Editorial: A Debate Is Not A Commercial

A debate among candidates is not a commercial in which the hosting network and the journalists aim to help boost the image of, in this case, Republican presidential hopefuls. The priority is for the audience to have the opportunity to learn about the person’s proposals and their character in a fluid environment that is not under the participants’ control.

Much has been said about the last debate, hosted by CNBC, and about the occasionally justified criticism directed toward the moderators. The candidates took advantage of this to blast communicators in general and to amplify their complaints ‒ ever-present in the Republican discourse ‒ that a journalistic “liberal elite” is supposedly always against conservatives.

Now, candidates want to impose their conditions on the media. A draft letter written by the majority of the candidates’ campaigns makes demands that would defeat the purpose of this type of meeting. Some of their exigencies include specific handling of TV cameras and the graphics that will be shown, banning direct exchanges between the participating candidates, and even the location of the restrooms.

The idea seems to be that the debate is a vehicle for the candidates to shine by repeating their stump speech, instead of actually giving them a chance to defend their ideas and let the audience make comparisons.

Journalistic independence is crucial. Reporters must be able to ask whatever they want without prior notice. It is the media’s responsibility to create an environment where the best information can surface for the audience’s benefit, not the candidates’.

In this case, branding the media as the enemy, as Republicans usually do, is the only thing uniting these candidates right now, as they are already divided regarding the demands they want to make for future debates. The real agenda each of them has is to sabotage their rival. The media issue is just their shared piñata for the day.

Republicans are free to take their debate wherever they wish. What they know for sure is that it will be different if Rush Limbaugh moderates than if Univisión’s Jorge Ramos or MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow does it. It is absurd and inappropriate to expect each moderator to cater to the demands of the candidates. That is not the media’s job.