Sleepy in Iowa: Why must we put up with biased or boring presidential debates?

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | December 16, 2007 | Jack Kelly

[2ndDivisionVet]

Those who watched the Republican presidential "debate" in Iowa Wednesday now understand why The Des Moines Register is such a lousy newspaper.

"That was not just the worst debate of 2007, that was the worst debate in Western history, and that includes the ancient Greeks," said columnist Charles Krauthammer. "There is no record in any major European record of a debate this transcendingly and crushingly dull."

Mr. Krauthammer arguably wasn't engaging in hyperbole. Imagine a boxing match in which the boxers aren't allowed to lay a glove on each other, and you have an idea of what this "debate" was like.

This wasn't the fault of the candidates, all of whom turned in credible performances. Even libertarian fruitcake Ron Paul seemed to be on his meds.

The blame for this flop belongs to the debate's moderator, Des Moines Register Editor Carolyn Washburn. While most commentators compared her to an overbearing elementary school teacher, Fred Barnes of The Weekly Standard likened her to Nurse Mildred Ratched, the villain in Ken Kesey's 1962 novel "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest."

[2ndDivisionVet]

Charles Krauthammer has a way with words. As Iowa native from Ames and Des Moines, I can attest to the slow but sure descent of the Des Moines Register (or Red Star). What was once a fair & balanced award-winning paper has become the house organ of the Iowa democratic party hacks. Carolyn Washburn was just doing her best to tilt the race towards the democratic side, which is what she is paid to do by Gannett. I think that Fred Thompson sitting up on his hind legs and dishing it back at her was one of the biggest surprises she's ever experienced. Why does the GOP let groups that are plainly against them host and sponsor debates?

[BlabItGrabIt]

When the debates address why a subprime crisis occurred after Howard Dean's party took control.

When the debates address just why crude oil, thus gasoline and heating oil, has doubled, and just who is behind those bogus increases...

[TornadoAlley3]

Washburn is on CSPAN Washington Journal now, talking about how many calls she got from Madeline Albright, Wesley Clarke etc. and the paper’s endorsement of Hillary Clinton.

[Onelifetogive]

This wasn't the fault of the candidates, all of whom turned in credible performances.

Not completely true! The candidates decided which debate to attend. They choose this debate over the Fox News/Iowa GOP debate.

Logic for this move? They would not have a crappy moderator to blame? The Iowa GOP debate would have cornered some of them on their liberal views or flip-flops?

[MinorityRepublican]

You got a link to that?

[Nuc1]

Why does the GOP let groups that are plainly against them host and sponsor debates?

I think our candidates should go on the debate and attack. Show some some spine. I saw the man made global warming question and so many of our guys sheepishly raising their hands. No courage, no passion, no intellect on display. Fred made a weak but totally warranted response and he is judged a hero. The GOP is absolutely craving LEADERSHIP. And a bit of courage. Way to go Fred, it's a start.

[niteowl77]

One wonders how far the Register can still descend before they hit terra firma; My parents stopped reading it after 40 years because it had become so absurdly leftist (with or without Ms. Overholser or Ms. Basu). About the only fair-sized paper in Iowa that doesn't always read like a collection of DNC press releases is the Ft. Dodge Messenger (and I haven't seen it in the last year, so maybe I'm wrong on that one).

The "debate" could actually have been worse- they could have held it in Dubuque, using the Telegraph Herald's collection of congenital Democrats. I used to get some amusement from the TH by playing "guess which story originated in Tom Harkin's office?" Alas, when that novelty wore off, it was too much like holding a copy of the old communist Leader to be worthwhile.

Mr. niteowl77

[2ndDivisionVet]

"I think our candidates should go on the debate and attack. Show some some spine. I saw the man made global warming question and so many of our guys sheepishly raising their hands. No courage, no passion, no intellect on display. Fred made a weak but totally warranted response and he is judged a hero. The GOP is absolutely craving LEADERSHIP. And a bit of courage. Way to go Fred, it's a start."

What's the old saying? "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king."

[Pittsburgher]

You are on to something here. Rudy, Mitt, and Huck have absolutely no incentive to subject themselves to a line of questioning that would betray their lack of conservative principles. Much safer to stay away from an event hosted by, say, Rush.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

No doubt Carolyn Washburn is receiving brown paper bags from all over Iowa this week. How else can she leave the building ?

[Pappy Smear]

I know it is not an Iowa paper, but the Iowa edition of the Omaha World Herald is not too bad. Of course, they have all the AP stuff that you get in about every paper. The Sioux City Journal is not too bad either.

I think they both are that way, as they both cover western Iowa, which is the the most conservative/Republican parts of the state, and even the country.

And I agree, the Register (the Rag as I call it) is simply wretched.

[DugwayDuke]

“Sen. Thompson has proposed the serious GOP candidates engage in a round-table discussion where they — and not journalists — set the agenda.”

You don’t have to support Fred for President to see that this is a great idea. Now, the question is why can’t the candidates have their own debate doing away with the media attempts to control what is asked and said.

Of course, one would have to limit the size but I think, if nothing more, it would show which candidates are capable of acting like adults.

[Carbonado]

I see no fundamental problem with engaging in such debates, were the adversarial nature of the event is known before hand.

The important thing is have the candidates themselves acknowledge that “they are going into the lion’s den” up front, so there is no pretense of objectivity.

I have to say that ‘ol Fred did a wonderful job - the other candidates could learn a lot from him on this - of picking up the ball and rushing into the Lib media’s defensive line and even scoring a few points.

Whoever the conservative candidate is, they need to be absolutely clear in saying LOUDLY AND OFTEN that they are not only running against the DemocRATS/Liberals, they are running against the vast left wing media hive.

That way when one of the little leftist bees come buzzing with their crude attempts to frame all issues in terms of leftist ideology, the candidates response will be taken for what it really is - A response to an inherently hostile and disingenuous leftist hack.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

In saying what he did, Fred went right over Carolyn's head to the American public, ala the Gipper of years ago. Fred laughed at her and the little two-county newspaper she represents (the newspaper Iowa depends upon.)
She still doesn't understand why.

[capt. norm]

I grew up in Gilbert, IA....being from Ames, you probably know where that is. My first job when I was a kid was delivering newspapers, both the Des Moines Register in the morning and the Tribune in the afternoon.

At that time they were well-respected and they owned KRNT radio KRNT-TV and the old KRNT Theater. I believe they were owned by Cowles back then in the 50's and early 60's

[SoConPubbie]

Fred made a weak but totally warranted response and he is judged a hero. The GOP is absolutely craving LEADERSHIP. And a bit of courage.

I would disagree.

It was an appropriately strong response.

And overall, his debate performance was better than anyone else on state including Hunter.

[bray]

Brilliant essay although Randle McMurphy referred to her as Nurse Ratshit.

Went to school w/Ken Kesey’s nephews. He was a acid laden fruitcake but loved sports.

Pray for W and Our Victorious Troops

[Eric in the Ozarks]

I carried the Tribune in the afternoon and the Sunday Register. 28 dailies, 105 Sundays. Cold mornings like today, I would stick my hands inside the stack of papers to warm up.

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

I refuse to pay money for the rag but occasionally I do fill up at a Kum N Go and get it for free with my gas.

[Keith in Iowa]

The RedStar offering advice to Republicans on whom to nominate to run for president is like Planned Parenthood serving up adoption assistance. Or PETA recommending a good steakhouse.