Cry me a river RNC.

[grzegorz]

RNC Suspends Debate With NBC, Citing CNBC 'Gotcha' Questions

OCTOBER 30, 2015 1:41 PM ET
AMITA KELLY

CNBC debate moderators Carl Quintanilla (from left), Becky Quick and John Harwood were widely panned for their questions. The RNC is the latest critic, calling them "inaccurate or downright offensive."
CNBC debate moderators Carl Quintanilla (from left), Becky Quick and John Harwood were widely panned for their questions. The RNC is the latest critic, calling them "inaccurate or downright offensive."
Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images
The Republican National Committee says it will suspend a debate partnership with NBC News, citing "inaccurate or downright offensive" questions during Wednesday night's debate on CNBC.

"We simply cannot continue with NBC without full consultation with our campaigns," RNC Chairman Reince Priebus wrote in a letter to NBC Chairman Andrew Lack.

An NBC News debate was scheduled to take place on Feb. 26 at the University of Houston and was to be co-sponsored by National Review and Telemundo. It is the only GOP debate scheduled with a Spanish-language media co-sponsor, which could invite backlash as the party has struggled to improve its relationship with Latinos. The RNC said it still plans to hold a debate on that day and will include National Review; it did not specifically address Telemundo, which is also owned by NBC Universal.

Priebus' letter continued:

"While debates are meant to include tough questions and contrast candidates' visions and policies for the future of America, CNBC's moderators engaged in a series of 'gotcha' questions, petty and mean-spirited in tone, and designed to embarrass our candidates. What took place Wednesday night was not an attempt to give the American people a greater understanding of our candidates' policies and ideas."
CNBC is owned by NBC Universal, as is NBC News, but the networks have separate editorial operations and are headquartered in separate locations. The RNC acknowledged that NBC News does not control CNBC but said "the network is an arm of your organization, and we need to ensure there is not a repeat performance."

NBC News said it would work "in good faith" to resolve the situation:

"This is a disappointing development. However, along with our debate broadcast partners at Telemundo we will work in good faith to resolve this matter with the Republican Party."
Priebus wrote the RNC will suspend the partnership "pending further discussion between the [RNC] and our presidential campaigns."

Several of those campaigns are scheduled to meet Saturday, reportedly without the RNC, to discuss the debate process and how they could have more control over it. Politico reported that the meeting was organized by advisers to the Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Bobby Jindal and Lindsey Graham campaigns.
http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolit ... -questions

[Steve James]

It's funny how thin-skinned some people are. Anyway, why pick on NBC? It started at FOX with Megan Kelly.

You can't blame the media for asking questions about the outrageous comments you've made.

Donald was a riot when he said that he gets the hard questions and Hillary gets the "soft balls." And for Donald to complain about the way people talk about him ... tsk, tsk, tsk. But, it's typical.

[Michael]

Trying to watch it. Don't have any booze or other mood alterers. I think it took me a few days to do the last one.

[Steve James]

Well, there's a big problem, but it's somewhat entertaining to watch.

[Michael]

Somewhat entertaining? Haha, you've got a better sense of humor than I do tonight.

EDIT: Just got entertaining when he asked Trump if his was a comic book version of being President. Nice

[grzegorz]

Trying to watch it. Don't have any booze or other mood alterers. I think it took me a few days to do the last one.

It's reality TV at its best.

I think that last debate ended Jeb's shot at being pres. His loss was Rubio's gain although to be fair Rubio dodged the question.

[Michael]

Trying to watch it. Don't have any booze or other mood alterers. I think it took me a few days to do the last one.

It's reality TV at its best.

I think that last debate ended Jeb's shot at being pres. His loss was Rubio's gain although to be fair Rubio dodged the question.

I watched in horror at the first two, noted to overt racism and fascism, and then immediately expunged as much detail from my memory as I could to avoid nightmares.

The other 'pubs are so grating on my nerves that I actually find Trump a welcome relief when he's speaking. If all of them were selling eggs and Trump had the highest prices, I'd prefer to buy his eggs and throw them at the other pubs.

I am definitely going to have to be in an altered state to finish watching this thing.

[chud]

"Gotcha" questions are fine as long as it's that way for everybody across the board (both parties).

[Michael]

"Gotcha" questions are fine as long as it's that way for everybody across the board (both parties).

I'd like straight questions and no allowance for grandstanding. Maybe no softball and nothing pointed as long as the answers are straight. Something like that.

[Michael]

They should change the format to something like a game show where there's a panel of interviewers and a separate panel of judges who evaluate each response and give scores as to how well the candidate stayed on topic, etc. Lose points for demagoguery, lose points for absurd statements like making the tax code 3 pages, lose points for appealing to popular myths.

EDIT: Lose points for plugging your web site, lose points for clichés.

[Steve James]

Hmm, I'm curious. Got an example of a gotcha question?

Imo, in these cases, it's just a simple matter of "if you don't like the question, attack the questioner." For example, asking someone "did you have sex with that woman?" is considered fair. Otoh, asking someone "did you say that about women?" is considered a "gotcha" (i.e., unfair/biased) question.

Besides, it's a debate, and they're also complaining that some of the questions are meant to get them to argue. Well, double DUH; it's a debate.

If they just get to talk about what they want to talk about, or if they get Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity to "moderate," it'll turn into a television show. Sure, it'll end up with almost all of them saying the right things: i.e., saying the same things that they've been saying. But, you won't hear more about the "Wall" or about the Earth's age, though they'll make up a lot more stuff that won't be challenged.

[Michael]

Hmm, I'm curious. Got an example of a gotcha question?

It seems the same questions are being asked as in the previous showcasings, such as this one to Trump, "Bankruptcy is a broken promise. Why should voters believe the promises you're making now?"

If they just get to talk about what they want to talk about, or if they get Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly or Sean Hannity to "moderate," it'll turn into a television show.

That's what I thought the first two were. The whole thing seems just as stiff as the first two, but with a little more snark from the moderators.

[Michael]

Okay, 43 minutes in and I can't take it any more.

[Steve James]

Well, oK, forcing someone to admit facts that he wants to hide is a gotcha. But, Trump should be the last to complain about that He led the charge to make Obama admit that he wasn't born in the US. Of course, admitting to a bankruptcy isn't in the same category.

Trump bristled in the very first debate from the very first question, and he may have been right. Megan Kelly was confrontational, but, c'mon, she was a woman asking a question about Trump's statements concerning women. His opinions on women are perfectly fair game for someone who expects their votes. The same goes for ethnic groups and members of other religions.

[Michael]

Sure, but maybe not such a severe gotcha when he answered the same question in the previous debate, maybe both. The only difference I saw in this one was the moderators were strict with the time. I love the spontaneous coordination between Christie saying it's okay to steal from seniors Social Security because the gubmint already stole from everyone, Huckabee is morally outraged, and then Cruz chimes in to say they're both right. Ahhhh, I feel so much better now. Thanks Republicans!