Posted on 03/04/2016 7:24:35 PM PST by BlackFemaleArmyColonel
There are two more Republican presidential debates left on the schedule — and that is more than enough for party insiders, who fear that the insult-rich clashes are becoming deeply damaging to the GOP's image.
In their minds, Thursday’s debate in Detroit was a nadir. They single out, in particular, the moment when front-runner Donald Trump sought to rebut implied suggestions from rival Marco Rubio that his manhood was inadequate.
The debate also stooped to name-calling, as Trump constantly referred to Rubio on Thursday night as “Little Marco” and labeled his other main rival, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, “Lying Ted.” Cruz — no stranger to robust debating tactics himself — asked plaintively at one point, “Is this the debate you want playing out in the general election?”
Magnifying potential problems for the GOP, the most outlandish clashes were highlighted in the following day’s media coverage, even as pundits criticized the tone.
“It’s not funny anymore,” MSNBC anchor Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman, said on Friday’s edition of “Morning Joe.”
Republican strategists agree, recalling that the debate preceding the clash in Detroit — a Feb. 25 event in Houston — was also noticeable for producing more heat than light.
“I don’t know how useful debates are going forward,” said one strategist, Matt Mackowiak, who also expressed qualms about the rambunctious crowds at recent debates. “The crowds really distract from the purpose of the debates themselves. We are getting into repetition at this point. I do think that there is damage being done.”
The capacity of debates to be counter-productive had been recognized by the Republican National Committee (RNC) before this year’s extraordinary cycle got underway.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
You think? Debates have become useless, but a way to attempt to take down Trump.
Yup. Debates haven’t moved numbers.
Do we really need to hold the rest of them?
I think we were way past that long ago.
These press communists are like nursery school, wet diapered children with their moaning and bawling. I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t get their headlines and ideas right from the Clinton campaign. Democrat debates have the sizzle of a flushing toilet and not a word from these louts.
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I am definitely tired of them. The one last night was one of the worst yet. The only purpose of it was for the establishment through their cronies to take out Trump. Enough of this nonsense.
Worthless as it is all gotcha questions complete with Journalist rebuttals in the form of full page set ups intended to make any deviation from a previous statement as a falsehood or lie.
Just keep having debates until you get the candidate you want...thx...GOPe
As long as they insist on having audiences, it will be “The Jerry Springer Show” and taint the Republican brand.
Trump should just say we’ve had enough...No more debates...Let’s get on with campaigning....
The debates remind me of an old toy for boys called “Rock’em, Sock’em Robots”, One blue plastic boxer, one red plastic boxer fight each other. The fists are controlled by levers under the ‘ring’ or gameboard. It was better than fooseball.
“Jeb Bush, looking more and more Presidential every day, dominated the latest debate polls.”
GOPe fantasy.
The PACs and their network buddies love these political debate game shows. More commercial$
$$
Trump has won every debate, according to the online polls.
Won them overwhelmingly.
I’m starting to get tired of winning.
Can’t we just stop?
Yep. I stopped watching after the 1st.
Party Insiders “fear that the insult-rich clashes are becoming deeply damaging to the GOP’s image”
They need to lay down a few ground rules for the moderators
as to the type of “questions” that are appropriate.
They should demand that moderators stop the negative approach calculated to stir up animosity between the candidates and concentrate on questions as to a candidates platform and how they would govern.
There is too much of the “He said this and he said that so what do you say?” kind of “question”.
If the moderators won’t agree to stop setting one candidate against the other and ask positive questions the GOP should just tell them they cannot host a debate.
There are other venues who want the audiences that debates bring in.
They’re fatigued because the anti-establishment candidates keep winning them.
Cancel the rest. Enough.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAILud-X58U
Commercial for the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots by Marx (1975)
My thoughts. They’re doing NOBODY any good.
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