Framing Future Presidential Debates

The mainstream media has such a vast bias toward the Democratic Party that moving forward, the Republican Party must demand balance in moderation. This can be accomplished by either a joint approval committee that picks an acceptable moderator or allowing the mainstream media a pick and then allowing Fox News (fair and balanced) a pick, and so forth. It's time for the Republicans to step up and call the mainstream media out for what it is -- an arm of the Democratic Party.

The mainstream media can fairly take credit for presidential debates becoming important in the election cycle as evidenced by the surge by Governor Mitt Romney after the first 2012 debate because they so demonized him that it was the public's first glimpse at him without their liberal filter being applied. I wonder if the mainstream media will ever be able to look at what they've become in an objective way? Their self-congratulatory delusions of grandeur are only eclipsed by Hollywood and then only slightly.

Following the first presidential debate of 2012, we heard a litany of excuses as to why President Obama performed so badly. The mainstream media offered the American People a number of options. Either it was the altitude in Denver, the evil closet conservative, Jim Lehrer or an important intelligence briefing that distracted his attention or a different Mitt Romney showed up than the one they expected.

That's it! It was Mitt Romney’s fault. A completely different Mitt Romney showed up and uh, said exactly what he has been saying all along in his campaign. The media, of course, immediately embraced that spin and tried to spew the propaganda but it was too late. 67 million Americans had witnessed the drubbing for themselves leaving the media impotent. And that is precisely why the President did so poorly. Insulated from reality and a compliant media, the president has never had to face tough questions or explain bad policy or take responsibility for his actions… until that debate. 

And on the issue of moderators:

PBS - Jim Lehrer more or less allowed the candidates a free forum to discuss their points of view and policy differences in the first debate. Since President Obama was thoroughly drubbed, ABC News' Martha Raddatz took on the role of liberal advocate for the only vice presidential debate. 

The 2012 vice presidential debate was sometimes a 2-on-1 fight, with Biden and moderator Martha Raddatz both interrupting Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan repeatedly. It was hard to top Biden’s obnoxious tone, though. The Washington Examiner said, “Biden interrupted 82 times during the entire debate.” To those watching on television, that seemed like a low number. 

Raddatz followed the Biden lead though – interrupting the debaters 50 times. She leaned heavily on Ryan, interrupting him 31 times, 12 more than the 19 times she cut off Biden. She also took a liberal tone onabortion and let Biden control the debate tone by never shutting up. (Fox News)

The liberal media praised Candy Crowley’s performance as a moderator in the second presidential debate. But her bias was patently obvious viewers. She interrupted President Obama 9 times. She interrupted Governor Romney 28 times. And at a key point in the debate on the issue of the Benghazi, Libya scandal, she incorrectly fact-checked Governor Romney to the pleasure of President Obama, who will have to endure a foreign policy debate moderated by Bob Schieffer on Monday. Once can hope that Schieffer will be more honest in his approach to moderating the debate - the jury is out. However, 2012 should be a turning point in the way future election cycles handle what has obviously become a critical part in campaigns.

It's only critical because of mainstream media bias - which is making a joke of journalism.