GOP can't stand honest debate moderators

(SLATE)

By Jamelle Bouie

There were real problems with the Republican presidential debate in Boulder, Colorado, hosted by CNBC. Yes, the moderators typically asked sharp, policy-focused questions. They pushed outsider candidates like Ben Carson and Donald Trump to explain ambitious plans to cut taxes and remove unauthorized immigrants, and they questioned plans from more establishment candidates like Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. Chris Christie. At the same time, the moderators couldn’t manage the candidates, who monologued, ignored requests, and largely drove the speed and direction of the debate.

Which is to say that Republicans were in control of the night. Still, they were angry. Sen. Ted Cruz won huge applause with a tirade against the moderators. “This is not a cage match,” he decried. “And, you look at the questions: ‘Donald Trump, are you a comic-book villain?’ ‘Ben Carson, can you do math?’ ” Rubio did the same. “It was the week [Hillary Clinton] got exposed as a liar. … But she has her super PAC helping her out, the American mainstream media.” After the debate, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus voiced his frustration with this alleged media bias. “CNBC should be ashamed of how this debate was handled,” he said on Twitter.

On Friday, acting on this anger, the RNC announced it would end its partnership with NBC (and Univision) and withdraw from an upcoming debate in February. “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,” Priebus said in a letter to NBC News.

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NBC has issued a response. “This is a disappointing development. However, along with our debate broadcast partners at Telemundo we will work in good faith to resolve this matter with the Republican Party,” it said.

But it’s honestly hard to see how this is possible.

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