FBN Moderator Cavuto Hopes to Make Himself ‘Invisible’ at Next GOP Debate

Mediaite ^ | November 9, 2015 | Elizabeth Preza

[2ndDivisionVet]

As the Fox Business Network tackles the next Republican presidential debate, the moderators aim to juxtapose FBN with their much-maligned rival, CNBC.

In interviews with Politico, FBN moderators Neil Cavuto and Maria Bartiromo described their vision for the upcoming debate. “My goal is to make myself invisible,” Cavuto said, adding that he hopes the moderators are “not the issue.”

Cavuto’s goal is not surprising, given the backlash aimed at CNBC after the last Republican debate. Arguably the biggest moment of the Oct. 29 showdown involved Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz blasting the network and moderators for trying to incite a “cage-match.”

“You know, let me say something at the outset. The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don’t trust the media,” Cruz said to uproarious applause.

The post-debate criticism against CNBC became so intense that the RNC sent a letter to NBC, suspending its partnership with the media conglomerate. “The CNBC network is one of your media properties, and its handling of the debate was conducted in bad faith,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus wrote.

Cavuto insisted the FBN debate will be different than the CNBC debate, in part because, “we’re business journalists. We’re nerds.” He said he plans to stick with what he knows and avoid trivializing the process. “Don’t ‘gotcha’ this, don’t make this into something it’s not. It’s a debate on economic issues, it’s not Access Hollywood,” Cavuto said.

Bartiromo said after watching the CNBC debate, “It was clearer than ever what my marching orders are, and that is to help the viewer, help the voter better understand what each candidate’s plan is, is it a realistic plan, can it work and how is it different from the next guy or gal, and that’s what I plan to focus on.”

Cavuto pointed out another difference between their format and that of their CNBC rivals: FBN moderators will be strict about enforcing equal speaking time among candidates, addressing one of the many complaints launched against the CNBC debate moderators.

“We will actually be policing times to make sure that this candidate has not gotten enough time that he or she will get that addressed so we can leave the debate saying that as crowded as the field was they all had their chances to state their case,” Cavuto said.

Cavuto said he doesn’t feel the need to “sell it like some sort of TV drama,” noting, “this stuff in and of itself is riveting. People are tuning in for a reason.”

“We should just make sure we’re being informative and people feel informed, and we’ll let chips fall where they may,” he added.

[bassmaner]

Yea, I thought Megyn and Fox News would be good for the first debate too. I think all of Fox is in bed with the Uniparty. We'll see I guess.

When they start with the softballs for Jeb and Kasich (and possibly Rubio and Fiorina), reserve the "when did you stop beating your wife" questions for Trump and Carson, and completely ignore Cruz and Paul, then you'll know the fix is in.

[mountainfolk]

I bet Cavuto would laugh and agree with your post. He amuses me and I watch him on occasion. I do think he will do a good job as moderator. Hope springs eternal for FOX. It is after all, about all the media left that even tries to be evenhanded.

[xzins]

I noticed last week that her shows numbers were again significantly lower than O’Reilly’s and barely above Brett Baier’s.

She made a horrible mistake that night. She had credibility with a conservative base and she threw it away.

I haven’t watched her since except for sneak peaks, and darned if each of those random moments wasn’t some negative toward Donald Trump.

Incidentally, saw Sununu on Cavuto today and he gave the names of the acceptable establishment candidates:

Rubio, Christie, Bush, Fiorina.

I laughed when he said that Carson and Cruz weren’t qualified because they didn’t have experience in government. He was sure Trump wasn’t qualified, building a multi-billion dollar business notwithstanding.

And 3 minutes later he’s praising Fiornia because she ran a business. Either he’s senile, or he was doing a comedy skit.

[Eddie01]

They are trotting out Sununu?

Nobody’s knows or cares about his existence.

So if you going to send someone out to tell demonstrable lies - Sununu’s your guy.

Why does Sea World keep flashing in my brain?...

[SmokingJoe]

FBN is vastly more conservative than Fox News and Neil Cavuto will be vastly superior as a moderator than those partisan Democratic Party harpies from CNBC.

[Capt. Tom]

This zeppelin head can’t stop talking over everyone he interviews. He asks a question then two seconds later he starts running his mouth.

That's the reason I don't go out of my way to watch him.
Cavuto even talks in between his guests sentences.-Tom

[Pollster1]

JOHN HARWOOD (to Trump): Let’s be honest. Is this a comic book version of a Presidential campaign?

BECKY QUICK: Dr. Carson, let’s talk about taxes. You have a flat tax plan of 10 percent flat taxes. And I’ve looked at it, and this is something that is very appealing to a lot of voters, but I’ve had a really tough time trying to make the math work on this . . . So what analysis got you to the point where you think this will work?

JOHN HARWOOD (to Kasich): . . . You said yesterday that you were hearing proposals that were just crazy from your colleagues. Who were you talking about?

CARL QUINTANILLA (to Rubio): So when the Sun-Sentinel says Rubio should resign, not rip us off, when they say Floridians sent you to Washington to do a job, when they say you act like you hate your job, do you?

JOHN HARWOOD: We’re moving to Governor Bush. Governor, the fact that you’re at the fifth lectern tonight shows how far your stock has fallen in this race, despite the big investment your donors have made. You noted recently after slashing your payroll that you had better things to do than sit around and be demonized by other people.

CARL QUINTANILLA: Senator Cruz, Congressional Republicans, Democrats, and the White House are about to strike a compromise that would raise the debt limit, prevent a government shutdown, and calm financial markets that fear another Washington-created crisis is on the way. Does your opposition to it show that you’re not the kind of problem-solver American voters want?

CRUZ: You know, let me say something at the outset. The questions that have been asked so far in this debate illustrate why the American people don’t trust the media.
[APPLAUSE]
This is not a cage match. And if you look at the questions: Donald Trump, are you a comic book villain? Ben Carson, can you do math? John Kasich, will you insult two people over here? Marco Rubio, why don’t you resign? Jeb Bush, why have your numbers fallen? How about talking about the substantive issues —
[APPLAUSE]
... and, Carl, I’m not finished yet. The contrast with the Democratic debate, where every fawning question from the media was, which of you is more handsome and why?

______________________________________________________________

They need real questions on the issues, not on the horse race or the gossip.

Give each candidate 10 minutes (or some other equal amount of time) for the entire debate other than closing statements, and cut off their microphones after they have used their total.

Then take 4 or 5 topics on related themes: jobs, energy, tax reform, and trade; or immigration, foreign policy, military intervention, and homeland security. Ask questions related to the night’s theme, and give each candidate a shot at the same question, with a follow up. That would be much better than the nonsense of the first three debates.

[Awgie]

Megyan is a craven career climbing barbie doll sock puppet talking head who would show up at a fatal car accident involving her own mother and do the live on air report because, “Can you imagine the ratings we'll get.”

[llevrok]

Making Cavuto “invisible”? Ha!!

Have you seen the size of his head?!!!!!!!!!