Harvard professor says he’d equal ratings for CNN debate

Democratic presidential candidate Lawrence Lessig argued Friday that his presence on the debate stage Oct. 13 could be a ratings boost for CNN.

The Harvard professor and former tech advocate, who is making an unorthodox bid focused on campaign finance, has struggled to register support in polls and has been left out in others. But as he struggles to qualify for the debate, he made a Donald Trump-style argument that he could bring contrast to a Democratic field that is in agreement on many policy issues.  

{mosads}“If I were in the rating department of CNN, and asking what’s the thing that’s going to make the spark that makes it interesting for people to stay tuned to this debate, I would think that certainly having me on the stage would rank high in that,” he told The Hill, while speaking more broadly about the Democratic Party’s frosty reception to his entry. 

Lessig has so far failed to meet CNN’s criteria to be included on the stage: reaching 1 percent support in three national polls in the past month. 

Though he raised $1 million in the 30 days before announcing a run, Lessig has failed to sustain that momentum. He spoke at the New Hampshire Democratic Party State Convention late last month, along with all the other Democratic candidates. But nearly five hours into the convention, only a few dozen people remained in their seats to hear Lessig give one of the final speeches of the day. 

CNN’s Oct. 13 debate will be the first of the Democratic primary. The two previous GOP debates, on Fox and CNN, have been ratings booms for the cable networks and commanded huge ad prices. It is unclear whether the Democratic contests, which won’t include the draw of GOP front-runner Trump, will achieve similar numbers. 

The Democratic debate will be the first time Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders face off on the same stage. 

Democratic candidates Martin O’Malley, Lincoln Chaffee, and Jim Web have also been invited. Vice President Biden, who is considering a run, has also been invited. But CNN reported he is likely to skip it.