Sponsored Content
« Morning Thread (12-9-2015) | Main | Open Thread »
December 09, 2015

RNC: On Second Thought, We Need At Least One More Debate

I'm so old I remember when the RNC thought too many debates was part of the problem. Now it seems not enough debates are. So mark January 14th on your calendars for another debate on Fox Business.

This is an interesting development to say the least. Earlier this year the RNC had a very different feeling about the number of debates.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in an interview Thursday that he regarded the 2012 debates as “an embarrassment and ridiculous” for the party.

“It was like a dog-and-pony show,” he said. “I think debates are important, but just because you’re a good debater doesn’t mean you’re going to be a good president. It’s just too much of an importance on debating.”

...

“I’m trying to limit the opportunity we have to kill each other,” he said. “I’ve always tried to be a person that sells what I control. I don’t like to sell things I don’t control. I don’t control people’s mouths, that’s for sure, but what I do control is the length of time we have to kill each other.”

Huh.

Whatever could have changed the Chairman's mind?

Ohhhhhh right.

If you look at the Real Clear Politics national and early state polling averages and compare them to the dates of the four debates so far, you'll see there's some correlation between debates and the movement in polling. After benefiting greatly from first debate Trump has taken a hit after the last two (before rebounding) so this may not make much difference to him. What you really see is Marco Rubio tends to benefit from these events.

I wonder if the GOP has any interest in continuing that trend. Some seem to think so.

Another top campaign staffer, speaking on the condition of anonymity, accused the RNC of pandering to the establishment.

"My opinion is that this is panic in reaction to the unintended consequences of their decision to try and narrow the debates to begin with," he said.

"When they reduced the number of debates at the time, the thought was there would be an establishment leader. But now that the election's been turned on its head, with [Donald] Trump and [Ted] Cruz leading, now the establishment is panicking," he added.

Have you noticed the really odd thing about these debates is that Rubio hasn't been asked about his support for amnesty. Of course now that he's developed a plan for answering this topic, pretend he and Ted Cruz are two peas in a pod when it comes to amnesty, I'm sure he'll get a nice softball about it.

This is a risky move by the RNC. They are essentially now betting that it's better to try and take Trump down than worry he'll feel he's been treated unfairly and run as an independent.

The other gamble is that Rubio does much better than Cruz. Cruz certainly has benefited from the debates as well so he might manage to keep pace with any gains Rubio makes. And what if the next few debates devolve into a nasty Cruz-Rubio battle that Trump is able to stay out of and potentially benefit from ("look at these two politicians fighting over scraps. I'm focused on doing what I do...winning and winning for you!")?

So far the RNC's efforts to fight the last war by shortening the primary season and limiting debates (until they expanded them) have led to Trump. I'm not sure why they or anyone should think they suddenly have the right answer (from their perspective). But the fact that they are changing the rules in the middle of the game is telling.

They are scared and not just of Trump.


Added thought: They have announced the criteria for making the cut for this debate. Want to bet it's the most stringent yet? They will do whatever they have to make sure Rubio gets the maximum amount of time.


digg this
posted by DrewM. at 09:21 AM

| Access Comments




Recent Comments
Piper: "229 The apple fritter seduces you and takes all ..."

Hadrian the Seventh: " The apple fritter seduces you and takes all your ..."

Mike Hammer, etc., etc.: "The risk of being willowed looms large. ..."

Piper: "I wonder how many more times he falls before he br ..."

Diogenes : "Non-First!!! ..."

Mike Hammer, etc., etc.: "------ Nonuncounterintuitive Posted by: Mike Ham ..."

Mike Hammer, etc., etc.: "uncounterintuitive Posted by: runner ------ No ..."

runner: "Dunno, it seems counterintuitive. Posted by: Mike ..."

Hokey Pokey: "I'd say it's a neo-Marxist victim cult that seeks ..."

runner: " I don't understand why Doctor Jill wasn't the one ..."

Diogenes : "The donut is the plain-looking sister to the much ..."

weft cut-loop[/i][/b] [/s]: "[i]Fabricated 'Pride' is gross rationalization to ..."

Recent Entries
Search


Polls! Polls! Polls!
Frequently Asked Questions
The (Almost) Complete Paul Anka Integrity Kick
Top Top Tens
Greatest Hitjobs

The Ace of Spades HQ Sex-for-Money Skankathon
A D&D Guide to the Democratic Candidates
Margaret Cho: Just Not Funny
More Margaret Cho Abuse
Margaret Cho: Still Not Funny
Iraqi Prisoner Claims He Was Raped... By Woman
Wonkette Announces "Morning Zoo" Format
John Kerry's "Plan" Causes Surrender of Moqtada al-Sadr's Militia
World Muslim Leaders Apologize for Nick Berg's Beheading
Michael Moore Goes on Lunchtime Manhattan Death-Spree
Milestone: Oliver Willis Posts 400th "Fake News Article" Referencing Britney Spears
Liberal Economists Rue a "New Decade of Greed"
Artificial Insouciance: Maureen Dowd's Word Processor Revolts Against Her Numbing Imbecility
Intelligence Officials Eye Blogs for Tips
They Done Found Us Out, Cletus: Intrepid Internet Detective Figures Out Our Master Plan
Shock: Josh Marshall Almost Mentions Sarin Discovery in Iraq
Leather-Clad Biker Freaks Terrorize Australian Town
When Clinton Was President, Torture Was Cool
What Wonkette Means When She Explains What Tina Brown Means
Wonkette's Stand-Up Act
Wankette HQ Gay-Rumors Du Jour
Here's What's Bugging Me: Goose and Slider
My Own Micah Wright Style Confession of Dishonesty
Outraged "Conservatives" React to the FMA
An On-Line Impression of Dennis Miller Having Sex with a Kodiak Bear
The Story the Rightwing Media Refuses to Report!
Our Lunch with David "Glengarry Glen Ross" Mamet
The House of Love: Paul Krugman
A Michael Moore Mystery (TM)
The Dowd-O-Matic!
Liberal Consistency and Other Myths
Kepler's Laws of Liberal Media Bias
John Kerry-- The Splunge! Candidate
"Divisive" Politics & "Attacks on Patriotism" (very long)
The Donkey ("The Raven" parody)
Powered by
Movable Type 2.64