The conservative war on the mainstream media hit a new phase at the GOP debate

Washington Post ^ | 10/29/2015 | By Philip Bump

[SeekAndFind]

The Republican Party's relationship with the media reached an inevitable new stage during the debate on Wednesday night. Thanks in part to CNBC's clumsy handling of the event and in part to the long-term and increasing rejection of traditional media on the right, presidential candidates were able to skate past legitimate critiques by claiming bias — with the audience enthusiastically cheering them on.

Three moments in particular were worth picking out.

Most obvious was Ted Cruz's have-you-no-shame upbraiding of the questions asked by the network's moderators. Asked about his opposition to the budget deal being finalized in Washington this week, Cruz went another direction. "[L]et 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 applause. "This is not a cage match. ... How about talking about the substantive issues the people care about?"

Pollster Frank Luntz, who regularly moderates focus groups of debate-watchers during these events, found that Cruz's rhetoric worked -- big time.

https://twitter.com/FrankLuntz/status/659532219069763584

Cruz's reply was particularly remarkable for what happened next. He was complaining about CNBC's having ignored issues, after all, in response to a question about an issue. When moderator Carl Quintanilla pointed that out to him, noting that he only had a limited time to answer, Cruz brushed him away, until fellow moderator John Harwood moved to someone else. "So you don't actually want to hear the answer, John?," Cruz asked -- after spending his allotted time intentionally avoiding answering the question. But the audience loved it.

[TigerClaws]

Cruz should have gone further and asked, “How much did your parent company, General Electric, pay in federal taxes?”

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/25/business/economy/25tax.html?ref=butnobodypaysthat&_r=0

[Uncle Miltie]

Cruz wins.

[Daniel Ramsey]

I hope all the candidates agree to this, last night is the last debate of this type.

If anyone wants to do it again then there will be a complete overhaul, these debates are nothing more than putting these candidates in stocks like in an english 12th century town and the townspeople take turns throwing rotten vegetables at them.

[GSWarrior]

Let the spin begin.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Here we go. Didn’t even take as long as I thought. Of course it is the conservative war on the poor victim media.

[chajin]

The conservative war on the mainstream media hit a new phase at the GOP debate

When we began to clobber Japan, first on the sea at Midway, then on the land starting at Tarawa and Guadalcanal, then in the air with the carpet bombings of the home islands, was it an American war on Japan, or was it the Americans taking it to an enemy that wanted to see us conquered and annihilated?

As Dr. Rice said in another context, they were at war with us before we were at war with them--in this case, long before. The first counterattack salvos were fired in 2012; now it is time to finish the job, and for all their differences, the candidates last night (except Kasich) understood, and understand this.

[timestax]

[timestax]

[MNJohnnie]

Skate past legitimate critiques

Drugged, homesexual and stupid is no way to live your life Mr Bump

[timestax]

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

This guy and Dan Rather need to go back to their padded cells.

[SeekAndFind]

John Harwood should be suspended by NBC for LYING at the end of the debate when he told Trump that the debate’s length was always going to be just two hours.

I’ve never seen someone so blatantly LIE to the public. If they can suspend Brian Williams, they should suspend this utterly BIASED moderator.

[Thibodeaux]

CNBC in not owned by GE. All the NBC related outlets were purchased by that greatest of American enemies, Comcast

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

If they weren’t so out of touch with reality they would be embarrassed.

[Petrosius]

Presidential candidates were able to skate past legitimate biased critiques by claiming pointing out the bias -- with the audience enthusiastically cheering them on.

That's better. : )

[Albion Wilde]

"Democrats, Pew Research found last year, trust media outlets like the Washington Post and New York Times -- meaning that Democratic candidates are less likely to start battles with those institutions. Conservatives distrust those outlets more than they trust them. "

What a crapmeister (Philip Bump). He casts blame on conservatives for not trusting the people who are blatantly biased against them, and applauds Democrats for not starting battles with a media overwhelmingly biased in their favor.

The stupid; it hurts.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Cruz was superb last night. He defined the issue all Republican candidates face, and which is doubled for all conservative Republican candidates.

This man is so clearly the conservative choice for President it’s not even funny. He proved it in front of the world last night.

Harwood was embarrassing to what remains of the profession of journalism. Leave it to the ComPost to cover for CNBC.

[Amagi]

Yo, WashPost, do you think it is relevant to re-visit who it was that started the war?
HINT: look in the mirror.

[DiogenesLamp]

Thanks in part to CNBC's clumsy handling of the event and in part to the long-term and increasing rejection of traditional media on the right, presidential candidates were able to skate past legitimate critiques by claiming bias — with the audience enthusiastically cheering them on. --Washington Post ^

Washington Post, don't think we aren't looking at you as part of the problem. Let us just say the idea of you offering unbiased and objective criticism is laughable.