2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumQuestion 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?
Smarmie Doofus
(14,498 posts)Until tonite.
brooklynite
(94,792 posts)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.
Garrett78
(10,721 posts)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.
Uncle Joe
(58,459 posts)yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)So yes they are partisan but not sure if they always were.
Garrett78
(10,721 posts)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.
yeoman6987
(14,449 posts)You will see the same thing with Anderson. You don't want to purposefully screw the party you support.
Garrett78
(10,721 posts)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?