On Saturday night, seven Republican hopefuls gathered for the last debate before the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday.
The media immediately jumped all over the results. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was proclaimed a winner. Sen. Ted Cruz, who brought the room to a powerful silence as he told the story of his half-sister who died of a drug overdose, was declared to have had a poor night.
It pained the media to admit that Sen. Marco Rubio had a horrible night, squandering the media created momentum after his third place finish in Iowa.
But there was one loser in the debate the media ignored. That loser is the loser in every Republican debate. The loser is Republicans.
A sane person would think that sooner or later, the Republican Party would learn. When the Democrats have debate, the Democrat friendly media tosses softballs their way. NBC News even acts as pre-debate prep for the Clinton campaign, helping Hillary Clinton diffuse the email scandal that should land her in prison.
For Republicans, they just step up and let the liberal media handle their debates. The GOP rank and file keep asking, why?
One of the moderators for Saturday night’s debate was Martha Radditz. She is an ABC reporter. When she got married in 1991, guess who one of the guests at her wedding was? President Obama. The GOP knew this in 2012, when she moderated a GOP debate. Why did the Republicans allow that then or even now?
Though not moderating, the main anchor for ABC’s coverage of the debate was George Stephanopoulos. The former Clinton White House press spokesman and contributor to the Clinton Foundation was allowed to exercise editorial control over the debate.
Why does the GOP even allow this?
It is not like this is a new phenomenon. Surely the Republicans remember the infamous 2012 debate moderated by CNN News reporter Candy Crowley, where she threw Mr. Obama a lifeline. GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney was hitting Mr. Obama hard on the issue of the Benghazi attack. Mr. Obama was on the defensive when Ms. Crowley jumped into the debate, correcting Mr. Romney on a point that Mr. Romney was right about. In that debate, Mr. Romney never recovered.
The Republican Party leadership was furious after the CNBC debate last year. On Oct. 28, 2015, the Republican Party held a presidential debate, hosted by CNBC. The debate was a disaster, with the reporters attacking Republican candidates instead of asking questions. Several campaigns, including Donald Trump’s campaign and Ben Carson’s campaign, met to discuss holding debates without the input of the Republican National Committee. Damage control was quickly done and the RNC ended its relationship with NBC, canceling a debate.
Instead of insisting there be conservatives hosting the debates for the Republicans, the Republicans immediately went back to the liberal media.
Why?
Last fall, when the CNBC debate blew up in everyone’s face, the Washington Times and Liberty University were negotiating to hold a debate. This would have been a conservative debate. This debate got scrapped but the liberal media continues to host Republican debates.
Two weeks ago, Fox News hosted a debate with Google. Google is basically the IT arm for the Obama regime and the Democratic Party. That particular debate featured three questions provided by YouTube contributors. Two of the three were left wing activists. One of them is a Bernie Sanders supporter.
What idiot in the Republican Party thought this was a good idea?
Can anyone image the Democrats allowing Tea Party Activists asking a question? The Democrats are too afraid to even go on Fox News. Instead they demand the fawning liberal media give them softball questions. Mr. Cruz is grilled on his positions about illegal immigration, while Mrs. Clinton is asked how she feels about people saying nasty things (in other words, telling the truth) about her.
Apparently no one in the Republican National Committee can figure this out but here is a clue for the RNC. You don’t need the liberal media. They need you.
The GOP debates this year, even the one’s at odd times, have set viewership records. The networks are making millions in advertising. It is time the RNC acts like it has the power in this relationship and demand conservative hosts.
In Saturday night’s debate, conservative Mary Katherine Hamm was allowed to throw out a couple of questions as the token conservative on the show.
How about a GOP debate where all of the questioners are conservatives? How about a GOP debate where the YouTube questions are coming from Tea Party activists, not Bernie Sanders supporters?
Will the Republican Party ever stand up to the liberal media?
Perhaps one day it will.
But don’t hold your breath.
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