Democratic Primaries
Related: About this forumLeaving the debates in the hands of corporate media
I think this has been a huge mistake.
Is this Tom Perez's idea?
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
pecosbob
(7,542 posts)allowing the media to steer the event is like letting the DA prepare your defense in a criminal trial.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Demsrule86
(68,632 posts)I tire of folks always willing to attack Democratic leaders...Perez is doing fine.
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SHRED
(28,136 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Demsrule86
(68,632 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
pecosbob
(7,542 posts)The media doesn't need to be part of it...that's not their job, but to cover it...that is their job.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
Demsrule86
(68,632 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
Uncle Joe
(58,389 posts)know it.
(snip)
In 1984, the cooperation between the Republican and Democratic parties led to a joint veto of almost 100 proposed panelists for the first debate. The following election cycle saw more of a grab for control by the two major parties. The campaigns of George H.W. Bush and Michael Dukakis met without the knowledge of the League of Women Voters (LWV) and drafted a memorandum of understanding. This secret document specified who would be allowed sit in the audience during the '88 debates and who would serve as panelists, as well as abolished follow-up questions. Under these terms, the LWV would be left to merely host and would have no say in how the debates were held.
In disgust, the League of Women Voters exposed the memorandum and resigned as hosts of presidential debates, citing the "fraud on the American voter" being carried out by the two major parties [source: PBS]. To fill the void left by the LWV, the Democrats and Republicans formed the joint nonprofit bipartisan organization the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD).
(snip)
The fallout from Perot's exclusion from the debates illustrates one of the vital services the CPD provides the two major parties. It acts as a shield. Despite the Democrats and Republicans drafting memorandums of understanding and deciding who can participate, it's the CPD that publicly issues the decisions; so it's the CPD that accepts the public's ire. But since it isn't beholden to the public, the CPD has nothing to lose. In 1996, a poll found that five percent of people polled blamed the Clinton campaign for Perot's exclusion, and Bob Dole's campaign received the blame from 13 percent of respondents. More than 50 percent held the CPD at fault [source: Open Debates].
What's more, the formats of presidential debates under the CPD lent themselves to pat, rehearsed answers that offer little insight into the candidates' views of the issues. In 2000, Sen. John Kerry (who would be the Democratic candidate four years later) criticized the debates: "You could have picked ten people off the street who didn't know Jerusalem from Georgia and they would have had better questions" [source: Open Debates].
(snip)
https://people.howstuffworks.com/debate4.htm
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
RobertDevereaux
(1,858 posts)I so miss the League of Women Voters being in charge.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
brooklynite
(94,679 posts)Last edited Thu Aug 8, 2019, 10:32 AM - Edit history (1)
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SHRED
(28,136 posts)I'm not interested in what Tapper wants to ask.
For starters.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
brooklynite
(94,679 posts)How many times do you see a post here that the DNC is too corporatist or plays favorites among candidates?
primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
SHRED
(28,136 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Undecided
brooklynite
(94,679 posts)primary today, I would vote for: Joe Biden
2020Junker
(99 posts)Host? Sure. Televise? Absolutely.
Have their infotainment ring leaders doing the questioning?
Newp newp newp newp.
I don't want "personalities" doing the questioning. I want thoughtful, considered people asking the questions and moderating the flow. The personalities are seeking spectacle, ratings, they want a brawl. I want some civic-minded folks controlling the flow. The media personalities are not civic-minded. They know where their bread is buttered.
primary today, I would vote for: Undecided