The GOP Debates and the Liberal Media

14-Nov-2011 | By Doug Kellett, Contributing Editor

We have known the national news media's liberal political slant for a long time. What the Republican GOP debates have shown is just how far left of center the mainstream media really is.

More than the usual "as a conservative, do you beat your wife daily" type questions, it has become clear now that the new litmus test for Presidential candidates is a belief in the theory of evolution and the current mantra of global warming.

In one recent GOP debate, Texas Gov. Rick Perry was pestered with the question about whether he supports evolution and global warming as facts. Perry's view about evolution had been caught on tape while campaigning with a young boy whose mother was pushing her son to ask "why he doesn't believe in science?"

That moment caught on tape galvanized the liberal media and the Chris Matthew types who pounced on the theme should a President be elected who doesn't support evolution and global warming.

My point is not to debate the strengths and weaknesses of each theory but to suggest that most Americans are skeptical of both and Gov. Perry's views are very mainstream.

Not, just Gov. Perry but most of the republican candidates have similar views as the Texas Governor. Mitt Romney mentioned his faith as central to his character at another recent GOP debate.

So, what are we learning about the candidates at these manufactured debates? Not as much as I think many of us hoped to do.

We are viewing staged news conferences rather than a debate format that allows a full discussion of the important topics. The chosen media person is asking the questions that they care most about rather than allowing the candidate to explain, in detail, plans to lead the free world.

We see this daily in news coverage but it is bothersome that we allow it as part of the republican debate process. How many of the recent debates have a question aimed at pitting one candidate versus another?

We also see a change of political position from 30 years ago highlighted as if it were a waffle. Haven't you changed some of your views over the last three decades? I have.

What I propose is a real debate with the top three of four candidates (based on polling data) and then a selection of topics from the economy to foreign policy. Allow each candidate to put forth their ideas so we can adequately determine who best has the answers for the current day.

By sticking to the current format, we are allowing the national news media to choose our candidate by choosing the questions they would like to ask.

As for the candidate's themselves, I would rather they stick to President Ronald Reagan's eleventh commandment. "Thou shalt not speak evil of another republican."