one CBS news was wrong. Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul are right. Every viewer and every voter deserved better.