Posted on 01/27/2016 9:55:03 PM PST by NKP_Vet
FOX News debate anchors knew they would have a record audience tune in to their Republican debate because of Donald Trump.
So, in November, they purposely planned several zingers to get under his skin.
They are shameless.
The anchors didn't even ask a question on the Obama economy, the worst recovery since the Great Depression, until 73 minutes into the debate.
The FOX moderators won over Media Matters, who said, "The Fox News moderators appeared reasonable, effective, and pointed in their questions to the candidates." They must be very proud.
They didn't want to appear conservative - so they unloaded a barrage of personal attacks. The FOX debate hosts even prepared to have Trump escorted from stage. The LA Times reported:
As they sorted and re-sorted questions, the unpredictability of real estate tycoon and reality-TV star Donald Trump was never far from their minds.
"I would say the level is about an eight on the concern meter because of the unknown," Baier said.
Baier even had a "nuclear option" at the ready for Trump if he ignored all protocol.
The script -- which Baier didn't have to use -- took a page from Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice" TV show. It went like this: "Mr. Trump, in your business you have rules. You follow rules. We have rules on this stage. We don't want to have to escort you to the elevator outside this boardroom."
"We're hoping we don't have to use it," Baier said later. "[But] we're locked and loaded."
For anyone embedded with the news team on debate day, it became clear that it wasn't just the Republican hopefuls who would be on-stage this night -- but also Fox News, widely seen as the network most friendly to conservatives. No one here wanted to appear as if they were pitching softballs.
"You can't let them have that offramp" was Baier's rule as they hone each line.
Indeed, when Kelly rehearsed a question for another candidate -- delivered in the staccato style that adds to her reputation as a tenacious interrogator -- a producer at the table said, "He'll go berserk." That's a compliment for Kelly, who smiled.
For the individual anchors, the debate was also a chance to burnish their reputations. Kelly has emerged as the channel's prime-time star. Wallace is a seasoned veteran of the Washington beat. Baier has perhaps the most to gain from the expanded national spotlight.
The quotes maybe sourced, but the author wove a narrative around them that put them in the light he wanted. I’m sorry but the people at the LA Times are lockstep with the Democrat Party, misinformation to discredit and sow discord is their mission.
It’s on Fox right, my TV only gets Lou Dobbs on Fox Business
Not true.
We discussed this at the time here in this thread.
Also, prior to the debate they bragged about what was to come.
Fox Debate Hosts Already Have a Secret Plan to Deal with Donald Trump
Chris Wallace, moderator of the first GOP debate, plans "some doozies"
-PJ
Ok I take back unsourced, but it’s still claptrap. post 41 is how I see it. It seems to me that in some posters haste to confirm their bias, they accept as fact sources that as conservatives they should be suspicious of.
Go watch Dennis Michael Lynch’s video from his Newmax report. He is on fire about the way FOX has sabotaged Trump. They also did the same to DML. He says it’s Murdock, who wants open borders. DML used to appear regularly on M.Kelly’s show. Until the day he said there was no humanitarian crisis causing the invasion of children storm across the border. They had DML scheduled for a one hour show. FOX dropped him like a hot potato and he never figured out why until now. He put 2+2 together. They were going to sabotage Trump again because he is going to close the border.
Agreed
I don’t want a debate that targets candidates; I want a debate that covers issues. The RNC made a serious error in turning the “debates” into this circus designed to help establishment picks.
“...lightweight journalist.”
Yep. Eye candy. T&A. Slept with Brit Hume to get her job.
Still, I wish Trump could learn to swat aside her “gotchas” and quickly pivot to the issues, instead of making Blondie herself the issue.
I too remember that feeling of being betrayed by fox news after the first debate. (I only capitalize the names of people or entities I respect) It was an unprofessional circus IMHO.
However, to the credit of all the candidates, at the cnn debate they came together and would not allow it to happen again. I think everyone, especially Trump, was blindsided by the tone and arrogance of the moderators, especially kelly, at the first fox moderated debate.
The second fox moderated debate by the FBN team was much more professional and much less like Barnum and Baileys big tent circus.
I don’t blame Trump for declining to play this fox news game again. I would like to see him take Cruz’s offer and have a one on one debate with him. I think that would be an excellent debate; especially since I’ve been having trouble deciding which of the two will get my vote. For a long time it was Trump for sure but lately I’ve been liking Cruz more so I want more info to make an informed decision. I just wish more Americans would take voting more seriously.
Sounds like the kind of thing that goes on in many-a workplace, however detrimental to their overall quality initiative.
Bull... Baloney.
Fox may be jumping the shark here.
It is turning off people (a lot of people) who believed most strongly in the network.
I was a huge fan. For years. Now I no longer even watch.
I’ll watch Fox Business. But Fox is over, for me.
Over.
Turn off fox
Well said, ditto.
FOX is becoming UNWATCHABLE!!
And sporting her new “butch” look.
Seems to me the RNC has some powerful people behind the scenes. Who did they make deals with? Puny humans can’t handle power without becoming corrupt. No wonder the meak inherit the earth. Tolkien was so right.
Not everyone is in the Trump camp. If I have to give the guy a chance to convince me he isn’t always putting people down with juvenile terms and stooping to National Inquirer levels I can surely listen to what the others have to say. I watched Hannity last night and even jeb sounded more presidential. (heads exploding?)
Everyone says Trump won’t owe anyone anything so he will be free to do what he says he’ll do, but what he says is that he will be making deals.
Who makes deals with bullies? Knock them out and they back down. Knock them out and they don’t show up. (Knock them out and they’ll use another network? LOL Just typing what is coming to mind.) I don’t want deals with democrats.
I don`t want a game where the referees target a specific team; I want a game where the players duke it out for the win.
Now maybe some of the morons here can understand that.
If that’s indeed the case, the remaining candidates should ally to refuse to answer questions designed to elicit conflict. They should acknowledge the question and then answer some other topic. If the mods complain that the question wasn’t answered, the candidates could reply that nobody at their events has expressed that opinion, or that the question was so nonsensical that they thought the questioner was joking. In the end, if none of the candidates cooperated with the theatrics, what would fox do?
We, the people need to do two things this evening that are most important. One is not to watch the Fox News Channel debate at all, and two is to watch the Donald Trump “Support Our Wounded Warriors” rally and fund raiser, to be broadcast on CNN.
And, when the FNC debate ends and, “DRUDGE” posts his Internet poll as to who won the FNC POTUS debate check off “Donald Trump”. Why? Because....Ted Cruz has become become totally fanatic and unraveled as his campaigm implodes before his very own eyes...mainly bcause of his own actions and antics. The rest of the Pubbie field is not noteworthy whatsoever, and frankly, quite boring & asleep at the wheel...to put it mildly!!!
Hoping that “Drudge” includes Donald Trump in his after debate internet poll!!
GO DONALD TRUMP!!!
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