Republican Party Suspends Partnership With NBC News Over CNBC Debate

[IDemo]

Source: Hollywood Reporter

The Republican Party is putting its relationship with NBC News on hold. In a Friday letter to NBC News chairman Andy Lack, posted on the party's website, RNC chairman Reince Priebus said that the GOP will not be participating in the planned Feb. 26 debate — citing the questions at the recent CNBC-hosted debate as the reason.

To be sure, that debate is quite a ways off. It's after both the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary, but it's clear that the party is going hard on NBC News for the Oct. 28 debate. Priebus previously said that the moderators "should be ashamed" for the line of questioning — which prompted frontrunners Donald Trump and Ben Carson, sparring over key financial issues.

CNBC, which saw the showdown set ratings records for the financial cable news net, has thus far only responded with this: "People who want to be president of the United States should be able to answer tough questions."

Read more: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/republican-party-suspends-partnership-nbc-835693

---

Breitbart, The Blaze, now we're talking....

[CTyankee]

1. well, they have Fox so why are they complaining?

Let them stick with Fox only. Fine by me.

[RockaFowler]

9. They complained about FOX, too

What a bunch of whiners!

[CTyankee]

11. well, let them start a Right of Fox News then.

It will be staffed by RNC folks entirely. Let them miss the audience of voters they just might find handy in the Presidential, but let's not tell them that. Let them find out on their own and be sorry...

[PatSeg]

40. RNC folks

are too moderate for this bunch. They don't want to listen to anybody.

[jpak]

2. Crybabies

yup

[forest444]

53. Yeah. I'd offer them cheese with that whine.

But then they'd suspect I was French.

[Cleita]

62. Or, worse, a Californian from the Bay area. eom

[Turbineguy]

3. They're better off with Fox News anyway.

Repubs should not have to answer real questions. It's just unfair.

[Peregrine Took]

4. Probably just wanted an excuse to do so. n/t

[jtuck004]

5. If they don't show, what would you suggest they show in their place, gentle reader?

[Journeyman]

10. Well, the GOP seems to favor talking to empty chairs for some reason . . .

For substance, I don't see much difference between that and the empty suits they currently put forward. The chairs couldn't be more wooden than some from this crop of candidates, though I suspect the chairs wouldn't provide anywhere near the level of comedy relief we presently enjoy from these "serious candidates."

[jtuck004]

65. At least their empty chairs would be silent for a while. n/t

[Journeyman]

67. Ah, 'tis true -- a benefit I'd not considered . . .

[IDemo]

69. I'd suggest -

A climate change documentary, a discussion about evolution with Bill Nye, or the video below from Robert Reich.

[houston16revival]

6. It's all part of a grander strategy

to neutralize the media

We all know liberal media bias is a myth

They're trying to move the center of political gravity to the right

CNBC was spot on

[Myrina]

60. And, I would add ...

... they also, to a larger extent, don't want to be questioned AT ALL.
Their bosses, the Kochs, do not want accountability. They want their candidate(s) to be able to issue a statement, however nonsensical, and leave the media - and by extension, the public - with no means to challenge them.

100% Propaganda, anyone?

[houston16revival]

75. You are correct

It is their prerogative and privilege to occupy elite places
without question from anyone

God put them here to rule us

It's almost Divine Right of Kings

[randys1]

7. Rupert or Roger, forget which one, created CNBC

[moreland01]

8. Gotcha!

If "What do you read?" is a Gotcha question, nobody BUT FAUX News is going to conduct a debate the way they want. Wish I had a crystal ball to see what happens when nobody sees or hears from their candidates except the far right of their party.

[PatSeg]

43. Their first debate was Fox

and the moderators asked surprisingly tough questions. I think these candidates want to write both the questions and the answers.

[madamesilverspurs]

12. Seriously?

The RNC can demand decent debate questions when they put forth a decent field of candidates. If Priebus doesn't want "petty and mean-spirited", his party needs candidates that don't engage in such behavior. Until then . . .

[Faux pas]

13. Bawl babies

that is all.

[ChazInAz]

14. Brilliant move.

Go ahead: alienate the media, who have been your shills up to now. Then be shocked when they really ask some tough ones.

[tabasco]

34. Well nigh impossible since the plutocracy owns the media.

The media will continue to kiss republican ass and make liberal a bad word.

[PatSeg]

47. They have been getting

so much free publicity from the media they CLAIM to disdain, especially from the debates. I don't think networks should cave to them and their whiny demands.

[truthisfreedom]

15. Wahhhhhhhhh!

Thin skinned ninnies can't handle scrutiny.

[yeoman6987]

54. I would like our candidates to debate on Fox News

Even with conservatives asking questions, I bet our group would do well.

[Kingofalldems]

16. BTW, what is so liberal about CNBC?

Ans: Nothing.

[NewJeffCT]

45. John Harwood is a real liberal

that veteran of noted left-wing rag The Wall Street Journal - might as well dressed him up as the pinko hippy tree hugger that he is.

[underpants]

56. Yeah and Rick Santelli was a moderator

You know that LIBERAL whose "rant" started the Tebags rolling.

Actually the domain that his rant was posted to was bought 6 months prior by a producer of a RW radio show in Chicago. The whole thing was planned.

[Wellstone ruled]

17. Frank Luntz Focus Groups,

that's the ticket. Fake Noise will love handing out the so called questions and personal comments to so old Bitty with Tea Bags hanging on her Red White and Blue CRUZ hat. Can just visualize that picture!

[lark]

18. Waah!!!

To paraphrase:

R's to NBC," , you hurt our little feelings by not sucking up to us like the msm is supposed to. We pay you excellent money to throw the news for us and you actually thought you could be truthful and ask real questions? What a laugh. We're taking our lunch money and going elsewhere?"

[Paladin]

19. Chickenshit losers. (nt)

[Grassy Knoll]

20. 130 Million Voters Last Time -01% Watch Fox News

[mntleo2]

21. If they can't take the heat get outta the damn kitchen!

I mean if they are such wusses they can't take real questions about hard things, then WHAT makes anyone think they could handle being POTUS?

Sheesh!


Cat in Seattle

[SoapBox]

22. No free speech!

Or at least we don't want America to hear how crazy we are and we don't want any questions that we don't like and...

Nuts!

[Dale Scott]

23. Seems I remember the Democratic Party doing the same to Fox at one time

Democrats cancel Fox News debate

Nevada Democratic Party officials said on Friday they were canceling a presidential debate co-sponsored by Fox News, following a joke chairman Roger Ailes made about Democratic candidate Barack Obama.

In a letter sent to Fox, Nevada State Democratic Party Chairman Tom Collins and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Ailes "went too far" with comments made the night before.

The letter makes no reference to a crusade by the liberal activist group MoveOn.org to boycott Fox, which it calls a "right-wing mouthpiece." Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards dropped out of the debate on Thursday, citing in part Fox's participation.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2007/03/10/us-campaign-debate-idUSN0918742820070310

It's all just bad theater. The whole bunch of them.

[Boomerproud]

31. False equivalency

On every point.

[tabasco]

35. +1 n/t

[NobodyHere]

71. Why is it false equivalency?

Democrats (particularly Obama) didn't like how they were being treated by Fox so they refused to let Fox air an debate.

Republicans didn't like how they were being treated by CNBC so they refused to let anyone under the parent company air a debate.

[Grassy Knoll]

24. Reince Priebus Trying To Keep His Job....

Nothing much more to this.

[Va Lefty]

32. Remove the vowels from his name and you get RNC PR BS

[eppur_se_muova]

25. Memo to NBC: You can't be friends to Repugs, no matter how hard you try.

So stop shilling for them, and let your news division report on GOP chicanery with impartial scrutiny.

[onehandle]

26. This is bad news for Hillary.

She was depending on NBC News to hit them hard during that debate.

Damn.

[yallerdawg]

27. Will the Republicans get their way?

The corporate M$M wants some of the Trump show...especially NBC!

'Shell-shocked' CNBC staffers had long flight home

The poor reviews were piling up — declaring CNBC the biggest loser of the night — and the moderators Carl Quintanilla and Becky Quick knew more would be published by the time the flight landed in New York.

So for some flyers, it was a sleepless night. But there was some laughter and some liquor to lighten the mood — and some speculation about how high the ratings would be.

At 12:30 p.m. Thursday they found out: 14 million people watched, easily making the much-derided debate the most-watched program in CNBC's 30-year history. Because advertisers paid $250,000 apiece, it was "also the most profitable night in the network's history," an NBCUniversal executive crowed.

[PatSeg]

49. "Shell-shocked"

was pretty much how I visualized them after that debate. It felt like they were dealing with pre-schoolers.

[liberal N proud]

28. FOX is much nicer to them

This is what America has become, partnerships between political parties and media corporations.

[yallerdawg]

30. Another outcome of 'Citizen United'!

Free speech is gonna cost a fortune!

[Plucketeer]

29. Dream Debate questions

"Senator Cruz, what's your favorite color?" "Senator Rubio, where DOES orange juice come from?" "Dr. Carson, have you ever written a prescription for yourself?" "Ms. Fiorina, what were the positive developments at Hewlett-Packard that instigated your dismissal?" "Mr. Trump, is your persona the same in your everyday life as it is on the debate stage?"

[NewJeffCT]

42. Not to mention

"What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?"

[PatSeg]

50. Perfect!!!

[blackspade]

33. Call the Whaaaambulance for Rinsed Penis.

[OldHippieChick]

36. Okay, I have to admit that I'm embarrassed

But I did not watch this frigging debate! (Okay I'm not really embarrassed) What the hell questions did the moderators ask that have these assholes foaming at the mouth? Why don't your numbers add up? Which scientists told you climate change is a hoax? Which lady's body parts do you want to own?

Seriously, what was wrong w/ the questions?

[PatSeg]

51. I'm embarrassed to say

I DID watch the debate, though I had to fast-forward through most of the last 30 minutes.

When Ted Cruz was asked about shutting down the government, he went on a rant against the moderators and never touched on the question. It was all obviously rehearsed, as were most of the answers that night.

Rubio was asked about his questionable finances and he said he wouldn't waste sixty seconds explaining it.

Rarely did anyone answer the questions asked. It was like everyone was speaking a different language. The looks on the moderators' faces were total disbelief.

[Ineeda]

76. This was the debate strategy started by Lady Blah-Blah

when she 'debated" Joe Biden. She didn't answer the questions put to her, just went off on her own speechifying.

[PatSeg]

80. Oh yes

I'd forgotten about that. She even told the moderator she wasn't going to answer the questions. She did wonders for SNL's ratings.

[4lbs]

37. So, if this means no more Republicans on Meet the Press, MSNBC, and CNBC, then something good

did come out of the debate.

[brooklynite]

38. I'm thinking they should fire the idiot to signed deal with NBC in the first place...

...anyone know who the idiot is?

[NewJeffCT]

39. If Republicans can't handle CNBC

how can they be expected to handle Putin, ISIS, China, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Syria, etc?

[annabanana]

73. AH hahahahahahahahahahahahah

perfectamundo

[CrispyQ]

41. The republican party has turned into a bunch of spoiled little crybabies.

The media has been tossing them softballs for so long they can't face real questions & facts.

[louis-t]

44. Maybe they can come in with a set of questions they want to be asked.

"How's your dog doing?"
"Did you poop today?"
"Where did you buy that tie?"
Still not sure any of the 'candidates' would be able to answer these.

[colorado_ufo]

64. Wasn't it Huckabee who volunteered that he was wearing a "Trump tie?"

You can't even make this stuff up!

[louis-t]

74. I have to admit, I bought two of his shirts many years ago.

They were on sale, two for one. $37 for two, ill-fitting Polo shirts. The tag said 'medium' but they were probably XL. I gave them away.

[dembotoz]

46. understand its the telemundo hispanic co sponsored debate

any guess why they would want out of that?

[keroro gunsou]

66. for a drinking game?

that tequilla ain't gonna sell itself!

[skepticscott]

48. No doubt the Republican Congress

will be calling for round-the clock bombing runs on NBC headquarters

[RKP5637]

52. Fox News will be more than happy to spread all of the lies, distortions and delusions they want! n/t

[Matariki]

55. "People who want to be president of the United States should be able to answer tough questions."

No kidding.

Job interviews in my field generally last ALL DAY and require doing code on white boards and answering all sorts of tricky questions. Some relevant and some so stupid and annoying that it's tempting to just walk out.

Becoming the President of the United States - one of the most powerful positions in the world, comes with serious and grave responsibilities, should require SERIOUS vetting.

When I saw Trump and Carson complaining about three hour debates, well, they're just out of touch.

[PSPS]

57. What? They have/had a "partnership?"

[radhika]

58. Right Wingers demand Deference.....

Not just news networks questioning candidates about things they'd rather not discuss...

It's cops shooting or tossing to the floor non-violent folks who don't blindly defer. Or dare live in the wrong colored body.

It's religions with authoritarian beliefs that they wish to impose to the general society too.

It's yanking of voting rights for groups that are not choosing the 'right' canidates.

[complain jane]

59. Idiot crybabies.

And that audience was stacked full of crybaby whiners too.

[malthaussen]

61. The GOP seems to be the party of petulance.

Seems the only way they are capable of operating these days is with blackmail, obstinacy, and lots and lots of whining.

-- Mal

[wordpix]

63. pretty soon there will be no more cable coverage---YEAH!!!

Get the idiot R's off the stage. Dangerous buffoons

[NCjack]

68. Too bad. I thought the "debate" was a hoot. Two quarts of popcorn and

a 6-pack of beer.

[riversedge]

70. Ten candidates squabble for 2 hrs, Reince has a hissy fit. HRC gets grilled for 11 hrs, Nada.

On The Left Coast ?@MLCzone 5m5 minutes ago

@thepoliticalcat @TheRReport @Reince @tedcruz Ten candidates squabble for 2 hrs, Reince has a hissy fit. HRC gets grilled for 11 hrs, Nada.

[moondust]

72. Awww, poor witto poopers.

Tinpot dictators haz a sad.

[onecaliberal]

77. That's what happens when you try to ask real questions people want answers to.

The republican party is a cancer on America. They are a lying sack of complete shit. #RNC #CNBC

[ruffburr]

78. Please Proceed!!!

A bunch of asshats if Ever I've seen one, MSNBC got rid of ED and any other progressive announcer now just like the rest of us they are finding that if you don't play along with the Republicans Corporate Agenda they throw a Tantrum.

[wheniwasincongress]

79. The CNBC debate mods were bad

because they weren't prepared, not their tough questions. Becky Quick quoted Trump and he denied saying the quote, and she asked, "where did I get that quote?" Where did you get that quote?! You're supposed to have this stuff ready to source in advance!

tough questions to repubs = "gotcha" questions, left wing media bias. Megyn Kelly's question to Trump about his sexist remarks was totally legitimate, but look how many repubs have turned on her.

[AKing]

81. Bad news for Repukes!..More people will find out about this story then watched their circus....

debate. I expect our Democratic candidates to all jump on this and good naturedly promise not to criticize the moderators at their next debate thus setting up a new headline.

[olddots]

82. Berlin 1933

It can happen here because it started 50 years ago .