# Next debate suspended over 'gotcha' questions per RNC **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 30, 2015, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213 "2015-10-30T23:11:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/61 "2015-11-01T02:51:20Z")
> [@GrumpyBunny](#): > > I can see both Clinton and Sanders providing a reasoned, adult response, \*sans \* any foot-stamping or temper tantrums, regardless of the idiocy of the question. Clinton sure, but Sanders? Foot stomps and temper tantrums are his thing. ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/62 "2015-11-01T03:16:09Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I’m aware of that. But the First Amendment has been gradually expanded to broader meanings in the context of state laws and other political contexts as a supposed pillar of liberty. I always hear about it when some right-wing rabble-rouser is banned by a university administration from a speaking engagement on campus. The right-wingers come out in droves crying bloody murder and waving copies of the Constitution. Is that also a childish misunderstanding of what free speech means? Since you haven’t actually referenced an example of any conservative “crying bloody murder and waving copies of the Constitution”, I can’t answer that. Here’s what I can say. Recent episodes in which colleges and universities have tried to silence various people have been criticized, by conservatives and [liberals](http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2015/01/not-a-very-pc-thing-to-say.html) and miscellaneous others. They are criticized because a college education should involve exposure to many viewpoints, and thus being censorious undercuts the supposed purpose of a college and university. But as far as I know, everyone agrees that a private school can set a speech policy on campus, and even a public school can cancel a speaking invitation whenever it chooses. I have never seen any serious source say it’s unconstitutional, only that it’s pathetic and laughable. The National Review often [mocks PC behavior on liberal campuses](http://www.nationalreview.com/article/426260/halloween-colleges-costumes-consultants), but doesn’t say it’s unconstitutional. (Now for the record, if a public university imposes an unreasonable restriction on campus, or punishes a student or professor for speech, that’s unconstitutional, and sources conservative and otherwise should label it as such.) ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/63 "2015-11-01T06:46:15Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > Why don’t we just give them the questions in advance? Go all the way and provide the answers too. Call it an open book debate. Would narrow the field just as quickly. Some couldn’t read the provided answers into an open mike. You want candidates proficient at sound bites, gotchas and whose PAC buys the best attack ads then why would you be surprised that’s what your primary process delivers? ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/64 "2015-11-01T08:55:05Z")
Isn’t the idea of a debate is to ask all debaters the SAME question and listen to and compare their responses? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/65 "2015-11-01T09:55:04Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > The moderators mostly are a bunch of journalist who are as much in it for themselves as the candidates are. 😕 Really? I had been given to understand that they were, by and large, television personalities. Journalism does not happen on television. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/66 "2015-11-01T10:11:04Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > As I see it, they were in a legitimately adversarial relationship with the candidates – that’s why it’s called a “debate”, it’s not really a debate among the candidates, but between the candidates and the panel of questioners. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Emphasis added. > > Really? I’ve never heard anyone claim that before. Could be I’m just out of touch with the process-- what do the rest of you folks think? I think it’s one of the most bone-headed statements I’ve ever seen about presidential primary debates. Returning to the substance of the thread, I WANT the GOP candidates to get softballs. I want the clown car to remain as full as possible for as long as possible – preferably right up to the convention. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/67 "2015-11-01T14:15:40Z")
What the Republicans want are questions like these: 1- On which denomination of currency would you put Ronald Reagan? 2- How soon after taking the oath of office would you send Obama to Gitmo? 3- Please share your version of the apocalypse that would ensue if Hillary wins 4- Please tell us your plans for cutting taxes, raising defense spending, and balancing the budget 5- Do you believe “under God” should be part of the Pledge Of Allegiance? We’ll give you a moment to wipe the tears from your eyes. 6- Are guns just the most wonderful thing in the world, or what? 7- Do you have a favorite Welfare Queen story you’d like to share? 8- It snowed last winter. Don’t you agree that proves global warming is a hoax? 9- How will you make sure that Supreme Court nominees will overturn Roe? 10- How will you foil Democrat plans to bring in millions of illegal aliens over our southern border? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/68 "2015-11-01T14:58:04Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Journalism does not happen on television. Of course it does. On-the-scene reporting has been a staple of television for long enough that absolutely _everyone_ on this board has _some_ memory of an epochal event they watched live. Most here have multiple such memories. By the same token, journalism doesn’t happen in print media. It is, by definition, dead and pickled by the time it’s on the page. ---
**Author:** ![MindsEye\_Watering](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindseye_watering/32/3619_2.png) [@MindsEye\_Watering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MindsEye_Watering)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/69 "2015-11-01T15:01:04Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > What the Republicans want are questions like these: > > 1- On which denomination of currency would you put Ronald Reagan? > 2- How soon after taking the oath of office would you send Obama to Gitmo? > 3- Please share your version of the apocalypse that would ensue if Hillary wins > 4- Please tell us your plans for cutting taxes, raising defense spending, and balancing the budget > 5- Do you believe “under God” should be part of the Pledge Of Allegiance? We’ll give you a moment to wipe the tears from your eyes. > 6- Are guns just the most wonderful thing in the world, or what? > 7- Do you have a favorite Welfare Queen story you’d like to share? > 8- It snowed last winter. Don’t you agree that proves global warming is a hoax? > 9- How will you make sure that Supreme Court nominees will overturn Roe? > 10- How will you foil Democrat plans to bring in millions of illegal aliens over our southern border? Heh! Yep! +1 ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/70 "2015-11-01T17:04:43Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > As I see it, they were in a legitimately adversarial relationship with the candidates – that’s why it’s called a “debate”, it’s not really a debate among the candidates, but between the candidates and the panel of questioners. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I think it’s one of the most bone-headed statements I’ve ever seen about presidential primary debates. Well, thank you, I guess, but perhaps you should educate yourself about the [different styles](http://idebate.org/about/debate/formats) of [competitive debate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debate#Competitive_Debating). In the presidential “debate” format, the candidates almost never address each other directly and certainly the format isn’t geared to that … The format of the presidential debates, though defined differently in every election, is typically more restrictive than many traditional formats, forbidding participants to ask each other questions and restricting discussion of particular topics to short time frames. > **[Debate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debate#U.S._presidential_debates)** > > Debate is a process that involves formal discourse, discussion, and oral addresses on a particular topic or collection of topics, often with a moderator and an audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for opposing viewpoints. Historically, debates have occurred in public meetings, academic institutions, debate halls, coffeehouses, competitions, and legislative assemblies. Debates have also been conducted for educational and recreational purposes, usually associated with educational The t... The most common traditional competitive debate format is the parliamentary debate format where the competition is between the participants directly and is moderated by someone who may be called a speaker, adjudicator, or just moderator: Parliamentary debate … features the competition of individuals in a multi-person setting. Throughout the world, parliamentary debate is what most countries know as “debating” … The premier event in the world of parliamentary debate, the World Universities Debating Championship, is conducted in the British Parliamentary style. > **[Debate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debate#Parliamentary_debating)** > > Debate is a process that involves formal discourse, discussion, and oral addresses on a particular topic or collection of topics, often with a moderator and an audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for opposing viewpoints. Historically, debates have occurred in public meetings, academic institutions, debate halls, coffeehouses, competitions, and legislative assemblies. Debates have also been conducted for educational and recreational purposes, usually associated with educational The t... Whereas the presidential debate is conducted more like a press conference, as someone previously pointed out, and is basically a series of questions with which the candidates are challenged. And like a press conference over a contentious issue, you don’t get new information by agreeing with the proposition being claimed, you get it by following the prime rule of debate: be as tough on your opponents as possible without being unfair. This is the responsible and necessary adversarial relationship between the questioners and the candidates. The problem with the CNBC panel wasn’t the adversarial relationship, it was violating the “don’t be unfair” part of the rule in the way some of the questions were worded. Hope that clears up your confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Oly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oly/32/8255_2.png) [@Oly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oly)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/71 "2015-11-01T18:25:49Z")
Maybe the moderating was under whelming, and I can understand noting that and moving on, but to the candidates and the RNC who’ve been whining about it, I say boo f-n who. If you can’t get your message across despite a suboptimal venue how do you expect to be president? Grow some gonads. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/72 "2015-11-01T18:32:38Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > 😕 > > Really? I had been given to understand that they were, by and large, television personalities. > > Journalism does not happen on television. The three recent moderators: [Carl Quintanilla (born September 10, 1970 in Midland, Michigan)[1] is an American journalist working for CNBC.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Quintanilla) [John Harwood (born November 5, 1956) is an American journalist who is the chief Washington Correspondent for CNBC.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Harwood_(journalist)) [Rebecca (“Becky”) Quick (born July 18, 1972) is an American television journalist/newscaster, co-anchorwoman of CNBC’s financial news show Squawk Box.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Quick) ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/73 "2015-11-01T21:51:55Z")
> [@Iggy](#): > > The [New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/30/arts/television/debate-devolved-into-gop-vs-cnbc-and-the-network-lost.html) used phrases such “simultaneously aggressive and underprepared,” and noted that the moderators “got derailed with trivia, needless fighting and good-in-theory questions with botched execution.” Not the description you want for your moderators if you are hosting a presidential primary debate. > > The [Boston Globe](https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2015/10/28/the-biggest-loser-cnbc-republican-debate-the-media/qoTnfU0XxAdmcnvTvDOJLJ/story.html) wrote that the moderators were “smarmy” and had an “animus”. Not good for CNBC. > > [ThinkProgress](http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2015/10/28/3717186/cnbc-debate-moderators-yelling/) called the debate a “total trainwreck” and quoted multiple tweets from journalists roundly criticizing the moderators as “crashing and burning” and said they are “just the worst”. With those reviews in mind, if anybody who missed it before wants to see it, they’ll be replaying it on CNBC tonight at 7pm (Eastern). ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/74 "2015-11-01T21:57:26Z")
I wonder if there is a church that would accept watching it twice as penance for sins? Ought to be worth at least two adulteries. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/75 "2015-11-02T00:15:30Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I wonder if there is a church that would accept watching it twice as penance for sins? Ought to be worth at least two adulteries. It would certainly take longer than two adulteries… ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/76 "2015-11-02T14:58:25Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > Even if the question is unfair or rude, adults answer and don’t whine about it like spoiled children. Agreed. I honestly don’t understand what the GOP is so afraid of. The way to come off looking good is to stand up, answer the questions asked and stop running away and pouting. Sorry but that instills no confidence in me at all. Anyone can run the country if it’s rainbows and unicorns. But being president is any thing but that. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/77 "2015-11-02T16:57:12Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > I wonder if there is a church that would accept watching it twice as penance for sins? Ought to be worth at least two adulteries. Bless you, my son. Say 3 Hail Marys, 3 Our Fathers, and if you watch the latest Republican Debates, I’ll give you an automatic 10-year free ride on Confessions. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/78 "2015-11-02T17:00:37Z")
> [@White SIFL](#): > > Agreed. I honestly don’t understand what the GOP is so afraid of. The way to come off looking good is to stand up, answer the questions asked and stop running away and pouting. Sorry but that instills no confidence in me at all. Anyone can run the country if it’s rainbows and unicorns. But being president is any thing but that. Yep. Not that I’d have voted republican anyway but the way they’re bellyaching, I’m not convinced to re-evaluate my opinion of any of them. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/79 "2015-11-02T18:00:11Z")
> [@Martin\_Hyde](#): > > Separating all the partisan nonsense from it, the fact is the CNBC moderators did an atrocious job. While I don’t think the moderators did their job well, I do not agree that they did an atrocious job. Specifically, I think they performed poorly in terms of controlling the debate: candidates were generally allowed to speak whenever they felt so moved. On the other hand, their question selection was quite fair. I took the time to read through the transcript of the debate, and have summarized the questions here. - What’s your greatest weakness - Trump, is your campaign a ‘comic book’ campaign - Let’s talk tax plans - Rubio, why don’t you accomplish something before running for president - Bush, are you struggling in the campaign because your party has gone insane? - Fiorina, why should you be president when you failed so completely at HP? - Cruz, you won’t compromise on anything, and are willing to hold the country hostage over the debt limit. Are you the problem solver America needs? (Incidentally, this is where Cruz decides to attack the moderators, and then whine about how he didn’t have time to answer the question because he wasted it all.) - Paul, the budget deal cuts entitlements. You oppose the deal. Is it because it doesn’t cut entitlements enough? - Christie, you want to cut SS benefits. When is it okay to break a social compact the government has made with the people? - Trump, you shivved your partners when you declared bankruptcy four times. Why should the American people trust you? - Carson, how far should companies be allowed to go in raising the price the price of life-saving drugs (clear reference to Daraprim.) - Christie, should people at GM responsible for faulty ignition switches be in jail? - Bush, would you still take the $10 of spending cuts for $1 of tax increases? - Fiorina, you opposed an internet sales tax. How would you level the playing field between online retailers and B&M? - Rubio, you can’t manage your own finances, why should you be put in charge of managing the federal government? - Kasich, you opposed the Ex-Im bank but constantly grovel for subsidies for Ohio companies. When are these subsidies okay? - Cruz, how would you help close the gender pay imbalance? - Carson, why do you serve on the board of a company (costco) who provides same-sex domestic partner benefits when you oppose it? - Carson, why do you maintain your relationship with Mannatech? - Rubio, why do you support expanding H-1B visas? - Trump, why do you oppose them? - Cruz, what do you want to do about the Fed? - Carson, how do you justify ending subsidies for oil and supporting them for ethanol? - Huckabee, how would you reduce income inequality? - Bush, why do you support taxing labor at a higher rate than capital gains? - Rubio, your tax plan gives much more to the top than the middle. What’s up? - Kasich, would you want to legalize marijuana in Ohio to help out with budget problems? - Trump, back to H1Bs… - Trump, do you want your employees to be able to bring guns to work? - Huckabee, is Trump someone who can unite and lead the country? - Fiorina, should the federal government help expand retirement programs for employees who aren’t covered? - Kasich, how would you help families struggling with student loan debt? - Bush, should the federal government treat fantasy sports as gambling? - Christie, what do we do about climate change? - Paul, was Reagan right to oppose Medicare’s creation? [Moderators toss this question around to Huckabee, Bush, Trump, others chime in…] - All, closing statements… I think in general, the questions were generally substantive issues (even fantasy football, ie the proposed financial regulation of a billion dollar industry.) The questions were mostly given to a specific candidate straight up (only a few instances of “Candidate x, tell us why candidate y is wrong about z”) with a general adversarial tone. The campaigns - and the RNC - whining about fair, substantive questions asked in this manner reflects very poorly on them. > [@](#): > > Moderators in Presidential debates are expected to not clearly take sides or try to help or hurt one specific candidate over the others. Fortunately, it does not appear that they did so. > [@](#): > > They’re expected to at least try and give some balanced amount of time to each candidate. I don’t think any panel of moderators has accomplished this, nor do I think it’s a reasonable expectation, unless you want to give moderators power over the candidates’ microphones. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2015, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213/80 "2015-11-02T19:02:58Z")
A few posts back there was the issue about the RNC having the job of controlling the debates and do damage control, then I said that the RNC failed to do that job but the point was dismissed; well, according to a recent report the Republican candidates said that they have decided to go around the RNC and will negotiate directly with the media for the future debates. That IMHO does show that the candidates are (also) blaming the RNC for the fiasco. So besides asking for confirmation here for that move by the candidates (I’m in a short break) I have to comment that if that is the case the Republicans are in disarray as 538 is finally suspecting it is the case. I still think that the high number of candidates is a result of the many divisions within the party. It should not had been seen as a result of strength. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/next-debate-suspended-over-gotcha-questions-per-rnc/736213.md?page=5)