http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/02/hugh-hewitt-to-moderate-gop-debate-203019.htmlConservative radio host Hugh Hewitt will have a chance to ask questions of the Republican presidential nominees during the second GOP primary debate, the Republican National Committee announced on Tuesday.
CNN, a host of the debate, will partner with Salem Media Group, which will also air the debates live. The second debate will take place in California at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Sept. 16. CNN is confirmed to host two of the GOP primary debates, with a third pending.
"I am delighted to be included with journalists posing questions as part of one of America's finest political traditions -- the presidential debate," Hewitt said in a statement. "These debates come at a critical time, and good questions will allow Republican primary voters the opportunity to see and hear their would-be nominees provide answers to issues that genuinely concern them. Any reporter who is also a political junkie welcomes the chance to be on such a panel, which of course I do."
Pairing conservative media figures with mainstream media is part of the RNC's new plan for the debates, which include wrangling them down from the 20 or so held in the previous cycle. Salem, which has become a leading power in conservative websites and radio, said it will soon be announcing more of its radio hosts as leading participants in other GOP debates.
“I’m thrilled that Salem will partner with three of our Republican primary debates that will be aired on CNN. When we set out to improve the debates, I promised conservative media would be part of the process,” RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement. “Salem will help the Republican Party have meaningful debates about new ideas for the future, while Democrats simply coronate Hillary Clinton.”
A source with knowledge of the agreement said CNN host Jake Tapper will be one of the debate's moderators, though a CNN spokesperson said no final decision on moderators has been reached. (The Washington Examiner reported the same earlier this morning.)
Correction: An earlier version of this post stated that Hewitt would be a co-moderator of the debate. He will instead "join in the Q&A of this debate," per the RNC memo.
