Topic: Presidential Commission

The hosts examine the leadership of the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD), noting that it is chaired by Howard G. Buffett, son of Warren Buffett. They list other board members, including former politicians Jane Harman and Olympia Snowe, and argue the organization is a "stacked deck" designed to exclude third-party candidates like Jill Stein. This follows Stein's recent criticisms of the commission's non-partisan status.

Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson has filed an antitrust lawsuit against the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) for excluding third-party candidates. The hosts report that several sponsors, including Philips Electronics and the YWCA, have withdrawn support for the debates due to their bipartisan rather than nonpartisan nature. They recount the history of the League of Women Voters withdrawing sponsorship in 1988 after the major parties attempted to control the debate format.

Representative Ron Paul stood as the lone vote against HR 5481, arguing that subpoena power for the investigation into the British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon oil spill should belong to a Congressional committee rather than a Presidential commission. Critics suggest the current structure allows for a lack of transparency similar to the 9/11 Commission.