Rules Of Next Republican Presidential Debate Unveiled

John Kasich, left, and Donald Trump, second from right, argue across fellow candidates during the CNBC Republican presidential debate at the University of Colorado, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Pho... John Kasich, left, and Donald Trump, second from right, argue across fellow candidates during the CNBC Republican presidential debate at the University of Colorado, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015, in Boulder, Colo. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) MORE LESS

October 30, 2015 6:06 p.m.

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The fourth Republican presidential debate will allow candidates more time to answer questions but will not include opening statements, the New York Times reported Friday, as the fallout from CNBC’s debate continued.

According to an internal Fox Business Network memo obtained by the Times, candidates will have 90 seconds to give an initial answer, 60 seconds for a rebuttal, and 30 seconds to give a closing statement during the debate.

The next contest, hosted by Fox’s business arm and the Wall Street Journal, is scheduled for Nov. 10 in Milwaukee, Wis., with a 6 p.m. ET undercard event and the top tier debate at 9 p.m. ET.

The format of the Republican debates has been an ongoing source of controversy. FBN confirmed the details in the memo to the Times before the dust from CNBC’s Wednesday debate had settled. Candidates had charged this week’s debate was pointedly biased and antagonistic.

Republican National Committee chair Reince Priebus said Friday the party has suspended plans to partner with NBC News for a February debate. Frustrated with the national party, representatives from the campaigns have planned a Sunday meeting in Washington without the RNC to discuss next steps.

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Katherine Krueger

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Presidential debates used to be sponsored, and moderators / formats chosen, by the League of Women Voters. The League was prescient, years ago, when they cancelled their sponsorship.

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 3, 1988

LEAGUE REFUSES TO “HELP PERPETRATE A FRAUD”

WITHDRAWS SUPPORT FROM FINAL PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

WASHINGTON, DC —“The League of Women Voters is withdrawing its sponsorship of the presidential debate scheduled for mid-October because the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter,” League President Nancy M. Neuman said today.

“It has become clear to us that the candidates’ organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and honest answers to tough questions,” Neuman said. “The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public.”

Neuman said that the campaigns presented the League with their debate agreement on
September 28, two weeks before the scheduled debate. The campaigns’ agreement was negotiated “behind closed doors” and vas presented to the League as “a done deal,” she said, its 16 pages of conditions not subject to negotiation.

Most objectionable to the League, Neuman said, were conditions in the agreement that gave the campaigns unprecedented control over the proceedings. Neuman called “outrageous” the campaigns’ demands that they control the selection of questioners, the composition of the audience, hall access for the press and other issues.

“The campaigns’ agreement is a closed-door masterpiece,” Neuman said. “Never in the history of the League of Women Voters have two candidates’ organizations come to us with such stringent, unyielding and self-serving demands.”

Neuman said she and the League regretted that the American people have had no real opportunities to judge the presidential nominees outside of campaign-controlled environments.

“On the threshold of a new millennium, this country remains the brightest hope for all who cherish free speech and open debate,” Neuman said. “Americans deserve to see and hear the men who would be president face each other in a debate on the hard and complex issues critical to our progress into the next century.”

Neuman issued a final challenge to both Vice President Bush and Governor Dukakis to “rise above your handlers and agree to join us in presenting the fair and full discussion the American public expects of a League of Women Voters debate.”

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Notable Replies

teenlaqueefa says:

October 30, 2015

Question: Does anyone really care?
fourlegsgood says:

October 30, 2015

You know what? I don’t care. No matter what the format, they’ll still get pissy if they’re asked hard questions and they’ll still lie through their teeth.
antisachetdethe says:

October 30, 2015

Presidential debates used to be sponsored, and moderators / formats chosen, by the League of Women Voters. The League was prescient, years ago, when they cancelled their sponsorship.

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 3, 1988

LEAGUE REFUSES TO “HELP PERPETRATE A FRAUD”

WITHDRAWS SUPPORT FROM FINAL PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

WASHINGTON, DC —“The League of Women Voters is withdrawing its sponsorship of the presidential debate scheduled for mid-October because the demands of the two campaign organizations would perpetrate a fraud on the American voter,” League President Nancy M. Neuman said today.

“It has become clear to us that the candidates’ organizations aim to add debates to their list of campaign-trail charades devoid of substance, spontaneity and honest answers to tough questions,” Neuman said. “The League has no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public.”

Neuman said that the campaigns presented the League with their debate agreement on
September 28, two weeks before the scheduled debate. The campaigns’ agreement was negotiated “behind closed doors” and vas presented to the League as “a done deal,” she said, its 16 pages of conditions not subject to negotiation.

Most objectionable to the League, Neuman said, were conditions in the agreement that gave the campaigns unprecedented control over the proceedings. Neuman called “outrageous” the campaigns’ demands that they control the selection of questioners, the composition of the audience, hall access for the press and other issues.

“The campaigns’ agreement is a closed-door masterpiece,” Neuman said. “Never in the history of the League of Women Voters have two candidates’ organizations come to us with such stringent, unyielding and self-serving demands.”

Neuman said she and the League regretted that the American people have had no real opportunities to judge the presidential nominees outside of campaign-controlled environments.

“On the threshold of a new millennium, this country remains the brightest hope for all who cherish free speech and open debate,” Neuman said. “Americans deserve to see and hear the men who would be president face each other in a debate on the hard and complex issues critical to our progress into the next century.”

Neuman issued a final challenge to both Vice President Bush and Governor Dukakis to “rise above your handlers and agree to join us in presenting the fair and full discussion the American public expects of a League of Women Voters debate.”
sjk says:

October 30, 2015

This will be so unfair.
pine says:

October 30, 2015

Well as the saying goes “Be careful what you wish for”.

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