But let's get serious, Tom. The accusation that he's a "ringer" means specifically that he was deliberately planted by the Clinton campaign with the cooperation of CNN. Can you back that up?

Don't get too far afield. I don't think the Clinton campaign had anything to do with it. CNN had their own idea of how they wanted the debate to play, and they picked out the people they believed would play it that way. About a third of the questioners had specific links with Democratic politicians or liberal activist groups, and it took the public about half an hour to nail their backgrounds down after the debate.

Granting (with some effort) CNN the benefit of the doubt on their ignorance of these people's backgrounds--your "error of omission"--I can't say they have much in the way of a research department for a national news organization.

The other assumption is that they knew, and hoped nobody would notice.

I have no problem with this scenario in general--activists have as much right to ask questions as anybody else--but it wouldn't have hurt to make this clear up front, and painting them as average citizens is not honest. Their questions were mostly inane, and designed specifically to make the candidates look bad, not to generate information.

And, conveniently, you managed to avoid responding to my question about whether the rules stipulated only Republican questioners; and my semi-facetious yet highly relevant question about whether, if so, it means that Republicans are afraid to be questioned by Democrats. What is behind all this hysteria over a Democrat asking a question of a Republican?

I was hoping you'd work that one out without me. Keep in mind that these are primary debates. Ideally, most of the questions should be related to the concerns of those in the party. Ideally, the targeted audience should be undecided primary voters of that party. You note that the Democratic debate had mostly Democratic questioners. So far, so good.

Now explain what CNN's motive would be in loading the Republican debate with Democratic activist questioners, some asking loaded questions?