hasn't the mainstream media blackout of the 3rd party candidates been especially harsh this year ?

Absolutely.

Media watchdog FAIR has done a study on this:

http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=3631

They say: "While the major-party race for the White House has been the subject of broad media attention for more than a year, the corporate media have mostly ignored at least four substantial third-party and independent candidates for the presidency."

Cynthia McKinney, the Green Party candidate, hasn't even been mentioned on network news.

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Yes, I think they should have. The media is biased against them, they should play a part in this country as well.