Remove the Media from the Debates
I was appalled, although not surprised, to read the just announced list of moderators for the forthcoming presidential debates: Jim Lehrer of PBS, Candy Crowley of CNN, Bob Schieffer of CBS, and Martha Raddatz of ABC (VP debate).
All liberals from liberal news organizations. Not even a token representative from Fox or the Wall Street Journal – not in the moderator seat anyway.
Don’t we live in a democracy? Or is this Syria or Egypt where its new Islamist president just wrested power from the military?
I thought back to the primary campaign when Newt Gingrich proposed Lincoln-Douglas style debates sans moderators. It was a good idea then and a good idea now.
Of the four candidates currently, the one who would triumph in a Lincoln-Douglas format is Paul Ryan, who is by far the most articulate of the four, more articulate, I think, even than the loquacious Gingrich. But whatever the case, the chances of this more even-handed approach being adopted are virtually nil.
Despite their liberal backgrounds, the moderators will doubtless put on hats of impartiality. But they are only hats. You don’t have to be Marshall McLuhan to know that on television messages are conveyed in other ways than words. Merely by being there as moderators, these biased liberals become the arbiters of truth. A symbolic judgement is passed. The gatekeepers have the “true” opinions. They “protect” us from “extremist” thought.
I don’t have any idea why the tradition of allowing a biased media to run these events continues. It is a testament to the passivity of the Republican Party. We saw how it worked during the primary season. Now we are going to get a rerun during the main event, with more subtlety and ultimately more subversion.
But there is something we can do about it even at this late date: protest and protest loudly. In this manner, we highlight the bogus quality of the debates. Even if our candidates perform better than the opposition, continue the protest. They can talk about the economy. We can still protest the bias.
Demand the moderators be removed even if they are not. As Churchill told us, never, ever give up. Someone might even be listening. And that someone is the American people.
I thought the same thing when I saw the list of people that will be moderating the debates. This coming only hours after I watched Bob Schieffer put forth that incredibly unintelligent question about the rich paying too little to Romney and Ryan. We either have facts and numbers that show the percentage of taxes paid by top 1%, top 5%, and so on, or we don’t. I intend to put together a video on youtube to protest the blatant stupidity of those type of unintelligent questions from the main stream media to try to pressure them to do what is right for the American people. Because if that is the quality of the line of questioning that Schieffer is expected to do during the debate then he, as well as 60mins, need to be called out right now.
Indeed, Brandon. Schieffer’s questions on Sixty Minutes were stunningly banal. Not a particularly bright man. I had starting writing about that, when I saw the list of moderators on Drudge and switched gears. (And there’s Candy Crowley and the business about the Ryan nomination being a death wish. These people are unconscionable – and intellectually bankrupt).
I remember Bob Schieffer as a stink-sock news talker on TV in the Dallas-Ft. Worth market. Peter Principle in action.
Yes….who decides these debates? Why is not one of them on Fox?
Who will “moderate” the Vice Presidential debates? Or will there be any?
Ha! You really think they’d let Biden get near a microphone with Ryan in the same room? The same STATE???
I hope so. It will be hilarious to watch Biden fumble and stutter even more than when he is speaking by himself.
Isn’t it more likely that the desperate Obamoids, when their poll numbers start dropping further in public perception (as they already must have internally, by their panic), will throw Joe Biden under the bus and substitute the poisoned Hillary for VP?
There’s not enough botox and hairplugs to prep Biden for that debate!! That’s the debate I would anticipate.
The RNC and the DNC get together and negotiate between themselves, the number of debates, size of stage, etc. and who will moderate.
Roger Simon is only too kind in saying this is due to the “passivity” of the RNC. Abject abdication is more like it.
Isn’t it obvious that any journalist who’s made the type of comment Crowley had should be automatically disqualified? Not doing so goes way too far.
It’s nuts.
Hey fat ugly women need their fifteen minutes of fame too
What’s obvious is that journalism isn’t the issue with these folks and never was. They are the keepers of the Democrat narrative and they will be in your faces until they croak on the air and then be replaced the rest of the old fogies in the stable.
Exactly. Ref: Dan Blather.
Which ties into today’s VDH column: the elites are not only corrupt, but banal. Never in history have we been ruled by such celebrity dullards, many with Ivy degrees.
The real 1%, the ones running the government, are nitwits. Successful nitwits, but still nitwits. If you have a position in the nomenklatura, you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.
Killer line! Nice job!
“Who Sent You”
Every unqualified kid who pleaded, begged or cajoled a passing grade from some liberal prof and moved on and up is now in charge of something.
“You didn’t build that” is projection on Obama’s part. He himself got virtually nothing on his own. He got into first-class schools thanks to affirmative action, financial aid for foreign students, string-pulling by powerful people, and financing from Thomas Ayers and Prince al-Waleed bin Talal. Thomas Ayers also helped Obama get his visiting lecture post at the University of Chicago. Soviet agent Alice Palmer promised him her seat in the Illinois Legislature so she could run for Illinois Senate. Instead, Obama broke his end of the bargain and made a shot for the state senate seat himself. He knocked other opponents off ballots by pulling strings to get his opponents’ court-sealed records unsealed and exposed. One by one, with dirty tricks, he eliminated everyone else on the ballot and won by default. The Chicago Mafia/Commie Machine did the dirty work for him. And on and on and on. Not enough room here to rehash every detail. He won the Nobel Prize for nothing more than being Not George Bush. While other candidates see every detail of their lives held up for scrutiny, Obama gets a pass on something so basic as a fraudulent social security number. He would never have won election had he not gotten a cushioned ride from the media. The sucking-up media did all the heavy lifting; Obama barely had to do anything but show up — and read from a teleprompter.
When he rants about Americans being whiny or lazy or spoiled, what he’s really doing is revealing himself.
Remember: Democrats are not mystifying at all once you realize that their primary mode is PROJECTION. When they make outrageous statements about what they suppose to be our motives, listen up, because in reality, that’s exactly what’s driving THEM. And whatever they’re saying at the moment, the truth is approximately 180 degrees opposite.
“Indeed, Brandon. Schieffer’s questions on Sixty Minutes were stunningly banal. Not a particularly bright man.”
He’s a career journalist. What education does he have? His every “thought” is given to him on a teleprompter.
They’re really going to do it? Again? No guys. Just say no. Provide an alternative. You two are too smart to fall for this trap that is attempting to play off your egos. (We can handle them.)
Don’t do it.
YES!~ An alternative. What is to prevent Fox from scheduling some debates with different “moderators”? What is to prevent Romney from showing up at all to the orchestrated traps the MSM have now planned?
Let Romney Boycott those! Let Romney and Ryan debate Obit and Plugs on Fox, if they want to show up.
WHY NOT? It can be done. Romney has to say it must be done. He Should.
What’s to prevent it? The fact that Obama won’t do it, and the Republicans will allow him to get away with it.
The only way I can see a positive explanation for the Romney campaign once again allowing the Left to on troll the debates is that they are confident they can throw the liberal bias right back in the faces of the “moderators,” exposing thir bias and treating them effectively as debate opponents. That’s probably too much to hope for.
I’m sure that’s the problem: Team Obama won’t allow real alternatives, the only thing Team Romney can do is accept these or let Team Obama and the MSM paint them as “afraid to debate”.
We need to do something about this in the long term; if I was Romney, I wouldn’t let a single member of the MSM into an administration press conference (not counting Fox, of course, assuming they don’t continue moving to the left). Let them whine on the outside.
Don’t play their game: If Romney/Ryan had scheduled debates on Fox – it would be incumbent on Obie to show up. Put the ball in his court.
I know where my vote will be so I will not probably watch any debates as they now stand with obvious democrat lickspittles for moderators.
The problem with that is that Obama and Biden have already “proven” themselves in the 2008 debate. What you suggest would be something to try in 2016 when Romney and Ryan are (presumably) the incumbents.
I would love to see Fox do an alternative debate, but the idiot Democratic won’t play unless the deck is stacked to their advantage.
Please do make that video, Brandon.
Hehe…why don’t you instead do a comedy skit more blatantly displaying the fawning partiality the media has towards Obama? Maybe something along the lines of SNL (back when they were still funny)?
Humor is always more persuasive than preaching.
How about this?:
(“Moderator” stumbling into a kneeling face-down supplicant position with only his hindquarters in view of the camera, shaking hand thrust into the air for attention, just prior to asking The Won a question in a trembling and awe filled voice)
Moderator question to Obama: President Obama, what grade would you give Romney on his past experience in the greedy, corrupt business world of Bain Capital?
Obama (while gazing god-like into his teleprompter with his nose in the air): D-minus. Possibly an F. Yes…er…uhm…definitely an F.
(Moderator shown rising from floor, toupee disheveled, suit hunched up around his neck, tie askew, adjusting glasses on nose before looking over the top of them with disdain at Romney)
Moderator question to Romney (nasally voice full of sarcasm): Mr. Romney, please explain why you killed that poor woman with cancer.
—I’m sure others could provide you with plenty more questions for such a “debate” skit!
Meet the Press should be renamed Lickspittle Lyceum.
THE BEST DEBATES DURING THE PRIMARY SEASON WERE THE ONE THE LEGACY MEDIA HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH: HUCKABEE’S AND JIM DEMINT’S.
THE LEGACY MEDIA OUGHT NOT TO BE RUNNING THE DEBATES.
THEY OUGHT TO BE MERELY REPORTING ON THEM.
THE DEBATES SHOULD HAVE A MODERATOR AND MAYBE ONE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONER.
AND THEY SHOULD HAVE A SINGLE SUBJECT AND TIME CONSTRAINTS AND THEN THE CANDIDATES SHOULD JUST GO BACK AND FORTH.
WITH REPORTERS HANDLING IT ALL WE GET IS A BUNCH OF EGOMANICAL LEFT-WINGERS MORE INTO TO IMPROVING THEIR OWN STANDING MORE THAN EXPOSING AND EXPLORING THE CANDIDATES.
I am glad Schiefer asked some tough questions like that. The dems will hit us with that stuff anyway, but by asking the question there romney/ryan had a chance to answer it. You cant answer that garbage in a 30 second attack add, but if a reporter asks it in an interview, where they give the subject enough time to really answer it, we get to tell our side. And Romney/ryan gave some really great answers. The only thing that upset me is the edited out some of Ryans best answers, but then 60 minutes does that kind of selective editing to almost everybody.
Yep no more business as usual.
These events, as “moderated” by MSM lapdog cowards, should not even be referred to as debates. They are no more debates than they are socialist propaganda trials framed by biased questioning to re-enforce false notions upon the ignorant about any ideology that doesn’t fall in line with the “moderator’s” and their Democrat masters.
We’ve got to somehow rid ourselves of this disgraceful and pathetic spectacle that comes around every election cycle.
Haha, yeah, they’re going to try to get Romney to confess to urinating in the drinking-water pond.
…control…narrative…
Roger, you say: “But there is something we can do about it even at this late date: protest and protest loudly.” Tell us where.
Anywhere you can: online, letters to the editor, at your place of work, with your friends and family. You name it, just do it. Remember the old saw:He who hesitates is lost.
Get pissed or stay pissed, whichever the case maybe. As I said in a previous post, we need to repeat what happened in Wisconsin just about every week until Election Day. We have to be a united force because nothing’s going come easy from here on out.
ref: he who hesitates is lost…
Just because you say that this is an “old saw” doesn’t mean that it isn’t plagiarism.
But can’t we protest to whoever agrees to these things — to get them to get out of it — change it — Why do the moderators have to be from the media?
Maybe there’s still time to make some changes — beforehand.
At the very least — there should be moderators who have integrity — that leaves the Liberal media out.
Why can’t the candidates choose the questions for each other? Why can’t it be like Lincoln-Douglas debates?
Any ideas of who has “signed up for” this “thing?” So they can be protested/appealed to directly to change it beforehand?
There is, of course, no law that saws the moderators – or the people asking questions – at the debates need to be journalists. But what is the likely alternative if, by some unlikely chance, someone manages to veto using MSM types?
Well, if I were a Leftist, I would modestly propose that the “finest minds from academia” take on the roles instead. I expect a lot of naive people would jump on that and agree that this would be far fairer and more objective than having MSM folks moderating and asking questions. The problem with THAT is the Far Left bias of academia, which may be even more pronounced than the bias in the MSM.
So be careful what you wish for: it might be even MORE biased to the Left than the current setup.
We can publicly state and stick to it that we will NEVER buy any item that is offered by any of the businesses that sponsor these so called debates
Very disheartening moderator choices. Very.
As for one-on-one debates à la Newt’s proposal, I’m sure Obama nixed that.
He’d wither.
Posted earlier at Belmont Club:
It is generally acknowledged that the sole debate in the 1980 election turned the tide for Reagan. I believe that the Dems would desperately like to avoid the debates. The issue of the moderators would give them an excuse to back out.
Romney has studied the primary debates and taken note of Gingrich’s handling of the moderators. He has already used this technique:
http://hotair.com/archives/2012/07/27/romney-calls-brian-williams-a-boring-white-guy/
“Please don’t throw me in that briar patch”.
Mitt Romney vs Barack Obama First Debate Preview
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vWVdOTFs8M
I don’t understand why the Republicans continue to put up with this nonsense. They should drive a harder bargain when it comes to these “debates.” They’re like Charlie Brown with the football. If Romney and Ryan are smart, they’ll offer a debate to a network, as long as it has no “moderator,” other than to time things.
Question asked, question answered, eh?
The simple reason is that pushing back against it will just lead to an easy demagogue against them.
Bringing up Gingrich is a good point. And if you remember, Gingrich turned media bias AGAINST the liberal media in one debate when a guy from CNN tried to ask him questions about his marriage. Gingrich went on the attack and got a standing ovation for it. It even breathed life into his campaign and allowed him to win in South Carolina. It was a tremendous victory for Gingrich, one of the few in his campaign.
The mainstream media will never, ever, give Republicans, let alone conservatives, fair treatment. The only way to win against them is to go on the attack like Gingrich did. If any of those liberal hacks try to stick it to Romney or Ryan, they should throw it right back in their faces. It will not only get a standing ovation, but it will show the American public that these are men not to be trifled with. If you use the Gingrich model of dealing with the press, Romney and Ryan will have no problems.
I agree with going after the media in the debates. If I remember correctly, the Democrats refused to participate in a Fox News debate. I doubt the format can be changed without blowing up the whole debate process. Ryan, in particular, looks agile enough to use the Gingrich strategy in the debates and not look angry. Remember, it was Bernard Lewis who blew up Dukakis’ campaign with his question.
Ever hear the expression “you can’t go back?”
What Gingrich did was a surprise.
The next time he tried it, they were better prepared.
The worse their plans are this time (and they WILL be worse –)
the better prepared they’ll be for the attack they know they’ll
deserve.
Besides, it’s not a primary — it’s supposed to be “presidential” –
Of course, if they have to defend themselves from an “isn’t that an
extremist … blah, blah, blah” — then they’ll have to. A lot of
people may cheer — but, ultimately, it won’t reflect well on Romney
or Ryan if they’re lured into a gutter fight.
It’s for the Presidency for heaven’s sake — it could have some clever
humor, but should maintain dignity … and gravitas …
Our nation is in serious shape.
MIKE K says: To change the format would blow up the whole dabate idea. There
should be no prompter, let the thoughts be free flowing and from the mind of
the debater. Moderators are not needed, except to protect the unprepared, then
we shall see the shallow mind on display. We truly are in need of some back-
bone and the ability to utilize same. Such an opportunity shant be offered
over again, let’s not fumble this on the kick-off.
ARKYDOG1
Me too.
Two of the moderators are senile, two are incredibly biased, all four on the same side. Absurd.
Perhaps it would help if the questions are all submitted in advance and agreed to by both sides. I know, that’s just the opposite of gotcha journalism, but classic debates have the topics announced in advance.
Absolutely.
Maybe PJ Media should post a running feature of all the statements by these moderators showing their bias.
Absolutely. With leftist moderators, Romney will be ceding half his time in any segment merely to disentangle, if he can, the slanted questions tossed at him, while Obama will be able to talk about his favorite color and do a replay of his “Colossus of Roads” routine.
could this not be an excellent opportunity to expose the msm as the doofuses they are?
the repubs need to study newt’s technique for turning the absurd questions and their ridiculous premises into home runs
btw? who cares about fox and wsj when they will try to pile-on to get msm “street cred”
use the format to k.o. the msm
“It is a testament to the passivity of the Republican Party.”
more like a testament to the desire of the Republican Party to maintain its position at the feeding trough.
If I was Mitt Romney, I would challenge the premis of every question and point out the liberal bias in every single one. I would answer every nonsensical question with a perfunctory answer and then talk about something important.
“no, like 70% of the American public, I don’t support gay marriage. The real problem with marriage in the world today is that there aren’t enough marriage’s between men and women. The sky-high out-of-wedlock birth rate alone is responsible for most of the poverty in our country, and as President, I will implement policies that encourge marriage and strengthen families, so that the people who are mired in poverty today because of the anti-marriage progressive agenda will have the tools and suppot they need to work their way out of the disaster that has been imposed on them and begin to enjoy the American dream.”
“no, I don’t support taxpayer funded contraceptives. Like everything proposed by this president, it makes people dependent on government and imposes a burden on taxpayers that is illegal and immoral. As President, I will immediately neuter obamacare as my first act of the first day, and then I will work with congress to implement health care reforms that are based on free-market principles. And as soon as Congrees passes the necessary legislation to revoke obamacare, I’ll be standing outside the door of the Senate with pen in hand ready to sign it.”
Of course, nothing like that will ever happen. Mitt will go right along acknowledging the validity of the biased questions and waste time giving tepid responses.
They absolutely MUST avoid the wimpy McCain-style “go along to get along” thing that happened last time around. No prisoners!
If I was Mitt Romney, I would challenge the premise of every question and point out the liberal bias in every single one.
Even so, the most important debate questions will be the ones that aren’t asked. Do you really think that any of these four “gatekeepers” will ask questions that put Obama and Biden in a bad light?
Exactly.
Can you imagine?
Mr. President, there were so many times that you said one thing, and then said exactly the opposite the next day — Do you think anyone should believe anything you say at all anymore?
Mr. President, your “solutions” and “investments” have not only failed, but brought the country to the brink of bankruptcy … yet you continue to do and want to do more of the same — or do nothing about it. Why don’t you give a damn?
Mr. President, do you think it’s “fair” that you (taxpayers) “invested” in the pensions of the unionized GM workers who contributed to your campaign — at the expense of the non-unionized GM workers?
Mr. President, thinking you couldn’t be heard, you told Medvedev that you could be more “flexible” after re-election and you no longer have to worry about the opinions of American citizens. You’ve done many things by Executive Fiat which are basically UnConstitutional. You’ve said that you no longer would go to Congress for permission engage in a war of choice, when we are not in danger, but would instead go to the U.N. This is UnConstitutional. You’ve said you “Can’t Wait” to proceed in a lawful way. If you are re-elected, do you plan to ignore the Constitution even more — and basically become a dictator in all but name?
Mr. President, we have seen your video where you say you will make sure coal companies can no longer stay in business and that under your plan, electricity costs will skyrocket. You are aware that there is a big unemployment problem in this country, yet you let your EPA run around rampant, forcing companies out of business and putting more people out of work. Many thousands have lost their income and jobs, and we are in a crisis.
It’s been shown that Man-Caused Global Warming isn’t really a threat, yet you continue as if nothing had changed. Are you doing this just to keep the votes of those still sympathetic to the environmental movement?
You are right…but nothing prevents our guys from pointing that out.
Pravda can ask whatever questions they want, but R & R can also answer anyway they want.
“Bob, I know you asked about gay marriage because you think it puts my opponent in a good light, but I need to remind you that he opposed gay marriage, like 70% of the country, until three weeks ago when he suddenly found himself behind in fund-raising. But you know, no matter how much money he raises by pandering to his special interest groups, including Wall Street in a MAJOR way, the country still has fewer people working today than when he took office, despite 4 million new people who need jobs. When I’m president, we will aprove the Keystone Pipeline, dismantle the draconian regulations that prevent small businesses from hiring, and get the ecomomy roaring again.”
Please tell me how. I am new to this. ( raised in liberal home blah blah blah) but cannot take it anymore. What can I do?
Oh Jane, I know, I know. Your liberal friends want to make sure you feel totally alienated. Pick up a great book called “I Cant’t Believe I am Sitting Next to a Republican ! ” not all of us are blessed to live in a Red State, I’m not. So I developed a great group of people to follow on Twitter, I read the the PJ Media site, Instapundit, And The Daily Caller everyday. We should start a “Stranded in a Sea of Blue” club. Also go on YouTube and watch Bill Whittle’ s amazing videos. Cheers and best of luck with your journey.
get as informed as you can (i have found hayek’s “road to serfdom” levin’s “liberty and tyranny” and milton friedman’s “capitalism and freedom” to be priceless resources in engaging the left and i keep them right next to my keyboard for quick reference)
get your fill of preaching to the choir (it does help if only to connect with right minded folks)
then, find your niche and engage; i like going on milton friedman’s youtube vids and taking on the trolls-
you can always tell the libs in your family to go vote on the wrong day “cant wait to pull the lever for obama on nov 13 2012″ if you dont want to start a feud
– keep it tuned to PJM and reading Roger.
A candidate who understands what is going on in America, and who has a backbone, would simply hold a press conference, describe how the lefties work with these debates, and announce that he is NOT going to play the game.
He will debate anybody, any time, in formal Lincoln-Douglas style (which he will thereafter refer to as “a REAL debate”), but he will not be a patsy for the media game.
Then stand fast.
Repeat as needed. Emphasize REAL debate over “scripted show”.
He could also use the term, “mock debate” instead of “scripted show”.
MARK v has voiced my feelings to a ‘T’. There is no other way and it needs to be stressed daily.
ARKYDOG1
If it’s going to be a circus, don’t help the clowns.
Why do we have to put up with this crap every election? Haven’t we learned anything?
Noooo!!!!!
This can’t be happening!!!
This is terrible, disasterous news!
Who decides these things? The GOP?
Are they suicidal — or traitors?
What’s WRONG with them???
I never expected it — thought for sure they’d have wised
up after the shameful behavior at the primary debates.
“Despite their liberal backgrounds, the moderators will
doubtless put on hats of impartiality.”
You mean like Stephanopolis did when he asked Santorum
about banning contraceptives?
And the White House was so “prepared” they had their
whole attack immediately ready to go???
It’s going to be no holds barred. Of course it will.
They don’t care about anything any more — and will do
any … any … anything to get the O re-elected.
This will be worse than the last times — not better.
And a good part of the trick (though not all) is in
what they “choose” to bring up. Aside from all the other “games.”
Desperation and bad behavior in the media and on the Left
has mushroomed.
They are clearly co-ordinating with the White House.
They no longer care a fig about their “journalistic ethics”
or reputations. Look at it — they’ve literally lost their
publications — and their ratings — because of their —
bias — it’s too mild a word for it.
There’s not a doubt in my mind — that they are going to go
ALL OUT — break every rule — in order to find ways to
demean and humiliate — especially Romney.
No one — (except maybe Gingrich — and not even he — because
it’ll be the wrong time — wrong place) —
will be able to “ride” it —
it’ll be heads I win — tails you lose!
The last thing the candidate will need would be to argue with the “moderator.”
Oh, no. No.
This is too important! Too much depends on this election.
There MUST be something that can be done to STOP this!
“protest and protest loudly. In this manner, we
highlight the bogus quality of the debates.”
Do you mean — afterwards??? That’ll be too late.
Isn’t there any way we can PROTEST TO STOP THIS NOW?
Who can we protest to? Can someone post an address?
What I don’t understand is, if Fox News obliterates the others in ratings, that means more VOTERS watch Fox than any other news outlet.
Why are those citizens being slapped in the face, election after election.
Who agrees to a Candy Crowley? Are you freaking kidding me? And our own Baghdad Bob Stumblebum? We should pick two that they would agree on.
They probably would let Greta or Chris Wallace, if forced to accept someone from Fox.
The system currently is a master fraud. You have “moderators” who are openly anti-Republican and/or write books on the wonderment of Obama. Going into every single debate with the game rigged against you is stupid and cowardly.
The Propaganda and Lies Ministry have a billion ways, subtle and not so subtle to sway he conversation and rig the process. Paying homage to fraud and conspiracy is not a great long term strategy.
The Republican Party ought to be ashamed….heaven knows, you can’t shame the liars, traitors and crooks of leftism.
It’s nuts is what it is. All out bonkers!
Roger,
You asked why the Republican party doesn’t speak up? Maybe its because the Republican party buys into the right wing extremist argument?
I never ever see the repubs refute this allegation of right wing extremism. As I tell so called moderates and country club Repubs, libs think anybody to the right of their left is a right wing extremist.
If they put a FOX moderator on the debates he will always ask some “stupid” question about religion or abortion. We can’t have that, it might make the repubs look extremist. So let’s go with the lefties and they will ask when the repubs are we going to make birth control illegal.
If Romney’s people didn’t sign off on this, then someone over at Republican HQ should be fired. If they did sign off, then I’m waiting to hear their explanation. Anyway, they should reconsider this, or else Romney should just tell them to kiss off.
Rush Limbaugh like to say that he keeps half his brain tied behind his back just to keep things fair. By insisting on liberal moderators, Obama and Biden are saying they’re incapable of facing Romney and Ryan on their own. They need a moderator as wingman as backup because they’re too intellectually weak to debate on their own. Throw that back in their faces.
This is like picking four Yankees fans to umpire a World Series game involving the Yankees. I’m sure that they’ll call balls and strikes fairly… Yeah, right.
Seriously, who agreed to that slate of moderators? Charlie Crist? Some other RINO?
There is another alternative and that is C-SPAN. The interviewers do appear impartial and genuinely intelligent and inquisitive, exactly the type needed to raise the level of our political debates. No reasonable person could object to Brian Lamb, Susan Swain and Steven Scully or their subordinates.
If there is a commercial imperative to require only for-profit networks and their agents then why was CNN with its vanishing small audience included instead of the more popular Fox?
I just finished phoning the Romney campaign here in Florida and told them they were making a terrible mistake by letting the libruls run the debates. Recommend all y’all consider doing the same.
Roger: Who the hell agreed to these moderators? Or are they simply “announced” take it or leave it? Did the GOP have ANY input on this? That is where it should begin because at this point it’s going to be like trying to stop a car going 60 mph with an emergency brake.
Roger,
Who can we talk to that can influence Romney? Is there any POC in that campaign that we can write to so as to make our horrified displeasure known?
For him to give them such a big advantage is absolutely insane! They CAN’T do this!
I swear the RNC/GOP/moronic individuals who sign up for these debates have got to really be democrats. How on earth can the most biased people continue to be the moderators of these debates? When oh when will the GOP grow a pair and tell the democrats here is the way it’s going to be, no frickin’ moderators.
While i agree there is an opportunity to take a few shots at media unfairness in a way that will be seen by many and force people to talk/defend such unfairness that could be very useful as battlefield preperation.
As a sleazy tax-dodger once said, in a crisis there is opportunity.
Oh how I would love to have Daniel Henninger or Bret Stephens or Dorothy Rabinowitz be a moderator…
I just discovered that the Commission on Presidential Debates (http://debates.org/) has conveniently omitted anything like a feedback page or email address on their website. Guess we need to bitch out the sponsors, who someday will listed here: http://www.debates.org/index.php?page=national-debate-sponsors (the page isn’t up to date, imagine that).
Mike – Bing on Janet H. Brown (Executive Director of the commission) and you will find a site that gives a contact link for her. No guarantee that she will give a d*mn!
Another good moderator would be Kyle Smith of the NY Post. Sharp, clever with words, and not a lib lapdog.
Moderator: Governor Romney, given that a few of your supporters believe you will never be charged in the death of Joe Soptic’s wife, do you think it is time to change the laws that protect CEOs from decisions that kill workers and their spouses?
Romney: Well, I don’t think that I would ever be charged in such…
Moderator (interrupting): So you are saying that your dirty money will ensure that some shyster lawyer will get you off on a technicality?
Romney: Uh, wait, why would there ever be any charges on such a baseless…
Moderator (interrupting): Governor, not every prosecutor can be bought with blood money. Please answer my question about changing a law that allows people like you to kill with impunity.
Very funny. Thanks … it helps (though is difficult right now) to have a laugh.
Please write more of this dialogue.
But do you think you’re exaggerating? Likely not.
Any pretense that the purpose of these debates is to inform the voters ended long ago. Their sole purpose has become to indoctrinate. There shouldn’t be a single member of the legacy media serving as moderators. That is so 20th Century. Let us instead have members of the new online media who at least have the integrity to acknowledge their leanings.
Where can we find information on how to contact The Commision on Presidential Debates?
Also: James Taranto, Mark Steyn, Jonah Goldberg…
No wonder the moderators are muddle-headed knee jerk libs. The conservative contenders with their superior intelligences would slice & dice & make julienne fries of the Dems in five minutes.
Looks like the liberal media talks a good game about diversity. How come not a single African American panelist?
Couldn’t we at least have moderators from networks actually watched and/or not funded with my taxpayer dollars? I mean, PBS and CNN? Come on…without airports and fitness centers, CNN would have no ratings. As for PBS, I can only hope Lehrer’s questioning isn’t interrupted by a pledge drive.
I agree with Roger’s points. However, it’s pretty plain to see how this negotiation occurred. No Fox News in exchange for no NBC.
Mr. Romney, would you please explain in detail to our audience the statistical analysis you employed to arrive at the recommendations in step 36 of your 59 step plan to destroy the economy?
…….
President Obama, how are your lovely daughters enjoying the cuddly new bunny rabbit you so thoughtly gave them this week?
Mr. Simon you are so correct. We watched the Republican Presidential Debates and Newt was the only one to stand up to the ridiculous liberal biase. It was a sham and we are tired of it. I could see the questions coming from the moderator in the Romney and Obama. Former Governor Romney, why did you take aways that man’s job, give his wife cancer and do you feel sorry for this? Distinguished and honorable president Obama, what road blocks has Paul Ryan’s House of Representatives put in your way that your huge expansion of the federal government has not worked yet to reduce unemployment, foreclosures, bankruptcy and corruption in the banking system? Be very afraid of the moderator because they may not control the truth but they do control the sound bytes (or is it bites?)
So to whom do we complain about this?
I just sent a complaint regarding the poor choice of debate moderators to the co-chair of the debate commission. I sent it to Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr. at his American Gaming Association site. There didn’t seem to be contact info at the Debate commission site. Message follows:
I suggest Frank and his presidential debate co-chair Mike have a look at the video at this site.
http://mrctv.org/blog/ryans-not-first-video-medias-history-trashing-gop-vp-nominees
He will realize the internet has already discounted the debates because the selected moderators represent the main stream media. And the moderators had better be ready for a Newt style dressing down.
Exclusive: U.S. banks told to make plans for preventing collapse
By Rick Rothacker Fri Aug 10, 2012
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/10/us-banks-recoveryplans-idUSBRE87905N20120810
This is exactly what I expected. Romney and Ryan were never going to get a fair shake in the debates, so I hope they’re prepared to argue their case clearly, and bulldoze over the moderators.
This is the time for conservative corporate chiefs to let the networks know they will not place advertising on networks that show any bias in these debates…follow the money…always!!!
The only way you’re going to get one fair debate is to have Fox News do it and the Democrats have refused to go on Fox News. I would demand one debate on Fox, no debates on NBC, and the CNN debate not have Candy Crowley nor be a YouTube debate. I would only do a townhall debate if there are no moderators to pick the ringers planted by Obama and company. Other than that, I would just say it’s not worth the aggravation of a biased media trying to win won Obama can’t win by himself.
And to whom, exactly, do we protest? Who makes the decisions?
If Obama won’t accept terms of a real debate, let Romney and Ryan debate video clips of Obama and Biden. Run one of Obama’s idiotic gems — say, about “bending the cost curve down” via ObamaCare or making energy rates “necessarily skyrocket” via CapnTrade — and then let R and R reply in similiar time frames. That would be close enough for most people and would show WHY O/B wouldn’t accept terms of a real debate in the first place.
why not people like Thomas Sowell or mark levin be moderators? the primary debates were awful except for the one brett bair did.
this is outrageous choosing these hacks
Unless something changes I won’t be watching that crap.
My confidence in Romney went from really high to pretty low. He should fire whoever arranged this. Bad, bad, bad idea.
“Remove the media from the debates”
You betcha!!
These are not “moderators”; they are the enemy working in the enemy camp and they have but one goal; the destruction of R & R’s credibilty while defending the golden boy. To even appear in these venues is stupid; though they are far from being a lion’s den, it like laying down on the tracks and hoping the freight train has soft wheels. Obama and Biden can sail in this type of format. One on one or nothing. Obama has turned on America; he is the enemy of freedom and absolutely must be exposed as such.
No more playing politics with “road shows” like these “debates”.
I understand why Romney has accept this. The incumbent mostly calls the shots on the debates; what’s the challenger going to do, refuse to debate? The Challenger needs the debates.
But what the Republicans can do, assuming Romney beats Obama, is insist on the following in 2016: all three debates will be on Fox News and they will be in the Lincoln/Douglas format.
Roger:
The campaign starts now for honest debates and honest debate questions based on fact and not hypothetical situations. God knows we have enough to talk about in this country without fictionalizing as the lame stream media likes to do.
Of course this will be nearly impossible with the current list of moderators but there is time to change things from the grass roots. So let us put pressure on Romney and Ryan to demand better moderators and to create a more favorable situation.
There are also many other venues for debates.
Simple solution — C-Span moderates all debates. The networks can pick up the feed. No compromise.
I too am utterly appalled! I tried for twenty minutes to locate Fox’s email address to ask the pressing question: “What gives – where is the FOX in all of this?” How fair might we now expect these debates to be? All the leftists are armed with their cruddy agendas and sorry, one sided ideas of their Marxist style utopia styled America. Where is the RNC to allow this to transpire? Quick, sound the alarms – a robbery is in progress!
After previously giving $200 to the Romney campaign, I now doubt I’ll contributed any more.
All of the intelligence of Romney + Ryan will do no good if they don’t get into the White House, and allowing those far Lefters to be the moderators says to me, “We are not going to fight to win, in every possible venue.”
Oh, please! The most important questions perturbing the American zeitgeist must be asked and answered! Gay marriage, and access to women’s health!
And whether Romney has stopped killing elderly steel worker’s wives.
That is is really what we want to know, and these selfless, unbiased liberal/Democrat moderators are just the people to insure that these burning questions get answered in the Republican debates!
‘Scuse me, i’m off to my MA (Masochists Anonymous) meeting.
Why do we need media to be the moderator? Jim Lehrer used to have David Gergen as the “conservative” side on his show. Probably doesn’t know any conservatives.
Mr Shieffer is still alive? Candy Crowley from CNN. Not sure who the other lady is.
Why not a real debate? The media types play gotcha and nothing of substance happens.
I’m gonna play devils advocate here and say Yay to letting these Tools run the debates.If we want to see how effective R&R can be we need this kind of bias to be front and center right up to November 6th. Romney and Ryan should have the chops to smack down any snide or clever innuendo the likes of Scheiffer and Crowley can dish out. If not then they are not the “ones we are looking for”.
The very same media that supposedly vetted the “choom Mon?” The “sub-prime, in chief” 1990′s Chicago attorney? The “anti-redlining 13th District, Chicago progressive activist?” Crony-capitalist extraordinaire? THAT MEDIA? HAH!
Gramsci is on full display! Obama’s first three years read like a Check-list of Gramscian-style soft revolution.
THAT MEDIA? HAH!
NAH! Chicago-style thuggery is on full display, without Capone-stle weapons.
Doesn’t look too good for Romney!!! Two center-left debaters!!! God Save America. Amen!
Why is PJ Media’s server in the UK?
Something’s fishy here.
My Firefox browser shows the British flag.
If the GOP just once, acted like real opposition instead of “thank you massuh” wimps, they’d say, no debates unless you pick half the moderators and we pick half;or first pick is Rush Limbaugh and unforrtunately for you Lenin, Stalin, Mao and Che are dead so pick another….
More than four decades ago I learnt a most valuable lesson about the media. I was involved in my first and last student protest. I helped make a big bonfire in front of the entrance to the grand hall of my university. Three newspapers reported on the incident. None of the reports clearly and accurately explained who was involved and why this was done. The conservative newspaper came closest. The liberal newspaper articles were completely misleading.
Since then, as a keen reader, I have noticed a significant decline of standards in the printed media. But the broadcast media is the worst offender. Any clearly thinking and carefully reasoning person can easily spot a television presenter who has not prepared adequately or who is manipulated by their guests. And even when the presenter happens to ask a good question, how often do you not hear an answer to a different question. Few presenters stop and force that person to stick to the topic and give a straight answer.
While books give the best platform for a good discussion, many voters are lazy and simply want tweets. I have been impressed by the work that can be done by a small radio station on a limited budget. Perhaps this is also the case with certain small community newspapers. Sadly many naive voters believe much that they hear from the mainstream media and the new media are as inaccurate as that conservative newspaper that disillusioned me as a young student.
When it comes to these television debates, they have chosen the worst insiders to moderate – people who are more concerned about pushing particular views than about the media being a good public watchdog. Moderators should be total outsiders – well read, good speakers and debaters, from a variety of disciplines like English, Engineering, Agriculture and Medicine – who could offer the best non-partisan moderation. Is there any defense against the powerful partisan media? I believe enabling people to access full original sources, whether it be a book or document, a recorded talk or speech, is a good start. Then they can determine for themselves what was really said, understand it in context and expose the lies and deceptions being foisted on them.
Heinlein on one of the MSM (observation at least 30 years old):
‘In the Course of a long life, there have been five occasions
when I was on the scene of events later reported by Time magazine,
and _not_once_ did what they reported match what I saw.’
I imagine that most people, even leftists, realized immediately that all four debates are to be moderated by leftists, much to the glee of the left, I presume. I am disgusted that the Republicans have let this state of affairs to exist. What chance does this country have when the left so thoroughly controls the agenda?
Can you imagine the leftist’s howls if all the debates were to be moderated by people like Glen Beck or even Brit Hume? The left would go bonkers if such were the case, but we have to put up with exactly such bias from the other side? Good Grief! I hope Romney-Ryan make THIS an issue! When people start realizing how completely they are being controlled by the MSM, perhaps the scales will start dropping from their misinformed, propagandized, shrouded eyes.
Why does the RNC and Romney agree to these things? Incapable of saying no? What’re they going to do, have the debate without him?
Who on the Republican side specifically made the call to agree to the debate? What’s to prevent them from committing Romney/Ryan to more of the same stupid set-ups?
Are Republican the decision-makers the same ones who solicit my donations? WHy should I support stupidity?
MSM moderated “debates” – talk about predictable disasters!
So the debates are under the control of the “Commission on Presidential Debates” (www.debates.org).
Not sure how this group is in control. Like our own little Brussels-type operators – accountable to who ?
I am waiting to hear about the Vice-Presidential candidate debate(s). If I had to bet, I suspect the topics will all be foreign policy just so Biden doesn’t have to face Ryan on doemstic policy issues.
Two Words – Dennis Miller
Now he would “moderate” an interesting bit of TV!
There’s always the share the piece of cake method i recall from childhood, one cuts and one gets first choice. Let the Campaigns pick the moderators and take turns picking them
Why do we need moderators? Anyone?
Why, pray tell, do they agree to these things?
One more voice shouting into the abyss, “NO, don’t let the liberals moderate the debates!” When I saw the list on Drudge I had the exact same thought of why would you let them control the narrative? This is nuts, they have no credibility left, do it some other way, or don’t do it.
democrats will never agree to a one on one debate because they need their liberal moderator to hide behind. Romney shouldn’t do a debate unless this is corrected.
George Bush senior tried to get a one one debate and refused a moderator so clinton had Bush followed by a chicken, because you see, Bush was chicken because he refused to debate or that what the clinton lie was and a compliant media sold their lie. They won’t be able to get away with that so easily now with the internet and Fox News channel.
How about giving the candidates a button that will dump thirty gallons of red or blue slime on any moderator they think has asked a biased question.
ROFL! That’s a fabulous suggestion. The mental picture it prompts is simply priceless.
If Romney agrees he should challenge the premise of all the questions that have a leftist bias, which will be all of them.
jim leher: What is the federal government going to do to prevent people’s pet cat from getting stuck in a tree?
Romney: Why should the federal government be involved in that and why not challenge obama to make the case for federal involvement and not start with the premise that it should.
The good news is that there will be no surprises, to speak of. If the pachyderms don’t realize what they’re about to walk into and prepare for just that, they have no claim to competence.
P’raps PJTV could put in a bid to moderate an online Lincoln-Douglas debate? How ’bout Prebus v Wasserman-Sgt Schulz? I’m sure no one further up the food chain would dare, gutless bastardi, the lot of them.
Its too late to protest this. The debates are agreed to and announced.
To claim now that the moderators are unacceptably liberal and should be replaced under threat of Romney/Ryan non-participation is absurdly weak.
The time to show backbone and if necessary refuse to participate unless viewpoint diversity among the questioners reflects opinion in the country as a whole instead of just LiberalLand is BEFORE you agree to them.
Pretty sure thats Chapter One page 2 of Campaign 1A the first day of class.
I was disappointed but surprised that the lineup is so obviously liberal and in the case of both Schieffer and Crowley, recently took biased partisan cheap shots at the GOP ticket on the air.
Its baffling to me why Romney/Ryan did this unless theyre laying a few traps which is fine by me but I doubt it. I think they just got rolled by the WH and the MSM.
A chorus is building out in the grass though for something to be done. I just wish the Romney Comms team had made a more vocal and specific case about this BEFFORE agreeing to the freaking debates. Again, first day of school you learn this one.
Bob Scheiffer:
“Harry Reid has accused you of tax evasion. How do you respond to these charges, Sir.”
Mitt Romney:
“How do I respond to a scurrilous rant by a liar, aided and abetted by ABC News.” “That’s very simple: I call upon every loyal Republican to boycott ABC news until after the election. They have no journalistic ethics, act as the George Goebels arm of the Democratic Party, and deserve your national censure!”
No moderators!
In this day and age if you’re completely unbiased POLITICALLY speaking, you’re out of touch. Who of us, reeling from the blows of the Øbama regime, can say we’re “unbiased”.
The next best thing would be to have both sides choose their moderator. The first moderator asks one round of questions to both candidates and then the second moderator takes his/her turn.
– till Crowley sings.
I want Britt Hume to be a moderator. So if 0b0z0 doesn’t want another debate, maybe Romney should do it on his own, or include Ryan.
I’m furious that they can get away with this!
How can we chang it?
Don’t the parties have anything to say about this? What’s the matter with the Republican Party? Why don’t they protest? Why don’t they withdraw their candidate? If the NFL didn’t like the venue they’d pull the member team. No opponent, no game. Right? Yes, and Britt Hume would be an excellent choice.
Let’s just invite Castro or Putin to host the debates.
If you want to know the state of the American MSM, watch one episode of The Newsroom. I initially thought this was a parody and had to read about it to discover that it is actually told admiringly. In the episode I watched, leading up to the WH announcement of the killing of OBL, the Sam Waterston character actually says about coordinating the release with the WH: “This is not Watergate; we are not dealing with the enemy.” So, OBL/AQ is not enemy… Republican administrations are! And these news organizations are just happy as clam to serve as the propaganda arm of the Democratic party. These people are putting Pravda to shame.
Roger:
Why doesn’t PJMEDIA sponsor a debate or two? Coordinate with the top 10 political commentary websites and send the invitations. Publicize them throughout the blogosphere. Set dates and times with flexibility for the parties to change them. Embarrass them into accepting the invitations. Televise them on C-SPAN.
Get Victor Davis Hansen and Thomas Stowell to moderate them.
We can raise hell all we want out here in the Red State hinterlands. You guys have the reach into the Blue Bastions. Think of it…if you can pull it off…the images of moderators with adult intellects and thoughtful topics reflected against the silliness we usually get to see may mean we never have to watch the silliness again. Your debate would shame the MSM.
Perhaps I missed it but who (names please) makes these decisions? Who signed on the dotted line and who handed them the contract? Those beauties are the ones that should have their names and photos spread around on conservative blogs. Anyone have any ideas? PN
139 Comments and we are still looking down the barrel of this loaded Democrat-enabling gun. WTF?
Either the Romney/Ryan team have to refuse to agree to this debate-moderator arrangement or we’re all f’ed. I don’t think there is anything we can do. I’ve been to one of the many Romney campaign websites and left a suggestion. Likelihood of success? Yeah.
Can someone get Rush on this? Is there anything we can do to Remove the Media from the Debates? srsly.
Romney doesn’t have agree to this. He’s dumb if he does. And I don’t think he’s dumb. We’ll see.
This is just the latest example of Republicans prostrating themselves before the Progressive/lefty media in hopes that by bending over and grabbing their ankles that the media will start liking them. They never learn and repeat this self abuse every 4 years. As we saw during the primary debates the media clowns will avoid questions that might allow the Republicans to put their agenda out in a favorable light. And as we have seen for the last 4 years they’ll toss softballs for Obama probably using questions that were either leaked to the Obama Campaign or taken directly from DNC talking points. It’ll go something like this: “Mister Romney in 30 seconds please tell us why do you want to force grannies to eat cat food and die from a lack of medical care?” “Mr Obama please tell us about how you feel about the Romney/Ryan plan to kill grannies and force women into back ally abortions.” That’s the way these things go.
Instead of biased talking heads they really should be bringing in neutral subject matter experts for each subjects. But I’m sure there was no way that the Obama camp was going to allow that. Plus the Republicans have gotten used to the ritual of dropping their pants and getting reamed by leftist moderators.
Steve,
I agree 100% and this is one of the main reasons I do not donate to the RNC, just the candidates. If they will not fight for themselves I am not going to help them.
Newt is coming to the rescue. He’s already making a public issue of media bias, expanding on his primary debate issues.
This is preparing the battlefield for the GOP – make a lot of noise about media distortions.
Might even help.
The media’s hatred for Romney and Ryan is anything but subtle. That British arse Piers Morgan was on the attack for the Obama campaign, while Newt didn’t blink and told him that he was guilty of repeating “mindless mantras”.
It was appalling how blatant Morgan was in going after Ryan right out of the gate, with every question being framed from the leftist negative paranoid fantasy point of few. It was sickening. How do we know we won’t have a repeat of the South Carolina debate, where personal issues (Gingrich’s failed marriages) were brought up on the opening question?
We need to be collectively vocal about this, and the Republicans, not just Newt or a few others, need to stand together to get a proper forum that isn’t run by a bunch of subversive panty-waists.
What I would like would be just a timekeeper, who keeps track of how long each is speaking, and stops them if they get more than 10 minutes total time ahead of the other guy, to prevent filibusters. Then let the candidates say whatever they wish, and ask the questions they want to each other.
On the other hand, Schieffer is 75 years old. He might not make to to debate day. Then we might get someone impartial and objective, like Keith Olbermann, Rachel Maddow, or Chris Matthews!
I know for a fact that I will not watch any of the debates on TV. I am tired of supporting these ridiculous one-sided clown acts where the commentator takes over with there bias. I will read about them the next day. I also wish the RNC would stand up for themselves. This is another reason I don’t donate to the RNC only the candidates.
Roger, try this on for size: In the books by Bernard Goldberg, I get the impression that those in the media are empty vessels. Others do the thinking for them, and they are in academia.
Therefore, wouldn’t it be prudent to see how long, or short, is the list of those who are politicized the least? For they would make better moderators than the usual suspects you name.
Two choices are John Stossel or Brian Lamb.
This is one of the thousands of great examples of why the Republican Party is in such sorry shape today. Even at this late date, Romney should simply say “No, thanks,” and back out. Then he should publicly denounce the “Sting the Republican” format and invite Obama to a real debate moderated by no one but a time keeper with the clock visible to the audience. Each would have to answer and then debate the topics raised by the other. (“What the hell are stinking journalists doing running debates?” is a question that should have been asked after Nixon/Kennedy. And the answer should have been, “Never again!”)