# RNC wants friendly moderators for GOP primary debates. Think 2012 debates badly damaged candidates **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 17, 2013, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492 "2013-08-17T15:06:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/41 "2013-08-19T01:53:06Z")
> [@NotDeadYet](#): > > And if Fox is the only source of news about Republicans it’s like preaching to the choir. It won’t get the eventual nominee any traction with moderates who don’t watch Fox or listen to right wing talk radio. I think that the narrative from an unchallenged primary will leak through to the mainstream. Lets face it, we’re gonna have months of these and people aren’t going to simply be ignorant of it if they don’t watch Fox. There will be stories on the internet about how well so-and-so did in the debates, there will be clips of it in the local nightly news, newspapers (what’s left of them) will still cover them, comedians will mock them but there will be less mocking because there is a friendly moderator. The worst thing realistically I see coming from this is simply someone getting through it without some kind of major gaffe. Then suddenly, because people have short memories, it’ll be generic Republican vs. Democrat, and oh look how badly the Democrat did in their debate because they were challenged, and the Republican sailed through looking presidential. Sure, they’ll be challenged then, but even Romney’s 1st debate win didn’t move the needle much according to Nate Silver. If the GOP candidate makes it to the regular debate relatively unscathed, it might be too late ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/42 "2013-08-19T02:05:19Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > I hope that this will backfire on them but I have to give grudging kudos to a good move. There’s no question that the long debate season in 2012 hurt the candidates. Democrats got months of free attack material from each candidate either trying to out-crazy the other, or like Romney, trying to appeal to the base and the moderates and failing. Anything that lessens that gauntlet is good for the GOP. I don’t understand how this would change any of that. With moderators pandering to the base, there would be an increase in the crazy, not a reduction of it. If you give people more opportunity and more incentive to make extreme and outlandish statements that will be interpreted as gaffes, they will make more gaffes. How is it possible to argue against that? ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/43 "2013-08-19T03:12:18Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > I don’t understand how this would change any of that. With moderators pandering to the base, there would be an increase in the crazy, not a reduction of it. If you give people more opportunity and more incentive to make extreme and outlandish statements that will be interpreted as gaffes, they will make more gaffes. How is it possible to argue against that? That’ll be the interesting bit. Friendly media only, friendly moderator, “speaking to the base”. Admiral Ackbar screaming “ITS A TRAP!” in the background. Anyone with half a nano-gram of common sense has to know that you’re still going to be operating under the same net rules as previous years. Stupid and outlandish statements may play well to the basest of the base but are still going to cost you the nomination in the end. And if it doesn’t, and they play this insular game all the way through and nominate an extremist, the election will be even more of a curb-stomping than Reagan-Mondale. Which probably wouldn’t be a bad thing. Give the rabid conservatives their True Scotsman and watch him get trounced harder than any of their Moderates have. Then they can’t keep pushing this crazy ‘moderates don’t win’ angle. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/44 "2013-08-19T03:42:47Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > It’ll work if they’re successful in spinning the story their way. Obviously the base will buy whatever they’re told. But they have to convince swing voters that the issue was _“the regular media is biased against Republicans”_ and not _“Republicans can’t handle a real debate”_. - . . . even against each other."\* ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/45 "2013-08-19T03:45:28Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > The simple fact is that the Republican primary debates were TERRIBLE for the party. The nominating process - and the voters therein - force the candidate to take positions that are very damaging in the general election. Learning from that, the party should do whatever it can to minimize those soundbite-generating events as much as possible. If the field includes Tea Party favorites and the moderators include Levin, Hannity or Limbaugh – that is not going to minimize the occurrence of soundbite-bombs. Quite the reverse. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/46 "2013-08-19T03:49:32Z")
Yeah, what qualifies as a “softball” question to the base isn’t going to look that way to the rest of the country. The questions those friendly moderators are going to give them are going to be the ones that let them give answers that make the audience cheer. But we’ve already seen what kind of answers make the right-wing base cheer. Let it all out, so we can drain the pus from this abscess on good government. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/47 "2013-08-19T03:57:45Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > I will be resentful if they get to stack the presidential debates in their favor. I think the Presidential debates are hosted a special commission. Do the R’s think they can influence this as well? I hope not. [They can, but not more than the Dems:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election_debates#Debate_sponsorship) > [@](#): > > Control of the presidential debates has been a ground of struggle for more than two decades. The role was filled by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters (LWV) civic organization in 1976, 1980 and 1984.[5] In 1987, the LWV withdrew from debate sponsorship, in protest of the major party candidates attempting to dictate nearly every aspect of how the debates were conducted. On October 2, 1988, the LWV’s 14 trustees voted unanimously to pull out of the debates, and on October 3 they issued a press release:[9] > > > [@](#): > > > > The League of Women Voters is withdrawing sponsorship of the presidential debates…because the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter. It has become clear to us that the candidates’ organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and answers to tough questions. The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public. > > According to the LWV, they pulled out because “the campaigns presented the League with their debate agreement on September 28, two weeks before the scheduled debate. The campaigns’ agreement was negotiated ‘behind closed doors’ … [with] 16 pages of conditions not subject to negotiation. Most objectionable to the League…were conditions in the agreement that gave the campaigns unprecedented control over the proceedings… [including] control the selection of questioners, the composition of the audience, hall access for the press and other issues.”[9] > > The same year the two major political parties assumed control of organizing presidential debates through the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD). The commission has been headed since its inception by former chairs of the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee. > > Some have criticized the exclusion of third party and independent candidates as well as the parallel interview format as a minimum of getting 15% in opinion polls is required to be invited. In 2004, the Citizens’ Debate Commission (CDC) was formed with the stated mission of returning control of the debates to an independent nonpartisan body rather than a bipartisan body. Nevertheless, the CPD retained control of the debates that year and in 2008. The [Presidential Debate Commission](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commission_on_Presidential_Debates) has an equal number of Dems and Pubs on its board, I believe, though I can’t find that in this link. If you don’t like that, try the [Citizens’ Debate Commission.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens%27_Debate_Commission) ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/48 "2013-08-19T05:59:07Z")
What kind of questions would we hear at a Limbaugh-moderated event? “As president, what would you do about sluts who want free birth control?” “Assume the GOP has control of all 3 branches of government. Who do you nominate as emergency manager of California?” “If you had to choose between cutting taxes for the wealthy and helping your destitute mother pay her medical bills, which would you choose?” ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/49 "2013-08-19T07:53:49Z")
By excluding NBC, the GOP will ensure lower ratings for the debate. NBC will do well, as they will be the only major network able to scoop up the vast majority of couch potatoes with limited interest in politics. > [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > The simple fact is that the Republican primary debates were TERRIBLE for the party. The nominating process - and the voters therein - force the candidate to take positions that are very damaging in the general election. Learning from that, the party should do whatever it can to minimize those soundbite-generating events as much as possible. But soundbites are a result of the number of debates I think, not the questions. Fox wants ratings as much as any other network. I would think you would want a small number of debates with high ratings in a short contest. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/50 "2013-08-19T10:11:16Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > The worst thing realistically I see coming from this is simply someone getting through it without some kind of major gaffe. This presumes most of the gaffes were induced by unfriendly moderators, which was not the case in 2012. Most were unforced errors like Perry forgetting the third branch of government he was going to shut down, or Romney announcing he was “severely conservative”. No, there will be no shortage of damning clips for NBC and CNN to cherry-pick to make GOP candidates look foolish, and that will be the only view people will see on those networks. If the Republicans want to cede control of their message to undecided voters outside of the Fox News bubble, I won’t stand in their way. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/51 "2013-08-19T16:42:34Z")
With conservative moderators I don’t see how the candidates will differentiate from each other. It will basically be just a check list of conservative loyalty oath items on which all candidates agree. Moderator: What do you think of Obama care Candidate 1: I think it is the worst idea in the last 100 years. Candidate 2: I think its the worst idea in the last 1,000 years. Candidate 3: I thinks its the worst idea since Eve ate the apple. You might as well just go through the list and have a show of hands like they did with evolution in their previous debate. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Greenjeans](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr.greenjeans/32/551_2.png) [@Mr.Greenjeans](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Greenjeans)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/52 "2013-08-19T17:52:10Z")
> [@NotDeadYet](#): > > …a debate with people like Sarah Palin, Rick Perry and Rand Paul on the stage. > [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > …maybe they can get Glenn Beck involved somehow. > [@BrainGlutton](#): > > If the field includes Tea Party favorites and the moderators include Levin, Hannity or Limbaugh… I think I would actually pay money to see this. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/53 "2013-08-19T19:55:26Z")
> [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > What kind of questions would we hear at a Limbaugh-moderated event? > > “As president, what would you do about sluts who want free birth control?” > > “Assume the GOP has control of all 3 branches of government. Who do you nominate as emergency manager of California?” > > “If you had to choose between cutting taxes for the wealthy and helping your destitute mother pay her medical bills, which would you choose?” Realistically, I don’t think that will be asked. I think we don’t give a lot of credit (rightfully so in most cases) to these conservative pundits because part of their schtick is to appeal to the base and fire them up. On Fox News or their AM radio stations, 100% of things they say are idiotic and inflammatory and as liberals or moderates, we can’t possibly get worked up over every single thing What worries me is similar to what happened in the first presidential debate. Romney did a full about-face and argued practically the opposite of what he’s been preaching for months, nobody was prepared for that. I can very easily see the likes of Hannity or Limbaugh, knowing they already have the base, completely ignoring questions about birth control (which they know don’t play well to moderates) and spending 2 hours talking about Benghazi, the IRS “scandal”, the NSA, the bad parts of the economy (and they’ll never even imply the economy is doing well), and various other things that, given no opposing views, sounds like a damning critique of Democrats. Couldn’t you see them asking questions on California’s “failing” economy, the “unpopularity” of Obamacare, or hell, even fucking “bowing” to the Saudi king that gives the candidates the freedom to go on a completely fact-free rant against Obama and Democrats? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/54 "2013-08-19T20:01:27Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Couldn’t you see them asking questions on California’s “failing” economy, the “unpopularity” of Obamacare, or hell, even fucking “bowing” to the Saudi king that gives the candidates the freedom to go on a completely fact-free rant against Obama and Democrats? Talking to a friendly audience is when they say the more outlandish things, like the 47% remark. If they are all being lobbed softballs, there is going to be a powerful incentive to differentiate themselves from the next guy by appearing even more conservative. This always leads to Gaffe City. I support this plan wholeheartedly. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2013, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/55 "2013-08-19T20:07:06Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > What worries me is similar to what happened in the first presidential debate. Romney did a full about-face and argued practically the opposite of what he’s been preaching for months, nobody was prepared for that. I can very easily see the likes of Hannity or Limbaugh, knowing they already have the base, completely ignoring questions about birth control (which they know don’t play well to moderates) and spending 2 hours talking about Benghazi, the IRS “scandal”, the NSA, the bad parts of the economy (and they’ll never even imply the economy is doing well), and various other things that, given no opposing views, sounds like a damning critique of Democrats. Couldn’t you see them asking questions on California’s “failing” economy, the “unpopularity” of Obamacare, or hell, even fucking “bowing” to the Saudi king that gives the candidates the freedom to go on a completely fact-free rant against Obama and Democrats? Again, how would this be different than the primaries in 2012 when every Republican ran to the right in every debate and immediately repudiated any sentence that could be interpreted as moderate or insufficiently anti-Obama? And nobody is suggesting that this will happen in the presidential debates. Neither Hannity nor Limbaugh has a chance at those. ---
**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/56 "2013-08-20T01:31:24Z")
> [@YogSosoth](#): > > Couldn’t you see them asking questions on California’s “failing” economy, the “unpopularity” of Obamacare, or hell, even fucking “bowing” to the Saudi king that gives the candidates the freedom to go on a completely fact-free rant against Obama and Democrats? Yeah, I could see a situation where there is a wholly phony-GOP-world-view atmosphere to the questions and answers, without any pesky ‘real journalists’ present to provide any fact-checking like happened to Romney one of the debates. But then again, the GOP surprises again and again with how awful they are. Once they get together on their home turf over a smorgasbord of red meat, who knows what kind of circus they’ll create? Still, it _is_ their primary, so let 'em screw it up however they like 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/57 "2013-08-20T02:45:40Z")
This isn’t going to happen. Limbaugh and Beck aren’t journalists or even serious people - they are entertainers and have a vested interest in seeing it turn into a trainwreck. More listeners for them! The serious people in the party know this and won’t let it happen. After that, none of the even semi-serious people at Fox are going to accept forever more being known as “The one who hosted the right-wing debate.” That rules out Chris Wallace, Megyn Kelly, Shepard Smith, Greta Van Sustreren, etc. Fox News has people that would be willing to do it (Hannity, Eric Bolling, the three morning morons) but it would be such a joke any candidate participating would have to answer questions about it for a week during valuable campaign season. Lastly, NBC or CNN could just wait until a few debates have been done and announce their own. The candidates at the bottom of the ladder will gladly accept the free air time and the leaders will be forced to attend just to defend themselves. They can’t give anyone two hours of free time to get bashed. ---
**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:** [August 20, 2013, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/58 "2013-08-20T03:58:07Z")
I agree with the last paragraph, but I have to tell you that I have very, very, very serious doubts that the serious people in the party have enough control nowadays. The Tea Partiers and extreme conservatives do not surprise me anymore with their willingness to poke the eyes of even the serious people in their party. ---
**Author:** ![Honesty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f04885/32.png) [@Honesty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honesty)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/59 "2013-08-20T21:02:35Z")
It’s a strangely curious thing that the RNC doesn’t see that it isn’t the moderators or the media that’s the problem, it’s the message and conduct of the Republican Party. I sincerely believe that the Southern Strategy chickens are coming home to roost and Republicans no longer has strong demographic to form a coalition to win the Presidency in my lifetime. It was a good, deficit-laden run while it lasted. - Honesty ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2013, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492/60 "2013-08-20T21:11:08Z")
I just keep thinking of the whole “47%” fiasco. Denying it was said in the face of video proof, even now. I can only imagine what kind of incredibly stupid and crazy things will be said by the real nutbars when they _think_ they’re only speaking to their base. And how they’ll blame the media for ‘lying’ about it or turning it into a scandal. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rnc-wants-friendly-moderators-for-gop-primary-debates-think-2012-debates-badly-damaged-candidates/666492.md?page=4)