Wed Sep 16, 2015, 10:54 PM

Garrett78 (10,721 posts)

Question about primary debates.

Have primary debates always been moderated by partisans? Everyone has biases, of course, and some will argue that supposed non-partisans sympathize with one political party more than another. But my memory of primary debates is very foggy, and I'm only 37, so I'm wondering if some of you might recall when primary debates started being moderated by obvious partisans. Maybe it's always been that way.

It's bad enough that candidates lie and don't get called out for doing so. Must moderators set the stage for falsehoods with questions based on false premises?

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8 replies	Author	Time	Post
Question about primary debates. (Original post)	Garrett78	Sep 2015	OP
In my memory, they were always moderated by people who at least pretended to be impartial.	Smarmie Doofus	Sep 2015	#1
Primary debates are relatively new...	brooklynite	Sep 2015	#2
When did primary debates begin?	Garrett78	Sep 2015	#3
From what I could find, 1948	Uncle Joe	Sep 2015	#6
Anderson cooper is doing the democratic debate	yeoman6987	Sep 2015	#4
And that's what I'm hoping to determine.	Garrett78	Sep 2015	#5
They were republican moderators so of course	yeoman6987	Sep 2015	#7
We agree about the current reality, but that's not my question.	Garrett78	Sep 2015	#8

Response to Garrett78 (Original post)

Wed Sep 16, 2015, 11:17 PM

Smarmie Doofus (14,498 posts)

1. In my memory, they were always moderated by people who at least pretended to be impartial.

Until tonite.

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Response to Smarmie Doofus (Reply #1)

Wed Sep 16, 2015, 11:23 PM

brooklynite (80,205 posts)

2. Primary debates are relatively new...

Most of the debates you're thinking of are for the GE, and are sponsored by the LWV or the Commission on Presidential Debates. Primary debates are largely sponsored by an advocacy group or network.

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Response to brooklynite (Reply #2)

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 12:33 AM

Garrett78 (10,721 posts)

3. When did primary debates begin?

I know they've existed for at least a few election cycles, and I can't recall a circus like I witnessed tonight. But my memory isn't so great, and I'm not sure I've paid as much attention in the past.

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Response to Garrett78 (Reply #3)

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 12:43 AM

Uncle Joe (53,452 posts)

6. From what I could find, 1948

http://www.debates.org/index.php?page=1948-debate

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Response to Garrett78 (Original post)

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 12:38 AM

yeoman6987 (14,449 posts)

4. Anderson cooper is doing the democratic debate

So yes they are partisan but not sure if they always were.

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Response to yeoman6987 (Reply #4)

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 12:41 AM

Garrett78 (10,721 posts)

5. And that's what I'm hoping to determine.

Because it's already obvious that the moderators are abundantly partisan. The Republican candidate debate moderators asked question after question based on false premises. It'd be laughable if there weren't so many people who didn't recognize that.

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Response to Garrett78 (Reply #5)

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 12:44 AM

yeoman6987 (14,449 posts)

7. They were republican moderators so of course

You will see the same thing with Anderson. You don't want to purposefully screw the party you support.

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Response to yeoman6987 (Reply #7)

Thu Sep 17, 2015, 01:04 AM

Garrett78 (10,721 posts)

8. We agree about the current reality, but that's not my question.

I'm asking if primary debates have always been moderated by such obvious partisans. Or if this is a new development. Or at least a development that has strengthened. When a noted conservative talk radio host is moderating a debate, there isn't even an attempt at displaying impartiality or what some might call journalistic integrity. But has that always been the case? Was that the case in 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008? Or is this largely the product of partisan cable "news"/infotainment programs that have produced celebrity partisans?

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