GOP CANDIDATES BACK OFF DEBATE DEMANDS

East County News Service

November 4, 2015 (San Diego’s East County) - A draft list of demands from Republican candidates to media seeking to limit tough debate questions and other debate criteria has met with ridicule from late-night comics and the media. Now some campaigns are backing off the demands, with several candidates refusing to sign a letter with demands slated to be sent to media outlets. If media refused to comply, the  GOP slate threatened to yank debates or move them to a conservative forum.

Ben Carson’s campaign pushed for the demands after objecting to tough questions raised by an CNBC debate. Carson said he wanted moderators to be “interested in disseminating the information about the candidates as opposed to, you know, “gotcha,” “you did this” and “defend yourself on that…”

But media raised serious concerns over demands to limit tough questions,  not show audience reactions, prohibit candidates from questioning each other,  not require candidates to raise hands before interrupting, and even control the temperature of the debate forum. 

But now at least six of the leading Republican candidates have said they won’t sign the list of campaign debate demands.  Jeb Bush has stated, “I’m a big boy. As long as the rules are established and everybody plays by the rules, I’m okay,” CBS reports.

Senator Ted Cruz said “I don’t think we ought to have candidates complaining `we don’t want hard questions’, ‘we want to limit the number of debates.’”

Trump said as long as he has a room and a podium, “let’s get going because I don’t really care that much.”

Fiorina said her campaign prefers to discuss concerns directly with networks and with voters, not behind closed doors.

John Kashich and Chris Christie have also refused to sign the letter, while several other GOP campaigns have not yet announced their decisions.