The RNC Has Lost Control of the GOP Primary

[ESF]

www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/11/republican_presidential_candidates_issue_debate_demands_to_networks_reince.html

The article is a bit unclear, but it's about this:
www.politico.com/story/2015/11/chris-christie-debate-complaints-215432

Surrogates for most of the GOP campaigns qualifying for the televised debates met for two hours on Sunday night at a Hilton in Alexandria, Virginia, to discuss taking greater control of the Republican National Committee's debate process. The group agreed to reduce the RNC's role in the process, POLITICO reported, and will convey several other demands to TV networks in a letter being drafted by Republican lawyer Ben Ginsberg.


Also - here is the list of demands:
www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2015/11/02/read-the-new-debate-host-questions-ben-ginsberg-has-compiled-from-republican-campaigns/



The GOP’s Presidential Contenders Are Hijacking Their Own Debates

The Republican Party has lost control of its own primary. Expect chaos.

By Jim Newell


In a Godfather-esque gathering of rival political concerns, representatives of the Republican presidential campaigns gathered in an Alexandria, Virginia Hilton on Sunday evening to draw up a list of conditions for their participation in future presidential debates. The campaigns still are all het up about the completely unfair questioning that business-Republican network CNBC subjected them to last week, such as, Marco Rubio, your tax plan is really good for the wealthy, no? or, Ben Carson, why were you in bed with this snake-oil company for so many years? If the moderators had asked fair questions, see, the candidates wouldn’t have been forced to lie. What’s so complicated about that?

The view of the campaigns is that the Republican National Committee has failed in its mission to prevent moderators from asking them uncomfortable questions to which they may not have truthful answers. The candidates have thus decided to cut out the middleman, since it’s their smiling, sweaty faces that have all the leverage. The RNC was not represented at the Sunday night meeting—code-named “family dinner,” no joke—even after it tried to mollify campaigns’ outrage by suspending NBC News and Telemundo’s sponsorship of a February debate.

The campaigns and their consiglieres put together a list of demands to which future debate hosts must agree to ensure the candidates’ participation. The finalized version, as obtained by the Washington Post, is hilarious in its granularity. Not once but twice does the document inveigh against “lightening [sic] rounds,” which must be banned “because of their frivolousness or ‘gotcha’ nature, or in some cases both.” The letter also implores networks to agree not to “ask the candidates to raise their hands to answer a question,” “allow candidate-to-candidate questioning,” “allow props or pledges by the candidates,” “show an empty podium after a break (describe how far away the bathrooms are),” or “leaves microphones on after breaks.” What about allowing hot mics in the distant bathrooms? There’s no clear rule on that, though it would certainly violate the spirit of the letter.

It’s not a good sign for the RNC, or the eventual Republican nominee’s chances next November, if Trump is effectively calling the shots.

“Can you pledge that the temperature in the hall be kept below 67 degrees?” the very funny letter asks of television network executives. The campaigns also demand final approval over any graphics that will appear onscreen with their candidates—something the Bush campaign pushed after CNBC, a financial news network, displayed Jeb’s investment bank consulting background rather than his two terms as governor of Florida.

These are still rival campaigns, though. While they will band collectively to prevent such things as reporters asking them questions about the chasmic gaps in their tax plans, each campaign still has its own interests to push. Consider this NBC News/Telemundo business. The Bush camp wants them reinstated, since Jeb’s whole message is about broadening the appeal of the party and he speaks Spanish. But Trump’s campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, “threatened to boycott a debate if the Spanish-language network that Trump has clashed with was granted one.” Trump’s rhetoric on Hispanics might not go over well with Telemundo’s moderators and audience. And since Trump deserves credit for the large audiences GOP debates are commanding, he would seem to hold more leverage than Bush.

It’s not a good sign for the RNC, or the eventual Republican nominee’s chances next November, if Trump is effectively calling the shots. (Indeed, Trump is now talking about breaking from the collective entirely and negotiating debate details on his own.) If Trump gets his way NBC News and Telemundo will not be reinstated, and the Republican Party will finish its presidential primary schedule without a single debate on Spanish-speaking media. Telemundo, meanwhile, is reportedly in discussions with the Democratic National Committee about setting up a forum for its candidates instead. This means that Democrats, who already have a Univision-hosted debate scheduled, are poised to host two events on Hispanic media networks to the Republicans’ zero.

This is not what Chairman Reince Priebus hoped for when his RNC drafted its “autopsy” of the 2012 election. “The RNC must put significant effort and resources into reaching out to Hispanic media and news outlets,” the 2013 report concluded. “This needs to be a high-level presence on all Latino media.” Well, now the candidates have bullied the RNC into cancelling the party’s one big night on Hispanic media because its partner, NBC News, operates under the same parent company of CNBC, a channel that worships money but also asked a few mean questions. And Trump, whose “racially divisive” platform and rhetoric has commanded great audiences and catapulted him to the top of primary polls, appears to have little interest in renegotiating.

Really, really not how things were supposed to go. What’s next? A debate moderated by Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh, and Mark Levin? That’s what Sen. Ted Cruz wants. If he and the other campaigns that have now taken control of the process get this, that’s not going to show the party’s best face for a general election audience that’s weighing whether to vote Republican or Democrat in 2016.

What was the point of having the RNC serve as middleman in the first place? To navigate the party through the primary process in a way that didn’t damage the eventual nominee too much before the general election. Priebus was able to cut the number of debates roughly in half, and he ensured that no mischievous entity like MSNBC was granted hosting duties. The candidates have found his efforts lacking, though, and are using the leverage that’s available to them as a group to run the show themselves. So far, it looks like they’ll use that power to ensure that they don’t, for even a hot second, have to factor general-election considerations into their primary strategies.

[2curlydogs]

[ttt]

Every time I think this primary cannot become more of a catastrophe for the RNC, they somehow prove me wrong.

[tacosforlife]

This is seriously insane.

I didn't watch the CNBC debate, but everything I've read really makes it clear that the Vox article I posted was right. Were some of CNBC's questions worded more aggressively than necessary? Sure, OK. They could have toned down the "gotcha" wording to some questions. But the Vox article is right that at the end of the day, we've got policy proposals - Carson's tax policy that would create a huge deficit, Trump saying that he will deport all illegal immigrants and build a giant wall with no details as to how, Rubio's tax plan that heavily favors the right - that are so out there that ANY question sounds like an attack.

[gardengal]

So more echo chamber huh?

[LadySusan]

THE GOP CANDIDATES ARE FORMING A LABOR UNION TO PROTECT THEM FROM UNBEARABLE WORKING CONDITIONS!!!!!

Can you die from irony?

[NewOrleans]

<)

[tacosforlife]

Update: Trump is definitely negotiating directly with the networks.

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-campaign-to-negotiate-directly-with-tv-networks-on-debate-formats/2015/11/02/5fdec85e-8191-11e5-a7ca-6ab6ec20f839_story.html

Donald Trump and his advisers have decided to work directly with television executives and take a lead role in negotiating the format and content of primary debates, which have become highly watched and crucial events in the 2016 race, according to Republicans familiar with their plans.

Trump will reject a joint letter to television network hosts regarding upcoming primary debates drafted Sunday at a private gathering of operatives from at least 11 presidential campaigns, the Republicans said.

The move by Trump, coming just hours after a group of Republican strategists huddled in the Washington suburbs to craft a list of possible demands, thwarts an effort by the campaigns and the letter’s drafter, longtime GOP attorney Ben Ginsberg, to find consensus and work collectively to negotiate terms.

It also underscores the Trump campaign high command’s pattern of occasionally working with fellow party outsiders — they are friendly with retired neurosurgeon Ben Carson — but otherwise operating on their own, rather than in close coordination with GOP rivals or the Republican National Committee, which has been coordinating debates.

Carson’s campaign manager Barry Bennett said in an interview that Trump’s move would not alter the course of the multi-candidate negotiations with the networks. The Carson campaign, like most other campaigns, was reviewing a letter to the networks drafted by volunteer negotiator Ben Ginsberg, and would suggest edits within 48 hours.

“If they want to send their own letter, that’s fine – a letter’s a letter,” said Bennett. “The Trump folks were clear about what they wanted, and the Carson campaign agrees with them 90 percent of the time. We’re getting opening and closing statements. We’re going to get some parity in questions. We’re going to actually get formats announced to the campaigns. Trump’s basically asking for the same thing, he’s just going to do with his own letterhead.”

The only disagreement between the Trump and Carson camps, as Bennett saw it, was that Trump opposed letting more candidates onstage. “They don’t want more people onstage, because they think that would mean more people taking shots at him,” said Bennett. “I’d argue that putting more people onstage actually helps Trump the most, as everyone’s going to want to divide the time evenly.”

While two of Trump’s senior aides attended the Sunday meeting, they were far from ready to sign a letter, and they left the session unconvinced that a cooperative push on the debates would be helpful to protecting Trump’s front-runner status or providing him with the most possible air time on primetime stages, the Republicans added.

The Republicans briefed on Trump’s internal campaign talks requested anonymity to divulge information before Trump’s campaign made it public.

[ESF]

Nov 2, 2015 16:59:49 GMT -5 LadySusan said:

THE GOP CANDIDATES ARE FORMING A LABOR UNION TO PROTECT THEM FROM UNBEARABLE WORKING CONDITIONS!!!!!

Can you die from irony?

WINNER!!!!!!!


I am stealing this for Facebook.

[ttt]

LOLOLOLOL

www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/new-g-o-p-debate-format-forbids-questions-about-things-candidates-said-did?mbid=social_facebook

[WanderingWinoZ]

[WanderingWinoZ]

Nov 2, 2015 17:31:18 GMT -5 ttt said:

LOLOLOLOL

www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/new-g-o-p-debate-format-forbids-questions-about-things-candidates-said-did?mbid=social_facebook

i seriously had to check this wasn't the ONION!!


NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report)—According to a format negotiated between the Republican National Committee and the television networks, future Presidential debates during the 2016 campaign will strictly forbid questions about things the candidates “said” or “did,” the R.N.C. confirmed on Monday.



Reince Priebus, the chairman of the R.N.C., said that the deal addressed the candidates’ concerns about the previously broadcast debates, which he called “abusively fact-based.”





“In some cases, moderators were asking candidates questions about statements they made two or three weeks earlier,” Priebus said. “This new format will eliminate that kind of ancient history.”

[WanderingWinoZ]

Nov 2, 2015 17:31:18 GMT -5 ttt said:

LOLOLOLOL

www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/new-g-o-p-debate-format-forbids-questions-about-things-candidates-said-did?mbid=social_facebook

OMG- I'm still looking around for a SATIRE button...this CAN NOT BE REAL@??!  

“This is a Presidential debate,” Priebus said. “If people want facts, they can watch ‘Jeopardy.’ ”



In the new format, the time previously allotted to questions about things the candidates said or did will now be devoted to questions written by the candidates themselves and read, verbatim, by the moderators.



“Carly Fiorina would very much like to answer the question, ‘How has your experience as the most successful C.E.O. in U.S. history uniquely prepared you to be its greatest President?’ ” Priebus said. “This new format will let her speak to that.”

[tacosforlife]

Nov 2, 2015 17:36:11 GMT -5 WanderingWinoZ said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:31:18 GMT -5 ttt said:

LOLOLOLOL

www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/new-g-o-p-debate-format-forbids-questions-about-things-candidates-said-did?mbid=social_facebook

i seriously had to check this wasn't the ONION!!


NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report)—According to a format negotiated between the Republican National Committee and the television networks, future Presidential debates during the 2016 campaign will strictly forbid questions about things the candidates “said” or “did,” the R.N.C. confirmed on Monday.



Reince Priebus, the chairman of the R.N.C., said that the deal addressed the candidates’ concerns about the previously broadcast debates, which he called “abusively fact-based.”





“In some cases, moderators were asking candidates questions about statements they made two or three weeks earlier,” Priebus said. “This new format will eliminate that kind of ancient history.”

Borowitz Report is The New Yorker's version of The Onion.

[elleblue]

Nov 2, 2015 17:36:11 GMT -5 WanderingWinoZ said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:31:18 GMT -5 ttt said:

LOLOLOLOL

www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/new-g-o-p-debate-format-forbids-questions-about-things-candidates-said-did?mbid=social_facebook

i seriously had to check this wasn't the ONION!!


NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report)—According to a format negotiated between the Republican National Committee and the television networks, future Presidential debates during the 2016 campaign will strictly forbid questions about things the candidates “said” or “did,” the R.N.C. confirmed on Monday.



Reince Priebus, the chairman of the R.N.C., said that the deal addressed the candidates’ concerns about the previously broadcast debates, which he called “abusively fact-based.”





“In some cases, moderators were asking candidates questions about statements they made two or three weeks earlier,” Priebus said. “This new format will eliminate that kind of ancient history.”

Borowitz is satire, but in this instance he's hitting close to the truth. 

[One Girl In All The World]

[WanderingWinoZ]

ok- I'm seeing "HUMOR" in the URL....I'll take this as a fake!

[ESF]

The Onion's is great too.

www.theonion.com/graphic/republicans-demands-upcoming-debates-51775

[tacosforlife]

Nov 2, 2015 17:43:06 GMT -5 ESF said:

The Onion's is great too.

www.theonion.com/graphic/republicans-demands-upcoming-debates-51775

To be fair, this is a solid demand:

At least one tray of pigs in a blanket during pre-debate luncheon

I mean, who doesn't love pigs in a blanket?

[ESF]

Nov 2, 2015 17:47:05 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:43:06 GMT -5 ESF said:

The Onion's is great too.

www.theonion.com/graphic/republicans-demands-upcoming-debates-51775

To be fair, this is a solid demand:

At least one tray of pigs in a blanket during pre-debate luncheon

I mean, who doesn't love pigs in a blanket?

I made pigs in a blanket at my last election party.  I called them Dogs Against Mitt Romney because the dogs ride inside.

[elleblue]

Nov 2, 2015 17:53:07 GMT -5 ESF said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:47:05 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

To be fair, this is a solid demand:

At least one tray of pigs in a blanket during pre-debate luncheon

I mean, who doesn't love pigs in a blanket?

I made pigs in a blanket at my last election party.  I called them Dogs Against Mitt Romney because the dogs ride inside.

/dead

[tacosforlife]

Nov 2, 2015 17:53:07 GMT -5 ESF said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:47:05 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

To be fair, this is a solid demand:

At least one tray of pigs in a blanket during pre-debate luncheon

I mean, who doesn't love pigs in a blanket?

I made pigs in a blanket at my last election party.  I called them Dogs Against Mitt Romney because the dogs ride inside.

To show you what nerds we are: H is really bummed that a big conference he'll have to go to next year is over election night. No election party at the tacos household!

[ESF]

Nov 2, 2015 18:52:16 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:53:07 GMT -5 ESF said:

I made pigs in a blanket at my last election party.  I called them Dogs Against Mitt Romney because the dogs ride inside.

To show you what nerds we are: H is really bummed that a big conference he'll have to go to next year is over election night. No election party at the tacos household!

That sucks!

If anyone or anything fucks with my 2016 election night party, I will not be happy.

[jln]

I've been invited to the GOP debate here in February and I can.not.wait. Maybe I'll buy a Trump trucker hat.

[ttt]

Nov 2, 2015 17:43:06 GMT -5 ESF said:

The Onion's is great too.

www.theonion.com/graphic/republicans-demands-upcoming-debates-51775

Multiple-choice section 

[noodleoo]

OMG I can't believe both Jon Stewart and Colbert are off the air for this election!!!

[noodleoo]

Nov 2, 2015 19:12:16 GMT -5 ttt said:

Nov 2, 2015 17:43:06 GMT -5 ESF said:

The Onion's is great too.

www.theonion.com/graphic/republicans-demands-upcoming-debates-51775

Multiple-choice section 

No questions from, for, or about women

[mcsangel2]

Nov 2, 2015 20:08:56 GMT -5 noodleoo said:

OMG I can't believe both Jon Stewart and Colbert are off the air for this election!!!

Well, not exactly? Stephen Colbert is now the host of Late Night on CBS. He might not be doing the "Stephen Colbert" character anymore, but from what I see, he's having plenty of fun right now. I'm sure it will get even better the closer it gets to the election.

[noodleoo]

Nov 2, 2015 20:12:26 GMT -5 mcsangel2 said:

Nov 2, 2015 20:08:56 GMT -5 noodleoo said:

OMG I can't believe both Jon Stewart and Colbert are off the air for this election!!!

Well, not exactly? Stephen Colbert is now the host of Late Night on CBS. He might not be doing the "Stephen Colbert" character anymore, but from what I see, he's having plenty of fun right now. I'm sure it will get even better the closer it gets to the election.

I totally forgot about this!!! Off to set the DVR.  I wonder how the new Daily Show is?  I haven't watched that either.  Still grieving for JS...

[aurora]

If this election's Republican primary were a Shakespearean play would it be a comedy or a tragedy?