John Harwood, who recently joined CNN, was one of the worst choices ever to host a Republican primary debate, as those leaked emails from Hillary Clinton adviser John Podesta showed Harwood asking Podesta what questions he should ask Jeb Bush. And of course, there was Candy Crowley, who jumped into the middle of the 2012 debate to “correct” Mitt Romney on an accusation against Barack Obama that was absolutely true.
Republicans always get screwed during debates, and now the New York Times’ Maggie Haberman reports that President Trump’s campaign manager, Brad Pascale, has been talking to outside companies about debates, apparently fed up with the track record of the Commission on Presidential Debates.
Source says Parscale has told people he’s talking to outside companies about debates, amid ongoing complaints they’ve had about CPD debates.
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) January 22, 2020
Does it sound like a good idea? The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway calls the media’s handling of debates “indefensible.”
Media's handling of debates was indefensible before so many in the media became even more outspoken in their "Resistance." That the GOP tolerated treatment as second-class citizens at hands of partisan media "moderators" for so long is partly why their voters turned to Trump. https://t.co/iyUuCCoflW
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) January 22, 2020
When guys like John Harwood are asking questions of Republicans at debates, it's safe to say the process needs to be re-evaluated.
— Flinger (@Flinger35) January 22, 2020
What, why are you guys looking at me? pic.twitter.com/iFFylJg1ol
— Joe Friday (@InsurancePlanX) January 22, 2020
Especially now that we’ve seen a record of Harwood’s tweets, there’s no doubt left that he’s ridiculously biased.
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John Harwood's outright abuse of Trump during the 2016 CNBC debate is egregious.
CNBC seemed to have sidelined him, and when he did surface he was still spewing hate.
He recently left for CNN — no surprise there.
— J Cripin (@HillTownTrader1) January 22, 2020
Like when @SenatorRomney lost the 2012 election to Candy Crowley.
— KekYuga2020 (@KYuga2020) January 22, 2020
— mamadukes (@michellewegn) January 22, 2020
About time
— Nadler’s Sexy Gunt (@TravisG713) January 22, 2020
Why not bring back the League of Women Voters? They were pretty unbiased and impartial, in retrospect.
— Psammead (@Psammead5) January 22, 2020
True.
I'm a little surprised at the LACK of pushback when Dems refused to consider Fox for debates.
— John Stephen Walsh, Impeached Doctored Genius (@jswriter65) January 22, 2020
Pushback from whom? Their allies at CNN, MSNBC, CBS, etc? Some candidates went on Fox for town halls, were treated fairly–to a large audience. Most still remain in the race, I believe. Castro is out, but Sanders, Buttigieg and Klobucher are still in. May have forgotten some
— Joseph Self (@Joeyself) January 22, 2020
President Trump should block any debate run or controlled by the MSM or Cable news networks known to hate him! Private enterprise would serve him well!
— Jay J (@JJlikestoplay) January 22, 2020
I have been asking for YEARS why the Republicans have capitulated and have agreed to debate terms in hostile territories
— JamesWoodsStanAccount (@woods_account) January 22, 2020
Candy Crowley helping Obama in the Romney debate was the turning point for Republicans. Mitt played nice and let her get away with it, losing the election in the process. Trump calls it for what it is: favoritism peppered with fake news. No more playing into the Dems' hands.
— ATX Libertarian (@libertyinatx) January 22, 2020
Remember DONNA BRAZILE !!
— Your Mom (@YourServiceYW) January 22, 2020
100% yes
— CMD (@cdavlin3) January 22, 2020
??? pic.twitter.com/3UkMZhPYBK
— Scott Davisson (@scottdavisson1) January 22, 2020
AMEN!
— Marlene (@Marlenabobena) January 22, 2020
— CPrice (@CPriceDenver) January 22, 2020
100% agree.
— Sandra Beck (@sbeck515) January 22, 2020
Yes indeed!.There really is nothing at all noble about being a doormat and I've noticed that the people who have shaken off that bad habit appear not only to be super effective at dismantling the nonsense instead of ignoring it ,they also seem far happier in their own skins!
— Helen o'D (@boggywood) January 22, 2020
True. While in real life I'd never prefer Trump, today I love Trump because there is no way to have a Bob Dole type against bully Democrats smearing Kavanaugh and Covington boys and anyone else
— California Dreamin' ?? (@Baklava_in_CA) January 22, 2020
Why not use regional or local network journalists in the place of national media. Would be an added draw for swing state voters to see their media asking the questions.
— Eddie Goodson (@eddiegoodson) January 22, 2020
For Trump to agree to a single debate hosted by the corporate media would be an insult to his many supporters.
— Ted Davis (@tedsthetruth) January 22, 2020
Trump is just the kind of guy who would push back against a slanted group of mainstream media moderators. Let’s see where this goes.
Related:
Why was CNBC’s John Harwood allowed to moderate a GOP debate? https://t.co/xZfRixcGdf
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) November 6, 2016
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