The Republican presidential candidates continue to embarrass themselves [GOP suspends partnership with NBC for February debate, USA Today, October 31]. Ted Cruz and others complained on-air about biased questioning and the way CNBC moderators were running the show, while aides raised a ruckus behind the scenes about a few candidates not getting enough air time. First, just on general principle, the party should be able to design its candidate selection however it wants.
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We hope they add that to the list.
“We are grateful that our distribution partners, like us at FOX Business Network, recognize the importance of providing the debate to as many subscribers as possible”, Tim Carry, an executive vice-president said in prepared remarks.
It’s not that way for the Republicans.
Fox set a low standard for debate moderation, and now CNBC has set a new record. It took on the task of organizing the 2016 debates, slashing the number of events and banning liberal sponsors like MSNBC, with the stated intention of leading the party to a brighter future.
The opening question of the last debate was very condescending, and it continued with over-the-top ridiculous foolishness! Politicians are far more accustomed to being “questioned” by the home team.
“Back in June, after the Supreme Court issued its landmark ruling effectively legalizing gay marriage across the USA, I famously stated on my radio program that the decision would spread ‘cultural depravity.’ There’s an-all-out effort here to water down, dilute – and if they could, just eliminate – Christianity as a dominant cultural, religious, and dare I say political force”.
But he gave no hints about what questions he planned to ask.
In order to guarantee that this debate will be the thoroughly enjoyable experience for the candidates that we all want it to be, I plan to allow all 15 candidates to debate on the stage at the same time and not to cut off candidates if they exceed their time limits.
Many news people can be aggravating, asking the same question repeatedly in different ways or a gotcha question.
I will submit my questions in advance for pre-approval by the campaigns. But, overall, the questions were tough but fair. John Kasich, will you insult two people over here?
If not, how would you fix the problems?
That said, a consensus seems to be forming around providing this kind of open access.
But what’s risky for candidates is rewarding for voters, Schroeder said. Meanwhile, two candidates who were in the previous undercard debates have been ousted – South Carolina Sen.
But they only get eight opportunities.
While I want to have a better understanding of the major topic differences, the fun part is when the zingers and cat fights take place.
So certainly let that happen.
I have the flawless solution for the GOP’s debate dilemma. If candidates feel overheated, the moderator will fan them while they answer and provide them with their choice of lemon or cucumber ice water. But imagine if you knew that millions of people would watch and judge you close-up, searching for the smallest imperfection.
As Republican candidates prepare for their fourth debate of the primary season Tuesday in Milwaukee, the people doing the questioning are increasingly in the spotlight, with their motives being questioned by the campaigns, voters and even by their fellow journalists.
Yet Democrats refuse to have a debate with Fox News moderators, which is obviously a double standard.
A draft letter to television networks warns that “the quality and fairness of your moderators’ questions” will determine “whether the candidates wish to participate in your future debates”.
The Republican debates are a farce.
We need to focus on real issues like ISIS, unrest in America being enhanced by the current administration, the national debt, etc. The news media’s role in a political debate should be to encourage, enable and on occasion, to press candidates with piercing inquiry to be specific, clear and definitive about positions or policy – or journalists have no real reason to be on stage.
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