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[Black Republican]

Not really surprised after how the last GOP debate went

https://gop.com/nbc-letter/

Mr. Andrew Lack
Chairman, NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, New York 10112

Dear Mr. Lack,

I write to inform you that pending further discussion between the Republican National Committee (RNC) and our presidential campaigns, we are suspending the partnership with NBC News for the Republican primary debate at the University of Houston on February 26, 2016. The RNC’s sole role in the primary debate process is to ensure that our candidates are given a full and fair opportunity to lay out their vision for America’s future. We simply cannot continue with NBC without full consultation with our campaigns.

The CNBC network is one of your media properties, and its handling of the debate was conducted in bad faith. We understand that NBC does not exercise full editorial control over CNBC’s journalistic approach. However, the network is an arm of your organization, and we need to ensure there is not a repeat performance.

CNBC billed the debate as one that would focus on “the key issues that matter to all voters—job growth, taxes, technology, retirement and the health of our national economy.” That was not the case. Before the debate, the candidates were promised an opening question on economic or financial matters. That was not the case. Candidates were promised that speaking time would be carefully monitored to ensure fairness. That was not the case. Questions were inaccurate or downright offensive. The first question directed to one of our candidates asked if he was running a comic book version of a presidential campaign, hardly in the spirit of how the debate was billed.

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.

I have tremendous respect for the First Amendment and freedom of the press. However, I also expect the media to host a substantive debate on consequential issues important to Americans. CNBC did not.

While we are suspending our partnership with NBC News and its properties, we still fully intend to have a debate on that day, and will ensure that National Review remains part of it.

I will be working with our candidates to discuss how to move forward and will be in touch.

Sincerely,

Reince Priebus
Chairman, Republican National Committee

 

[ApharmdX]

The head of the RNC, accusing someone else of being "mean-spirited". LOL the irony!!

 

[jtb]

honestly, Fox News should do all the debates. they did the best job so far.

 

[kess]

and will ensure that National Review remains part of it

lol

 

[Slayven]

Anderson Cooper should do all debates

 

[gdt]

This is getting crazy. They got a real opportunity to play the victim.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Anderson Cooper should do all debates

this, the dem debate was great

 

[entremet]

I didn't follow the last debate. What was the issue?

 

[Aylinato]

honestly, Fox News should do all the debates. they did the best job so far.

I'm going to take this as a serious comment. No. The best debates have been hosted by PBS.

 

[psynergylover]

I read as i see a ben carson 2016 ad at the bottom of the page

 

[davepoobond]

take that libruls, no more high rating debates 4 u.


CNBC screwed up, big time

 

[Walter White Walker]

I actually agree with the RNC. That was a really shitty "debate" CNBC put on the air.

Now, off to take a shower!

 

[kirblar]

I didn't follow the last debate. What was the issue?

They actually got hit with hard questions.

 

[JHoNNy1OoO]

They are taking their ball and going home.

Honestly though I was surprised at first when the Republican debates were anywhere but FOX and CNN.

 

[Jonm1010]

I didn't follow the last debate. What was the issue?

Republicans whining that they aren't given substantive questions to lay out their platform when CNBC challenged them on not being substantive.

 

[rugioh]

Anderson Cooper should do all debates

While I would enjoy this, isn't he tied to CNN?

 

[jtb]

I'm going to take this as a serious comment. No. The best debates have been hosted by PBS.

of the three Republican debates? absolutely. they have the credibility to attack these candidates from any angle; from the establishment, from the anti-establishment, from the left, from the right, etc.

the CNN debate was lazy, drama manufacturing. the CNBC one was bad so much because of the moderators (who were fine, tbh), but because everyone was so desperate to talk over each other and they had no way of maintaining order.

 

[balladofwindfishes]

I didn't follow the last debate. What was the issue?

They allowed people to go way over time, the moderators were bullied by the candidates and the questions were basically ridiculous at times.

 

[Grizzlyjin]

I'm going to take this as a serious comment. No. The best debates have been hosted by PBS.

Yep, PBS has the best political coverage overall for someone worried about bias. They don't play games.

I kinda figured this was happening. CNBC probably sold them a cakewalk and they were tougher than expected.

 

[Veritigo_X]

I didn't follow the last debate. What was the issue?

They directly told some of the candidates that their fiscal policies wouldn't work and they got mad. Cruz even went on some tangent about the liberal media.

 

[QuiteWhittle]

I didn't follow the last debate. What was the issue?

Admittedly unprofessional and disrespectful moderators allowed Republican candidates to play up the liberal media meme and take control of their own debate schedule.

 

[RustyNails]

If these fucks cant handle a question from the media about their own fucking plans, how are they expected to talk to vladimir putin or Iran? Bunch of crybabies

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

They actually got hit with hard questions.

nobody said reality was gonna crash the party man, they were happy in their safespace

but they did also fan the flames to try to get bust ups started, just like cnn did in debate 2. the combination of them was too much for the gop I guess

 

[PBY]

They actually got hit with hard questions.

Ehh the first two had tough questions. This last had its share of those, but also dumb "hard" questions. Like, they fucking asked Huckabee about Trump's morality. There was a bunch of gotcha shit like that that doesn't add much outside of entertainment, for better or worse.

 

[Sho_Nuff82]

They actually got hit with hard questions.

Like uncomfortable hard, or fluffy hard like the "comic book" question above?

 

[JDSN]

Do they even need moderators? Just let them freestyle that stuff, some beers, a pool table and some jukebox.

 

[Fotheringay]

When Colbert is attacking the moderators and defending Trump you know they fucked up.

 

[onadesertedisland]

Corralling eleven feral cats and expecting anything but chaos, then blaming the fence maker?

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Do they even need moderators? Just let them freestyle that stuff, some beers, a pool table and some jukebox.

winner stays on

trump will be there all night while rubio's crying into his still water

 

[PBY]

Like uncomfortable hard, or fluffy hard like the "comic book" question above?

There was a lot of hard "fluff". There was good stuff too though, but I understand the complaints.

 

[massoluk]

I don't think even Anderson Cooper can salvage a debate with 10 participants. Sure there were a few stinkers, but they can't get into real questions and answers with so many participants and limited time.

 

[Jonm1010]

They allowed people to go way over time, the moderators were bullied by the candidates and the questions were basically ridiculous at times.

Trump is literally running on a platform that I can only surmise is being predicated on fairy dust and magic gnomes that can raise unlimited tax revenue and sneak into Mexican leaders homes late at night and sprinkle said fairy dust on them to achieve his aims.

CNBC rightly called it out for the bullshit it was. Why should they preten bullshit is gold?

 

[JCX]

Anderson Cooper should do all debates

Thing is, Anderson wasn't even super great, he just asked follow up questions.What a low bar we have.

 

[Orbis Tabula]

lol, that's crazy. Now I just want to see more moderators call them out on their impossible ideas until Fox News is the only one hosting debates.

 

[Hari Seldon]

The moderators were trying to get famous for themselves by turning the debates into a shit show. They needed to let it happen naturally like Fox News did.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

When Colbert is attacking the moderators and defending Trump you know they fucked up.

Yeah.

I know its fun to attack the foolishness of the Republican party, but those of you who are crying about taking their ball and going home shouldnt ignore the legit criticism CNBC has gotten over it.

 

[gutter_trash]

Hardwood or Harwood was a terrible moderator

Like Republicans or don't like them, moderators should not jump into the stupid pool with ''comic book characters'' or ''Fantasy Football'' nonsense.

CNBC's debate was a total fail

 

[Ziltoidia 9]

As bad as CNBC did, both before the debate and during the debate, it IS extremely easy to get a cheep pop out of the country by going after the media. Anyone could say "We should have questions about the issues!" after ANY debate...and either once side or the other does...

But things like the whole "Where did I read that?" line was extremely horrible display from their profession.

 

[Black Republican]

With the dem debate exactly one week away on MSNBC, extra eyes will be on that one by the GOP now i bet lol

 

[balladofwindfishes]

Trump is literally running on a platform that I can only surmise is being predicated on fairy dust and magic gnomes that can raise unlimited tax revenue and sneak into Mexican leaders homes late at night and sprinkle said fairy dust on them to achieve his aims.

CNBC rightly called it out for the bullshit it was. Why should they preten bullshit is gold?

There's no need to word a question that treats Trump's positions as comic book like. That's unprofessional.

Take him to task on his positions, but do so in a more professional manner.

 

[Orbis Tabula]

The moderators were trying to get famous for themselves by turning the debates into a shit show. They needed to let it happen naturally like Fox News did.

The main host, John Harwood, was the The Daily Show a week or so before the debate. He was the one who asked Rick Perry his "...oops" question last election, and Harwood mentioned that they would be trying to get more moments like that in the debate.

I can see that they were trying, but dear god, they were shit at it.

 

[nib95]

Going to watch this debate now. Lol.

 

[RustyNails]

NBC has a golden opportunity to smack down priebus and the GOP for failing to engage the public on issues and frankly what a bunch of shitstain diaper men they are. Dont let me down nbc.

 

[SliceSabre]

Republicans confirmed to be crybabies.

 

[davepoobond]

Going to watch this debate now. Lol.

everyone gets pillows and apple juice

 

[Gordon Shumway]

Feel like quoting myself..nah.

Republicans confirmed to be crybabies.

Quite the thin skin..

 

[PBY]

lol, that's crazy. Now I just want to see more moderators call them out on their impossible ideas until Fox News is the only one hosting debates.

Maybe I'm the only one - but I thought the Fox News debate was fine.

 

[Bronx-Man]

What a bunch of babies.

 

[Random Painted HIghway]

Bummer, I was probably going to go to this one, just for the spectacle of it.

Edit poor reading comprehension on my part, still on just different moderating team.

 

[linsivvi]

Can't stand the heat eh?