Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
Tonight, at 8 p.m., on CNN, the Republicans in the race (Jon Huntsman excepted) will once again spar – this time, God help us, with Anderson Cooper, the man who distinguished himself by using the obscene expression teabaggers to describe the members of the Tea Party, moderating.
I have watched now the better part of at least three and possibly four debates, and I have been struck by the fact that virtually all of the people posing the questions or selecting which questions others are to pose are drawn from outfits that served in 2008 as part of what the good folks at Journolist referred to so brilliantly as Barack Obama’s “unofficial campaign.” To call Anderson Cooper a hack would be to dignify the man. What he is, is a flack.
I mention this – because it skews the debates. Mitt Romney gets a free pass. The conservative front runner gets ambushed in every debate – with Michele Bachmann and Rick Santorum acting as proxies for the Romney campaign, and the moderators from the mainstream press doing the same. This has the virtue that the lead conservative is put through his paces, but it is designed to make sure that Romney is the last man standing.
This matters. It matters a great deal. Every election cycle, there is a new wrinkle – something that changes the pattern of the nominating process. This year, the new wrinkle is the frequency of the debates. This had the effect of promoting, then demoting Michele Bachmann and of promoting Herman Cain (who will, I suspect, soon be demoted). It ruined Tim Pawlenty, and it threatens to destroy Rick Perry’s campaign. I have no objection to there being debates. If Pawlenty and Perry cannot make their case, it is good to have this sorted out early before our eyes.
What I do object to is the fact that the process is carefully guided by the friendly folks at CNN, The Washington Post, and the like – which brings me to Peter Robinson. It is probably too late to do anything to change the trajectory this year. But four years from now Uncommon Knowledge and Ricochet could make a big contribution. We could be the new wrinkle.
The television networks are under threat. As a consequence of the development of the internet, we now have the capacity to sidestep the mainstream media, to sideline the main contributors to the Democratic Party’s “unofficial campaign,” and to take over the task of moderating one or more of the debates ourselves.
Imagine the following: a debate held at Hillsdale College, moderated by Peter Robinson assisted by one or more of the contributors to Ricochet, and streamed to the general public by way of Ricochet – a debate in which conservatives get to put the candidates to the test, a debate in which the format can be designed to probe deeply into the details of their proposals and the character of their record in the past.
So, Peter, the ball is once again in your court! You should have a chat with the folks at the Republican National Committee.
In the meantime, I do hope that someone – Newt Gingrich, perhaps – turns the tables on Anderson Cooper and asks him why he used the obscene term teabaggers to describe the Tea Party.
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May '10
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
Good idea, Professor...and we have 8 years to implement it...after the two terms of the new Republican president are over. ;)
Jun '10
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
I'm for anything that would advance the cause of a conservative insurgency against establishment Republicans. A fair number of the loyal readers here have been insisting for months that the Tea Party must take back the Republican party before we can reclaim the nation. I totally agree that our only outlet for such a process is the alternative media. Go for it. You would be doing our republic a great service.
May '11
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
I had just about decided not to watch the debate tonight but maybe Newt will follow your suggestion and I wouldn't want to miss that.
Dec '10
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
Brilliant suggestion! If anyone can pull that off, Peter can!
Jul '10
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
You are absolutely right, but it is arguably worse than you suggest. I have given up watching and now just read the transcripts, the trappings and the intrusively interspersed analyses to try to steer viewer opinion even in the middle of the event is obnoxious. The only debate of real merit was the Tea Party debate, which enjoyed more good questions than the rest combined. The biggest disappointment was the Fox/Examiner debate, where I expected Byron York et.al. to engage the issues rather than the catty gotchya stuff. The distortions imposed by the process, which foolishly validates these hostile media outlets with each debate held there, are damaging to the debate and the Republican Party.
I would love to see a panel of Brit Hume, Jake Tripper, and Peter Robinson. C'mon Peter, make it happen. The cycle is still young.
Tonight I'll be busy with a Tea Party Rally to respond to the Occupy stink, anyway.
Edited on October 18, 2011 at 5:13pmDec '10
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
I'll be the lone dissenter. Ricochet is a bastion of conversation. It provides what no other online political community can: thoughtful and intelligent commentary coupled with sane and rational interaction. Attempting to transform it into a media outlet would diminish that which makes Ricochet unique. While I support Peter getting one-on-one interviews with the candidates in the style (and under the banner) of Uncommon Knowledge, I would not wish to make Ricochet other than what it already is.
Sep '10
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
Agree with you completely, but it is good to note that these are Republican Party sanctioned debates. Some like to refer to it as the dumb party. One might note however that once again the big government moderate's nomination is being orchestrated. One might consider that perhaps the Republican establishment is dumb like a fox.
Apr '11
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
I'm all for the UNC/knowledge type debate format.
Just once I would like, as Newt has sort of done, for the candidates to just refuse to answer a gotcha question and take their alloted time to speak on the topic they wish to speak about. If enough would do that en masse they could move the questions in the directions and topics that truly are important to the American people.
I would love to see the reaction of the questioners if things went off script for a while. They, like the president they shill for, thrive on teleprompters and scripts and would have a time putting together cogent questions on the fly.
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
sevenfold: I'm all for the UNC/knowledge type debate format.
Just once I would like, as Newt has sort of done, for the candidates to just refuse to answer a gotcha question and take their alloted time to speak on the topic they wish to speak about. If enough would do that en masse they could move the questions in the directions and topics that truly are important to the American people.
I would love to see the reaction of the questioners if things went off script for a while. They, like the president they shill for, thrive on teleprompters and scripts and would have a time putting together cogent questions on the fly. · Oct 18 at 8:36am
Yes, it would drive them nuts/
Dec '10
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
As an aside, which candidate would do the best unscripted? I know Newt would kill, but I mean of those who have something to lose.
Mar '11
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
"Imagine the following: a debate held at Hillsdale College, moderated by Peter Robinson assisted by one or more of the contributors to Ricochet, and streamed to the general public by way of Ricochet – a debate in which conservatives get to put the candidates to the test, a debate in which the format can be designed to probe deeply into the details of their proposals and the character of their record in the past."
That is a home run of an idea, one of Pujols proportions.
May '10
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
The Republicans are either fools or masochists, or both, for allowing themselves to be discredited by the tender ministrations of the main stream media. Yet they do it over and over again, like an abused spouse.
When they find the guts to abandon the liberal media and stage their debates with their own partisans, like our Peter Robinson, maybe I'll pay attention. Maybe then I'll find a reason to vote for someone, instead of against someone.
A "debate" moderated by Anderson Cooper? Not tonight - I'm washing my hair.
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
It's Newt, isn't it, who'd be most taken with the idea?
Apr '11
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
Please, please, the vast wasteland needs this kind of challenge!
Aug '10
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
It is a testament to how far our discourse has fallen, that even we refer to these charades as "debates," and what a shame that is.
As for Gloria's Boy, he used the vile term because it titillated him to do so. Moderator? I think not.
Jun '11
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
Paul A. Rahe:
In the meantime, I do hope that someone – Newt Gingrich, perhaps – turns the tables on Anderson Cooper and asks him why he used the obscene term teabaggers to describe the Tea Party. ·
Excellent suggestion. Newt, are you reading this??
Aug '11
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
Anderson Cooper is moderating tonight? What a depressing thought.
I think you're right, professor, that this will be all about propping up Romney and diminishing Cain. I have to say that I was not planning to vote for Romney, but the more I learn about his associations with people deep in the Obama administration, the more depressed I get thinking that he might be our nominee. Romney is the RINO squish the Democrats want us to nominate.
Mar '11
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
Anderson Cooper moderating a Republican debate? No thanks, I think I'll teach my cat to read instead....
As for the professor's idea - absolute genius!!! If the Ricochet code of lively but civil discourse was followed in this debate format (which I have no doubt it would), and if the questions were actually taken from the list of things that actually concern Republican primary voters, and if the moderators (possible choices - Mr Robinson, Mr Steyn, Mr Long, Mr Goldberg, et al - what a deep bench!!!) were intent on allowing the candidates to describe their philosophy and qualifications instead of manufacturing shock/gotcha moments it would be the end of the debate format on the cable networks. Who would tune in to a CNN debate if Ricochet's version were available?
As an aside, I am getting another job to make it possible for my girls to go to Hillsdale - it will be worth it....
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
Yes, I think so.
Oct '10
Re: Another Appeal to Peter Robinson
Except, how did that work out for them last time? And the time before that? And they didn't get what they wanted in the 2010 midterms...yet those were historic results across the land.
No, they're not dumb like foxes. They're just dumb.