Republican candidates like Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and Ben Carson are demanding a new type of debate format.  These candidates, among others, are saying that the media is too “Liberal.”  They feel the reporters are trying to beat them and humiliate/embarrass them.  As Ben Carson said, “Debates are supposed to be to ‘get to know the candidates’; what is behind them. What it has turned into is a gotcha.”  He is among one of the candidates who are protesting more than others.  

The question is, what is going to be done about all of this?  Trump and Carson both managed to get their way in this past debate.  Trump demanded that the debate last only two hours and he gets both the opening and closing statements, or else he wouldn’t participate.  Ben Carson also threatened to not take part if he didn’t get opening and closing statements.  A compromise was made, and everything was sorted out.  However, the question is will it be easier now since more of the candidates are in agreement, or will it be harder?

A Republican debate has already happened with Fox News sponsoring.  Fox News is a conservative news channel.  However, they didn’t make the job easy for Donald Trump.  He was attacked viciously by many media people.  For example, Trump was asked by John Harwood about sending 11 million illegal immigrants out of the country, and about his say on taxes.  Then, after a little more back and forth, Harwood said, “Let’s be honest.  Is this a comic book version of a presidential campaign?”  This got laughter, but Trump wasn’t pleased.  

Afterwards, Trump and others started complaining; Trump said, “I wasn’t asked about things that other people were asked about.”  He specifically didn’t like that debate, because he was the main target (for many reasons) and took a big beating.  The candidates want the debate to have conservative questioners and be more laid back.  They don’t like the intensity of the current debates.

There is another side to the story, however.  Some people think Trump, Carson and others are being unreasonable.  They believe the questions being thrown at the Republican candidates are reasonable, and nothing should be changed.  These people think the questions are reasonable because they think debate questions shouldn’t be friendly, but more unfriendly to see how the candidates respond.  What is said and what is done, however, are two different things.

The next Republican debate is coming up on Tuesday, November 10th.  This next debate is being sponsored by Fox News.  Last time Fox News was sponsoring a Republican debate, the Republican candidates weren’t pleased, specifically Donald Trump.  Now it will be a wait and see for what happens at this next debate.