Fox debate rules could give Trump center stage

[mystery-ak]

http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/249887-debate-rules-could-give-trump-center-stage

July 31, 2015, 07:45 am
Fox debate rules could give Trump center stage

By Ben Kamisar

Fox News’s rules could see controversial real estate mogul Donald Trump take center stage at the first GOP presidential debate next week, according to a Thursday report.

Fox has not yet announced who has made the cut for next Thursday’s primetime debate in Ohio, which is restricted to the top 10 candidates of the crowded Republican field of 17. But the Bloomberg report details the beginnings of the ground rules the network will use to moderate the 9 p.m. event.

The top-polling candidate will stand at the center podium, with the next highest polling candidates fanning out from the middle. If current survey results hold, that likely means Trump will be standing front-and-center.

Each candidate will get one minute to answer questions from the debate moderators, Fox hosts Megyn Kelly, Chris Wallace and Bret Baier, sources tell Bloomberg, with others who are called upon for rebuttals receiving 30 seconds. Candidates mentioned by their rivals will be able to respond with an amount of time at the discretion of the moderators.   

A leading candidate’s campaign said it does not seem like the network will place a priority on making sure all candidates get equal speaking time.

It’s still unclear which candidates will make the cut, as Fox has not released the polls that it will be relying on for its standings.  Recent polling averages from Real Clear Politics show Trump, Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.), former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Ben Carson, Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) and Sen. Ted Cruz (Texas) all above 5 percent and likely making the cut.

Govs. John Kasich (Ohio) and Chris Christie (N.J.) would round out the top 10, according to the RCP average, with former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and former Sen. Rick Santorum (Penn.) knocking on the door.

Those who fail to make the top 10 — likely including Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) and Carly Fiorina — will be invited to participate in a 5 p.m. debate moderated by "America's Newsroom" co-anchors Bill Hemmer and Martha MacCallum.

[bkepley]

This isn't a debate, it's a dog and pony show.  A real debate would have the candidates grill each other and no moderators.

[jmyrlefuller]

This isn't a debate, it's a dog and pony show.

Well, this is what Fox News wants.

For some odd reason, several very prominent otherwise-conservative people have taken to hawking Trump at every turn. It is as if some invisible hand is hellbent on making sure he becomes the nominee, which is eerily similar to what happened in 2008 and 2012, when a nominee who was only supported by about 20% of the people ended up getting forced upon the party.

Of course we remember that both of those candidates ended up losing in the general, so this invisible hand could very well be that of the Democrats.

[GourmetDan]

Well, this is what Fox News wants.

It's not just Faux News.  They all do it.

Media and politics are completely managed.  Faux is the 'conservative' alternative and is used to manage 'conservative' opinions leftward... simply because conservatives have accepted it as 'conservative'.

Maybe people are beginning to wake up to that fact...