Candidate mutiny: Has GOP reached turning point on debates?
Candidates are frustrated with both the networks and the Republican National Committee over the terms of debates, which are drawing huge audiences.
Members of the audience listen to Republican presidential candidates participate in the 2016 GOP presidential candidates debate held by CNBC in Boulder, Colo. on Oct. 28, 2015. These debates are drawing huge audiences, but candidates are not pleased with the deal negotiated between the networks and the Republican National Committee.
Rick Wilking/Reuters
Are presidential primary debates going to look very different in election cycles to come?
That鈥檚 a bigger question underlying today鈥檚 uproar among GOP candidates about the format and control of the current primary debate system.
On Sunday, representatives from more than a dozen Republican presidential campaigns met in suburban Washington and agreed to demand modest changes from debate hosts. They include more direct coordination between networks and candidates, mandatory opening and closing statements, an equal number of questions for candidates, and preapproval of onscreen graphics, according to Ben Carson campaign manager Barry Bennett.
In general, the campaigns say they are frustrated with both the networks and the Republican National Committee, which negotiated the existing debate lineup. That鈥檚 pushed political competitors into some agreement on the subject.
鈥淭he amazing part for me was how friendly the meeting was,鈥� said Mr. Bennett, noting it was held in a room marked 鈥渇amily meeting."
But the ad hoc conference, held in the wake of the chaotic CNBC debate last week, did not result in agreement on more drastic demands, such as an elimination of the split system in which low-polling contenders appear in an 鈥渦ndercard鈥� debate, or preapproval of moderators.
That鈥檚 because different candidates have different motivations. Low-ranking contenders want the 鈥渦ndercard鈥� eliminated. Polling leaders such as Donald Trump want fewer candidates, not more, on stage. Candidates who have done well bashing the media, such as Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, are suggesting that only conservative commentators serve as moderators. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush wants to reschedule the suspended February debate that includes Spanish-language Univision as a partner. Trump and others don鈥檛 want that to happen.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie added on Monday that he doesn鈥檛 believe the campaigns should control the debates at all.
鈥淲hat comes through most clearly is that despite the joint meeting and the decision by the campaigns to retain Republican super-lawyer Ben Ginsberg to represent them in issuing demands to the television networks, their complaints are not necessarily compatible,鈥� writes Ed Kilgore
But these complaints surfaced now in part because the role debates play in the primary process appears to have shifted. They鈥檝e become more important, drawing huge audiences that are records for non-sports cable programming. Candidates who shine (Carly Fiorina) get an immediate boost. Those who don鈥檛 do well (Jeb Bush) drift downwards in the polls.
It now appears possible to run a national campaign based largely on debates and other televised appearances. That鈥檚 let Donald Trump do much of his 鈥渃ampaigning鈥� from the comfy confines of Trump Tower.
Given that, it shouldn鈥檛 be surprising that candidates want more control over a show where they鈥檙e the stars. Yet there are limits to what the networks will cede. Debates are news division shows, not entertainment. Journalists will push back.
鈥淚f networks had integrity, they would refuse to host or air any debate in which candidates dictated terms. Period,鈥� on Monday.
Thus the question: Will candidates of either party eventually decide to group together and produce these big shows themselves?
Carson campaign manager Bennett suggested as much prior to Sunday鈥檚 meeting.
鈥淚 think we can look beyond television partnerships,鈥� he said. 鈥淔acebook and Twitter and Google and YouTube 鈥� they would all host the debate. They would all provide the media feed to every television broadcaster in America. It is 2015, and not 1980.鈥�
Indeed. This may be the only way for the candidates to get what they want. And in a world where individual conservative personalities such as Glenn Beck can quit Fox News and found their own web networks, why can鈥檛 the Republican and Democratic Parties?
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a big idea, and one that will likely become reality someday. But not now,鈥� .
This report includes material from The Associated Press.