Republicans Debates 2016

Republicans Tighten Grip on Debates in 2016 Race - NYTimes.com:

The Republican National Committee moved Friday to seize control of the presidential primary debates in 2016, another step in a coordinated effort by the party establishment to reshape the nominating process. 

Committee members overwhelmingly passed a measure that would penalize any presidential candidate who participated in a debate not sanctioned by the national party, by limiting their participation in subsequent committee-sanctioned forums. 

The move represents the party’s effort to reduce the number of debates and assert control over how they are staged.

I can see why the Party would want more control. The 2012 debates turned the Republican Primary season into a Fox News reality show pointed at TeaBaggers until the very end where the Party leaders sort of decided on Romney by default. I'd bet that they did hurt Romney and the Republicans. You just can't spew that much stupid without hurting your chances with the more sane voters.

In making the case for adopting the new rule, party officials repeatedly criticized the moderators and format of the 2012 primary debates, appealing to the suspicions that many Republican activists have about the mainstream news media. “The liberal media doesn’t deserve to be in the driver’s seat,” said the committee’s chairman, Reince Priebus, addressing committee members here at their spring meeting.

It wasn't the "Liberal media" in the drivers seat. Fox Propaganda network drove and made a lot of money on Teabagger rage, Comedy Central got rich on the stupid, and the Democrat candidates got a lot of campaign fodder but to blame the "liberal media" for a bad show is ridiculous.

Taken together, these procedural steps could thwart an underfunded insurgent who needs the free exposure of televised debates and would be hurt by a series of rapid-fire contests in March that could be tilted toward an establishment-backed contender.

The Teabaggers aren't going to like it but that won't matter in the end. Fox Propaganda and Right-wing radio will feed the rage to keep them wound up, they'll turn out like always, and they'll vote for the Republican picked by the party bosses. What else are they going to do, vote for Hillary?





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