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Joe Scarborough Criticizes Fox News for 'Gotcha' Debate Questions
Breitbart ^ | 8/10/15 | Joe Scarborough

Posted on 08/10/2015 12:50:24 PM PDT by Titus-Maximus

Monday on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” host Joe Scarborough criticized Fox News for targeting Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump during Thursday’s GOP presidential debate. Scarborough referred specifically to what he deemed to be “gotcha” questions and suggested the focus should have been on policy instead. “Reince Priebus had decided to ban networks–this one, and I would have if were Reince Priebus too, so I’m not knocking him — I would never give MSNBC a Republican debate right now,” Scarborough said. “Pretty soon I would–things are changing really quickly at this network. But a year ago? Never. I undersand that. But the idea was to get news outlets, Mark, that would ask legitimate questions about policy instead of gotcha questions. There wasn’t a single question asked of the Republican front runner that dealt with jobs, that dealt with Iran, that dealt with ISIS, that dealt with the economy writ large, that dealt with foreign policy writ large. You had three questions. The first one was — I was stunned. I guess you told me Rush Limbaugh talked about this for a long time.” “The first question was on Donald Trump’s insult of Rosie O’Donnell and his insults of reality show contestants,” he continued. “Were they crude and crass? Yes. Would I ever say it? No. Would any Republican candidate say it? No! But that’s your first question and then the next question was asking this billionaire about four deals that failed and then the third was really a political speech that was veiled as a question with a zinger at the end going, so tell me, when did you become a Republican? It was, so I’m sitting there thinking, I thought this is what we as Republicans were trying to avoid.

(Excerpt) Read more at breitbart.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2016election; debate; debates; trump
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To: Starstruck

I’d have simply said, “if the Nominee is not me and that candidate supports any of the following... Amnesty, Open Borders, Funding Obamacare, Iran getting a Nuke, running up debt and continuing to expand the Social state or opposes E-verify, Welfare Reform and Balanced Budget Amendment HELL NO I will not support them.”


21 posted on 08/10/2015 1:40:55 PM PDT by VRWCarea51 (The original 1998 version)
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To: Titus-Maximus
But the idea was to get news outlets, Mark, that would ask legitimate questions about policy instead of gotcha questions. There wasn’t a single question asked of the Republican front runner that dealt with jobs, that dealt with Iran, that dealt with ISIS, that dealt with the economy writ large, that dealt with foreign policy writ large.

Maybe, but how many of the candidates actually have policies at this point?

And how many of them would be willing to go into specifics?

Aren't we more at the "getting to know you" stage than at the point where the candidates and the electorate can focus on policy specifics?

It's likely that even the later debates won't focus on those details, but not too realistic to expect that the first one would.

So instead of talking about Obama’s 100 million Americans on food stamps, who literally cannot feed themselves, and the Dem’s demand to import millions more impoverished....we are accusing ourselves as participants in the imaginary war on women.

Okay, but 1) talking about what's wrong now isn't necessarily the same as talking about what specific policies candidates would implement to fix things, which is what Joe apparently wants, and 2) what stops a candidate from making that the focus? Answer the question that's asked, but finish up with "I can't believe we're discussing this when ..." If enough candidates did that, they'd shame the moderators into asking more substantive questions.

22 posted on 08/10/2015 1:49:33 PM PDT by x
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To: VRWCarea51
I’d have simply said, “if the Nominee is not me and that candidate supports any of the following... Amnesty, Open Borders, Funding Obamacare, Iran getting a Nuke, running up debt and continuing to expand the Social state or opposes E-verify, Welfare Reform and Balanced Budget Amendment HELL NO I will not support them.”

I noticed you omitted my number one issue, the 2nd amendment. Due to past statements of his on this issue, I would never trust the man. He was for a single payer health plan before. I would not trust the man.

23 posted on 08/10/2015 1:52:15 PM PDT by Starstruck (I'm usually sarcastic. Deal with it.)
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To: cripplecreek

Gets right in the old breadbasket, don’t it?


24 posted on 08/10/2015 2:03:47 PM PDT by jmacusa
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To: Titus-Maximus

For some any question requiring a multi-syllable answer is a “gotcha” question.


25 posted on 08/10/2015 2:04:33 PM PDT by Mike Darancette (CA the sanctuary state for stupid.)
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To: Starstruck

Read upstream ;) There is a reason I said I wasn’t a Trump Supporter.

Given that, there are several others that I distrust just as much.... Fiorina, Bush, Kasich.


26 posted on 08/10/2015 2:16:47 PM PDT by VRWCarea51 (The original 1998 version)
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To: Georgia Girl 2

A Morning Consult tracking online national poll found Trump increasing his lead to 32 percent —21 percentage points ahead of Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who garnered 11 percent.


27 posted on 08/10/2015 2:17:09 PM PDT by samtheman (Trump/Cruz '16)
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To: Starstruck
. Due to past statements of his on this issue, I would never trust the man. He was for a single payer health plan before. I would not trust the man. So you didn't vote for Willard in 12? ;)
28 posted on 08/10/2015 2:20:17 PM PDT by VRWCarea51 (The original 1998 version)
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To: Titus-Maximus

I was shocked that the attitude and questioning by all three moderators and esp. Kelly.
Had to recheck to see if I was watching MSNBC.
Kelly’s editorials twisted to resemble a question were over the top. She went after all of them but saved her extreme vehemence for Trump.
Almost all her ‘questions’ to the candidates were designed around divisive issues.
Lost all respect for her.


29 posted on 08/10/2015 2:31:14 PM PDT by Vinnie
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To: Titus-Maximus

The unexpected tsuanami of criticism (multiple tens of thousands negative posts on FB alone by now) must have completely unnerved them. As someone earlier pointed out, when was the last time you saw all the ‘moderators’ (and I use that term loosely) of a ‘debate’ (same caveat applies) have to come out and defend their behavior “en banc”?

Although some innocents will suffer (Greta comes to mind), The Donald should completely cut off *all* appearances on all Murdoch properties indefinitely. Same with Salem.

All Fox News viewers need to become ex-viewers immediately.

Even if you are not a Rush24 subscriber, you can still express your outrage about redstate to Rush by email - elrushbo@eibnet.com. Make it clear that even Rush will suffer if he continues to give this RINO masquerading as a conservative a platform. I have, and I am sure about a jillion others have already done this, join the crowd!


30 posted on 08/10/2015 2:49:03 PM PDT by Company Man (When you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at YOU Megyn.)
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