In May, The Spoof Web site ran an article entitled, “Ron Paul Excluded from Future Debates” in which the national GOP chairman “said”:

“These debates are intended as a means for people to get a look at the candidates, evaluate their positions, and make an informed decision in the primaries based upon the facts and issues as we outline them,” [Mel Martinez] explained. “We can not allow low tiered candidates with contrary positions to pollute the discussions with arbitrary issues such as the constitution, liberty, and limited government.”

Funny, right? It would be ridiculous to exclude a well-funded credible candidate before a single vote was cast, right?

Apparently not. Ron Paul has been excluded from what will likely be the last candidate forum before the New Hampshire primaries. This after having raised $19 million in the current quarter.

Reason’s David Weigel is tracking the Paulites (Paulistas?) in New Hampshire. I’m sure he’ll offer some insight when more information about the debate is made known. “Big Dog” offers a few thoughts.

Fun tidbit: The chairman of the New Hampshire GOP, Fergus Cullen (e-mail: fergus@nhgop.org), wrote an essay his senior year at Yale entitled “Reagan Delayed: The 1976 New Hampshire Presidential Primary.”

I’d love to read it.