Posted on 08/18/2013 5:11:54 PM PDT by Kaslin
Finally the Republicans have someone in charge that is not afraid of his own shadow. Republicans are always cowering to the mainstream press while they mutter about the corrosiveness of it. If he keeps it up, the Republicans might actually win the U.S. Senate in 2014 and the Presidency in 2016. We are referring, of course, to Reince Priebus, Chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC).
You probably have heard that two television operations announced they were doing projects about Hillary Clinton. NBC has plans to produce and air a four hour mini-series about Hillary Clinton and CNN has plans for a documentary. Diane Lane has been attached to the NBC mini-series to play Ms. Clinton which speaks to the evenhandedness of that program. That is equivalent to a film about my life story with Brad Pitt in the starring role.
In a previous world, we would not even be having this discussion. These projects would never ever have been brought forward because even my dogs know Hillary Clinton is running for president in 2016, and the appearance of a potential conflict of interest would be killed by the news divisions. But that does not happen any longer. When CBSs Les Moonves, head of TVs most successful network, stated while attending a Barack Obama fundraiser that ultimately journalism has changed partisanship is very much a part of journalism now, why would anyone believe that NBC and CNN would be even-handed?
They have defended their respective decisions by stating that the entertainment departments were planning these programs. NBC can at least attempt this ploy since they have an entertainment division (their ratings for the past decade notwithstanding). CNN, which last time anyone checked, is solely a news network. Their argument is that CNN Films, a division of CNN Worldwide, is doing the film. One wonders if CNN Sports is next.
Fortunately Mr. Priebus saw through this charade and finally drew a line that should have been drawn years ago. Priebus must have been watching in 1992 when Carole Simpson of ABC News hosted a debate that was so slanted against President George H.W. Bush you would have thought she was on the Clinton payroll. He certainly was watching as Candy Crowley of CNN injected herself in the debate between President Obama and Mitt Romney with an absolutely wrong answer regarding what Obama said September 12, 2012, about Benghazi and terrorism, thus ending Romneys attempt to unsettle Obama on a critical issue.
Priebus came out and stated the obvious; that if these two operations went forth with their Hillary projects the Republicans would not play ball with them during the 2016 election cycle. That means the Republican primary debates would be held on networks other than NBC, MSNBC or CNN. One has to wonder why Republicans would have debates on these networks in the first place -- as if they would be fair and even-handed. Envision Lawrence ODonnell asking Marco Rubio why his policies encourage the starvation of young children.
When Priebus appeared on Fox News Special Report, he misspoke when being interviewed by Bret Baier by stating the RNC would want to approve the moderators for debates. Baier jumped on that, but Priebus is not far off. Maybe the RNC should not approve moderators, but they certainly should be able to veto moderators who they have every reason to believe would be less than fair in critical moments of debates.
Priebus appears to be on firm ground. Chuck Todd of NBC News came out and said that the proposed mini-series would be a nightmare for the news division. Andrea Mitchell followed up criticizing the project. It is nice to see that the network of Huntley, Brinkley, Chancellor and Brokaw still has a modicum of integrity. Unfortunately voices have been silent at CNN. How NBC can go forward with their political reporters in open revolt will be fascinating to watch.
Kudos to Priebus for coming forth and saying we arent going to take it any longer. This follows on the heels of some other common-sense decisions that sources say are coming down the pipeline. These decisions include actual full-blown outreach to minorities, moving the national convention to June and limiting the endless string of primary debates to a set number that will only protect all candidates from the supercilious situation that occurred in 2012. Next thing you know, the RNC will be establlishing integrated candidate development from the grassroots through the national level actual cooperation for all levels of the Republican Party.
If the mainstream media revamps how they operate to recognize the new reality that was clearly enunciated by CBS President Les Moonves, then Republicans need to confront that new reality and adjust how they operate. Priebus took the first step and it was a Crush Davis grand slam.
Primary debates? Primary? That’s it? Plebus, there’s more ammo in your pouch than that. Please get a prescription for testosterone and use it.
LOL!! I thought I’d been on FR since 94, but since they didn’t exist until 97........
RINOs no longer deserve to attempt to govern. They lost twice to a man who had no credentials, and RINOs could not even conduct an adversarial campaign against the worst president in the history of our nation. The RINO progressives need to be held accountable. Starting NOW.
RINOS need to just do one thing......disappear and shut up.
Reince has John McCain Fever; the tendancy to quickly and aggressively blame members of your own party for causing all of their misfortunes. R.P. re-lost me when he talked smack about Romney’s self-deportation theory. We Reps. can welcome LEGAL immigrants by making it easier to LEGALLY get considered and processed. I this day and age, no way should it still take over ten years to LEGALLY become a citizen.
What took soooo long? This is obvious.
Our local GOP in NYS declined debates hosted by a group know for hosting debates ALL over NYS. They are called “THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS” AKA The League of Democrat Women voters. We looked up their membership and board. 33 Board members with 33 registered Democrats.
So we declined much to their outrage. They ask ALL Democrat leading questions like how will you increase government spending to help this group OR how will you stop economic growth by buying “open space” etc.
The national GOP should have had veto rights YEARS ago.
Sheesh, all I can say is
1) it’s about time
2) they better hold firm
Amazing what they can do with adult stem cells these days. Growing a spine? Who knew?
Keep our 2016 GOP Presidential candidates far, far away from Chris Wallace of Fox! Wallace takes too much personal delight in deflating any hopes of a presidential victory a conservative may have.
No PBS, no NPR, and no one from any networks — just the indie talk-radio heads should be used. Of course, otoh, I’ve always found the debates to be tiresome wastes of time.
“..Somehow it doesnt quite make up for losing to the worst president in history on 2012...”
No... maybe it doesn’t.
But when they DO get it right, we need to let them know loud and clear. Like Issa, Lee, Rand Paul, LtC West, Gohmert, etc.
Just like we let them know when they f*** up the picnic.
“...Ive always found the debates to be tiresome wastes of time...”
They can be; but the good side is, people who aren’t familiar with ALL the candidates - those other than the moderate squish RINOs that the media pushes - get a chance to see and hear the other guys.
And just maybe if we actually hove moderators who don’t start off question 1 with “Where do you stand on same sex marriage?” we could actually get to something substantial.
I’m not holding my breath on it... but maybe... we’ll see.
The racist Dems love pretending that what someone with brown skin needs and wants is different from some one with white skin. Everyone wants jobs, opportunity and safety from crime. Everyone wants freedom from abuse by a paranoid police state on steroids. Everyone wants the freedom to defend themselves and their loved ones from criminals.
What nobody seems to get is the republicans really don’t have the power to check the Kenyan maggot and his allies in the senate and the old media.
you are right, but still- I wish he would resign
they forced the candidate on us that only 30% of republicans ourselves wanted... the candidate the democraps wanted the most... and then wonder why we keep losing
the head coach of the worst team usually gets fired- not allowed to keep doing it to us some more.
OK, so he made a good call in one play in one game... I still have no confidence
That's true, I think. But, not everyone wants that for everyone.
I agree with you on all points, Mr. K... I guess my point is, when they DO get something right - even accidentally - we should let them know so that maybe, just maybe they get it through their thick, stupid skulls as to how the base wants things done.
But yeah, confidence is low, as the saying goes.
We'd get Juan Williams and Geraldo Rivera
Just look at that face.........I’ve seen less existential angst on that last deer I caught in my headlights...before it scampered off the road
That means the Republican primary debates would be held on networks other than NBC, MSNBC or CNN. One has to wonder why Republicans would have debates on these networks in the first place...
Exactly. But Priebus needed the handy excuse about the Hillary crap that nobody will watch anyway?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.