# Conservatives hold GOP feet to the fire
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [August 7, 2015, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233 "2015-08-07T12:39:05Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/21 "2015-08-07T15:33:35Z")
_“When did you become a Republican?”_ and _“Why should people believe you?”_ are supposed to be tough questions? Those sound like softballs to me. They’re fluff questions that allow candidates to respond with soundbites.
Tough questions would be asking something like _“You say we should repair our infrastructure and claim you would support a program to do so. But in the last five years you’ve been in office you have not introduced a single bill for infrastructure repair. How do you reconcile the gap between what you’ve said and what you’ve done?”_
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### Author:  [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/22 "2015-08-07T15:33:41Z")
> [@cornopean](#):
>
> I find that liberals ask Obama questions like; why are you so wonderful? and what is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
You do? Can you please provide an example?
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/23 "2015-08-07T15:37:12Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> _“When did you become a Republican?”_ and _“Why should people believe you?”_ are supposed to be tough questions? Those sound like softballs to me. They’re fluff questions that allow candidates to respond with soundbites.
>
> Tough questions would be asking something like _“You say we should repair our infrastructure and claim you would support a program to do so. But in the last five years you’ve been in office you have not introduced a single bill for infrastructure repair. How do you reconcile the gap between what you’ve said and what you’ve done?”_
I’d have asked ‘structurally, HOW do you intend to bring about your estimated 4% economic growth in the US, especially considering the current world wide economic down turn in Europe and China?’ THAT is putting foot to fire…especially if you actually make the various candidates answer the question and interrupt them repeatedly if they start to wander off topic or are giving pat, boiler plated answers. Personally, this is why I don’t really find much meat in any of these debates, whoever is doing them.
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### Author:  [@2sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2sense)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/24 "2015-08-07T15:42:56Z")
> [@TriPolar](#):
>
> The ‘debate’ was about how well the candidates are aligned with FOX News conservatism. The only questions that were remotely ‘hardball’ were reserved for Trump, the rest of them were intended to evoke canned responses from the other candidates. However the Democrats won’t get anything more pointed. Someone remind me who the moderators were at the Lincoln-Douglas debates.
This is the issue. There is no debate. It’s merely a simultaneous interview. Yes, interviews have their place but we shouldn’t confuse them with, or be substituting them for, actual debates. Candidates should be the ones asking questions and calling out their opponents for nonanswers.
\*“I think we all realize you aren’t a scientist but it seems to me that since you voted to require transvaginal ultrasounds then you should be able to explain what they are and why they are important. Do you often vote in favor of things you know nothing about? Do you think that is the kind of representative Americans deserve?” \*
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### Author:  [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/25 "2015-08-07T15:55:52Z")
Conservatives see an anomaly which only confirms what they’ve believed all along, news at 11.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/26 "2015-08-07T16:13:00Z")
> [@XT](#):
>
> Looks like ‘13% of voters think Barack Obama is the anti-Christ’ (which is still :eek: to me) and ‘including 22% of Romney voters’. Romney voters don’t = all Republicans, but I suppose any way you slice it it IS ‘a significant portion of Republicans’ which is pretty scary…as are some of the other weird shit people believe in your cite. I think that warrants another :eek:!!
Another problem is the respondents thinking how absurd of a question it is and just saying “yes” to fuck with the pollsters.
Plus these are yes/no questions answered on the spot. Maybe someone just doesn’t like Obama and answers “yes” to simply show his disapproval. That doesn’t mean that they have thoughtfully considered and come to the conclusion that Obama is indeed the entity referenced in the Book of Revelation.
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### Author:  [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/27 "2015-08-07T16:15:13Z")
> [@cornopean](#):
>
> I think one of the reasons for this is that liberals usually see anyone who disagrees with them as evil. You hate blacks, or the poor, or gays, etc. etc.
>
> While conservatives view people with whom they disagree as just wrong and deluded, but not evil.
I’ve been hearing this same claim for decades and have absolutely no idea how a reasonable person could possibly believe it. I have never seen an iota of evidence or any serious inquiry or study showing this to be true.
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### Author:  [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/28 "2015-08-07T16:16:54Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#):
>
> All of that is tangential to my point, which was that “What did God tell you lately and also are veterans good or bad” is a total softball question.
Sorry. My point was that, IMO, the softball question came from FB, and thus is somewhat unfair to blame the moderators for these less-than-stellar questions.
IMO, this merely shows why it might not be a good idea to open a direct channel (via social media) between the viewers and the candidates. You’re going to get some goofy (or softball) questions. You’re going to have to have some kind of filter to block to silliest ones, and even with that, the process will be nitpicked by those folks unhappy with the results.
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### Author:  [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/29 "2015-08-07T16:19:23Z")
> [@XT](#):
>
> I’d have asked ‘structurally, HOW do you intend to bring about your estimated 4% economic growth in the US, especially considering the current world wide economic down turn in Europe and China?’ THAT is putting foot to fire…especially if you actually make the various candidates answer the question and interrupt them repeatedly if they start to wander off topic or are giving pat, boiler plated answers. Personally, this is why I don’t really find much meat in any of these debates, whoever is doing them.
“I’ll cut taxes! This will stimulate investing and growth!” Totally softball.
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### Author:  [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/30 "2015-08-07T16:19:32Z")
> [@RickJay](#):
>
> I’ve been hearing this same claim for decades and have absolutely no idea how a reasonable person could possibly believe it. I have never seen an iota of evidence or any serious inquiry or study showing this to be true.
Is this a whoosh? Of course it is true. My cite is every single Great Debate topic on the SDMB.
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### Author:  [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/31 "2015-08-07T16:32:04Z")
Well, that certainly settles that!
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### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/32 "2015-08-07T16:32:53Z")
> [@cornopean](#):
>
> I find that liberals ask Obama questions like; why are you so wonderful? and what is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
Whom do you consider a “liberal” that asks the president a question during a debate? [Bob Schieffer](http://debates.org/index.php?page=october-22-2012-the-third-obama-romney-presidential-debate), anchor emeritus at CBS News?
> [@Bob](#):
>
> The first question, and it concerns Libya. The controversy over what happened there continues. Four Americans are dead, including an American ambassador. Questions remain. What happened? What caused it? Was it spontaneous? Was it an intelligence failure? Was it a policy failure? Was there an attempt to mislead people about what really happened?
> …
> The war in Syria has now spilled over into Lebanon. We have, what, more than 100 people that were killed there in a bomb. There were demonstrations there, eight people dead.
>
> Mr. President, it’s been more than a year since you saw – you told Assad he had to go. Since then, 30,000 Syrians have died. We’ve had 300,000 refugees.
>
> The war goes on. He’s still there. Should we reassess our policy and see if we can find a better way to influence events there? Or is that even possible?
> …
> May I ask you, you know, during the Egyptian turmoil, there came a point when you said it was time for President Mubarak to go. Some in your administration thought perhaps we should have waited a while on that. Do you have any regrets about that?
> [@cornopean](#):
>
> [L]iberals usually see anyone who disagrees with them as evil . . . [w]hile conservatives view people with whom they disagree as just wrong and deluded, but not evil.
😃 Every now and then I hear some conservative trotting out this stupid generalization, and I imagine them shaking their head mournfully, with fake wisdom and sadness at the inability of liberals to participate respectfully in a liberal democracy. I imagine Fox News playing in the background while they shake their head, with Megyn Kelly or Steve Doocy or Bill O’Reilly or Ann Coulter ranting about evil liberals.
For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re evil, but as far as your OP goes, that’s some serious delusion.
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/33 "2015-08-07T16:34:31Z")
> [@elucidator](#):
>
> Well, that certainly settles that!
How does the [Crazy ww2 strategy idea : let Hitler and Stalin fight, mop up the winner](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=764433) (in GD) play into your theory? 😛
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### Author:  [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/34 "2015-08-07T16:40:29Z")
> [@XT](#):
>
> How does the [Crazy ww2 strategy idea : let Hitler and Stalin fight, mop up the winner](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=764433) (in GD) play into your theory? 😛
:smack: Sorry 'luci…this SHOULD have been:
[QUOTE=UltraVires]
Is this a whoosh? Of course it is true. My cite is every single Great Debate topic on the SDMB.
[/QUOTE]
How does the [Crazy ww2 strategy idea : let Hitler and Stalin fight, mop up the winner](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=764433) (in GD) play into your theory? 😛
I blame it on the drugs.
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### Author:  [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/35 "2015-08-07T16:45:01Z")
> [@UltraVires](#):
>
> Is this a whoosh? Of course it is true. My cite is every single Great Debate topic on the SDMB.
Wow.
> [@Ann Coulter](#):
>
> You will find liberals always rooting for savages against civilization.
> [@Pat Robertson](#):
>
> Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.
> [@Bill O'Reilly](#):
>
> There’s no difference between the KKK and the Nazis, who have websites, than the Daily Kos.
> [@Mitt Romney](#):
>
> There are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the president no matter what. All right, there are 47 percent who are with him, who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them, who believe that they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you-name-it. That that’s an entitlement. And the government should give it to them. And they will vote for this president no matter what…These are people who pay no income tax.
You want more? I got more.
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### Author:  [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/36 "2015-08-07T17:01:15Z")
> [@XT](#):
>
> Looks like ‘13% of voters think Barack Obama is the anti-Christ’ (which is still :eek: to me) and ‘including 22% of Romney voters’. Romney voters don’t = all Republicans, but I suppose any way you slice it it IS ‘a significant portion of Republicans’ which is pretty scary…as are some of the other weird shit people believe in your cite. I think that warrants another :eek:!!
According to that survey, “_20% of Republicans believe that President Obama is the Anti-Christ, compared to 13% of independents and **6% of Democrats who agree** _”. (I’m not sure about the discrepancy between 22% and 20%.)
Also: “_5% of respondents believe that Paul McCartney died and was secretly replaced in the Beatles in 1966, and just 4% believe shape-shifting reptilian people control our world by taking on human form and gaining power. 7% of voters think the moon landing was fake_.”
I tend to think the percentages in that survey are all inflated. It’s possible that people who believe in various conspiracy theories, who tend to be more passionate about their views, are more likely to participate in surveys about the subject.
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### Author:  [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/37 "2015-08-07T17:23:15Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#):
>
> According to that survey, “_20% of Republicans believe that President Obama is the Anti-Christ, compared to 13% of independents and **6% of Democrats who agree** _”. (I’m not sure about the discrepancy between 22% and 20%.)
On looking a bit further, it looks like the 22% is of Romney voters, and the 20% is of Republicans. On that note, the percentage of people who believed Obama is the anti-Christ but _voted for him anyway_ is 5%. (8% of people who described themselves as “very liberal” believed this, as did 9% of African-Americans.)
> [@](#):
>
> Also: “_5% of respondents believe that Paul McCartney died and was secretly replaced in the Beatles in 1966, and just 4% believe shape-shifting reptilian people control our world by taking on human form and gaining power. 7% of voters think the moon landing was fake_.”
Apparently the Lizard People thing is a Republican thing - 5% of Romney voters versus 2% of Obama voters. Who knew? (It’s about as common among very liberal people as among very conservative people - these are by far the highest groups, least common among somewhat liberals, and pretty low among others.)
OTOH, 17% of Obama voters (in that survey) believe the CIA spread crack in inner cities (versus 10% of Romney supporters! - interestingly, it’s a lot more common among very conservative people than among somewhat conservative people.)
Surprisingly, believing that “Big Pharma” invent diseases in order to profit from curing them is more common among Romney voters than Obama voters (17% versus 11%).
[Sorry for the thread hijack. Pretty interesting survey, though IMO likely overstated as above.]
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### Author:  [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/38 "2015-08-07T17:37:49Z")
I think this poll tells us that about 5% of people polled like to mess with polsters.
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/39 "2015-08-07T17:41:09Z")
> [@cornopean](#):
>
> One thing that really impressed me with the GOP debate was just how brutal the questions were from Fox. I find that liberals ask Obama questions like; why are you so wonderful? and what is your favorite flavor of ice cream?
>
> .
Yep those were real softball questions asked:rolleyes::
[http://www.debates.org/index.php?page=october-1-2012-the-second-obama-romney-presidential-debate](http://www.debates.org/index.php?page=october-1-2012-the-second-obama-romney-presidential-debate)
_CROWLEY: Mr. President, could you address, because we did finally get to gas prices here, could you address what the governor said, which is if your energy policy was working, the price of gasoline would not be $4 a gallon here. Is that true?_
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [August 7, 2015, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/conservatives-hold-gop-feet-to-the-fire/727233/40 "2015-08-07T17:48:58Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#):
>
> I think this poll tells us that about 5% of people polled like to mess with polsters.
Or they accidentally check the wrong box. Or they just answer at random. And there’s the Jay-Walking conundrum- Jay Leno used to walk around and ask simple questions. Only people who answered wrong- and as wrong as possible got to be on TV. In fact if you were really fucking stupid sounding you even got to be a guest!
Now, let us say you’d like to be on TV- \*would you give the right answer or a dumb answer? \* People are smarter than you think- and dumber than you can imagine.
Like that idiot offering people silver bars vs chocolate bars.
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