GOP suspends partnership with NBC News for Feb. debate

New York — Still annoyed by CNBC’s handling of this week’s presidential debate, the Republican National Committee said Friday that it was suspending its partnership with NBC News and its properties on a primary debate scheduled for February.

NBC News said it was disappointed in the development and will work to resolve the issue with the GOP.

It was unclear in the letter from RNC Chairman Reince Priebus to NBC News chief Andrew Lack whether the party would forbid NBC from televising the Feb. 26 debate and open up the broadcast rights to others. The debate was expected to be telecast on NBC and its Spanish-language partner, Telemundo.

Prebius’ letter also comes amid the backdrop of the individual campaign organizations planning a meeting Sunday to air out grievances about the debate process and suggest changes — a meeting that is pointedly excluding the Republican National Committee.

Republicans were angered by what they characterized as petty, non-substantive questions by debate moderators Carl Quintanilla, Becky Quick and John Harwood designed to embarrass the candidates. Harwood asked Donald Trump whether he was running a “comic-book version of a presidential campaign.”

Jeb Bush was asked to explain why his campaign was doing so poorly in the polls, Carly Fiorina was asked why Americans should hire her when she had been fired by Hewlett-Packard and Marco Rubio was asked if he should “slow down, get a few things done first” before running for president.

Prebius said candidates were also promised an opening question on economic matters; instead candidates were asked to outline their greatest weakness. He also said not enough was done to ensure candidates received relatively equal time on the air; Bush campaign officials reportedly complained to CNBC while the debate was going on that their candidate was not getting enough time. CNBC and some of the candidates also argued prior to the debate about its length.

The Trump campaign said on Friday it supported the committee’s decision.

“We look forward to pursuing alternatives along with the RNC to ensure candidates are given ample opportunity to outline their vision for the future of our country,” said campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks.

During a rally Thursday in Nevada, Trump suggested that Republican debate moderators be required to prove that they vote Republican.

“Why should we have these people that hate everything we stand for?” he asked.

Carson campaign spokesman Doug Watts declined to comment on the RNC’s decision, but said that Sunday’s meeting is going forward as planned.

“Censoring the press couldn’t be further from our minds,” Watt said.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials said it was “extremely disappointed” by the RNC’s decision, given NBC’s partnership with Telemundo. Relations between Republicans and Latino voters were already strained over Trump’s comments on immigration.

While cutting NBC out of the process, the RNC said it still intended to have a debate that day with its other partner, the conservative National Review.

2016 Elections

Cruz adds to GOP divide

In proposing the U.S. adopt a flat tax coupled with a levy similar to a European-style value added tax, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is contributing to a division in the Republican presidential field.

Some simply want to cut existing rates. But others — Cruz among them — suggest scrapping the nation’s tax code entirely and starting over from scratch.

Courting black voters

Rodham Clinton said she is trying to run on “a love and kindness platform,” promising black Americans that if elected she would be their partner in the White House and follow in the footsteps of her predecessor, the country’s first black president.

The trip to Georgia and South Carolina comes as Clinton works to solidify her advantage in the African-American community, which could give her a crucial edge over Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the early voting state of South Carolina.

De Blasio’s for Clinton

Mayor Bill de Blasio finally announced Friday that he is backing Hillary Rodham Clinton for president, a much-discussed endorsement that had prompted some criticism from fellow Democrats for being so long in coming.

Associated Press