Why Tonight’s CNN Debate Could Be Best of 2016 Season
It seems as if each of the debates thus far in this 2016 GOP primary season have had its own unique storylines. Out of the gate, the rhetoric surrounding these sparring matches was all about upstart challenger Carly Fiorina’s sharp wit and impactful delivery; CNN followed that up with an impressive 23 million viewers in the next debate at the Reagan Library. Then we moved into the CNBC era of the contests, where the headlines were less about those individuals on stage and more on the seated few moderators (“career-altering” criticism, as our Joe Concha pointed out). The follow-up performance over on Fox Business was more or less about who wasn’t on the main stage, seeing contenders Chris Christie and Mike Huckabee booted to the kids table. And finally in the “unofficial” debate category, who can forget the laugh lines surrounding whatever unfolded in front of the Republican Jewish Coalition two weeks ago?
On the Democratic side however, the lasting impression (aside from the fact that we have only had so few debates to discuss) was the often praised performance of CNN’s debate moderators in October, the last time that the network hosted one of these Beltway slugfests from Las Vegas. Even our Joe Concha noted that the real winner of the night was “focused [and] unafraid” moderator Anderson Cooper. And tonight, back in Las Vegas armed with the arsenal of the cluttered Republican field, CNN stands poised to host the biggest showdown of the entire primary season.
Although there have undoubtedly been crosshairs locked on longtime frontrunner Donald Trump in the past, this evening’s main debate promises to see an unleashing of rhetoric that will make the soundbite gods smile with glee. Tonight marks the first time that the candidates will square off since his incendiary remarks that called for an outright ban of Muslim people from entering the United States. It was the first comment on the Trump Train Trail that outright earned rebuke unilaterally from both parties; the Press Secretary and the Speaker of the House of Representatives both addressed the comments directly. Although poll numbers indicate that Trump’s comments have done nothing to hurt him, it is unlikely that The Venetian tonight will be packed with people who support the drastic proposal. Look for the other candidates in this race to earn the crowd’s support in burying the ‘Un-American, anti-Founding Father, unconstitutional’ statements from the race’s top dog.
Additionally, any hopes of the Trump candidacy fading away seem to have dissolved. Remember back in September, when we all braced ourselves for the dramatic turns in the race after the “serious candidates” rose to the top after Labor Day? Yeah, that never happened. It’s that time of year when Old Saint Nick is refreshing his Google Maps skills, and yet Trump is still in the lead. The legitimacy of the Trump campaign is no longer a question, and CNN will benefit from his heightened influence.
Also expect CNN to host a debate where — surprise! — actual policy may win the day. Past debates brought with them a healthy dose of personal swipes and the days of attacking one another’s looks are likely numbered. We’re hitting the stride in the primary season when voters seem ready to discuss policy and specifics; the recent heightened national uneasiness surrounding terrorism alone has meant candidates have been pressed to provide specifics about their plans.
One would expect a seasoned pro like debate moderator Wolf Blitzer will keep that focus; after all, the field is still impossibly large at 13, so CNN wins by exposing vulnerability that could spell disaster for some of them. Blitzer has shown a willingness to hit people hard when it makes them more uncomfortable. And let’s not forget Blitzer’s duo in tow, Dana Bash and Hugh Hewitt. Bash to her credit already has an impressive resume of sparring with some of those on tonight’s stage. And who could forget Hewitt’s interview with Trump on foreign policy that largely left the frontrunner stupefied and predictably combative afterwards?
The most watched program in the history of CNN was a 1993 special episode of Larry King Live at 16.8 million viewers; their last GOP debate brought in a whopping 23.1 million. Tonight, as the eyes of a jittery nation turn to top conservative talent for answers, CNN may easily top those September numbers with a solid mix of ambitious questioning and relenting spirit. It may prove to the be one of those nights most responsible for shaping the path for the race to the White House.
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
