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U.S. NEWS A5
Friday 30 October 2015
CNBC reaches 14 million
viewers with GOP debate
DAVID BAUDER would replace the stupidity as president when she was
AP Television Writer and incompetence of oth- fired by Hewlett-Packard. Marco Rubio, right, and Jeb Bush, argue a point during the
NEW YORK (AP) — CNBC ers. Let’s be honest, is this When Quintanilla asked CNBC Republican presidential debate at the University of Colo-
reached its biggest audi- a comic-book version of a Cruz whether his opposition rado, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2015, in Boulder, Colo.
ence ever with the third presidential campaign?” to a congressional budget
Republican presidential Trump called it “not a very deal showed “that you’re Associated Press
debate, but paid a price in nicely asked question” and not the kind of problem-
criticism of how its modera- one of Harwood’s NBC solver American voters
tors handled the opportu- News colleagues, Joe Scar- want,” he exploded.
nity to question the candi- borough, called the ques- “The questions that have
dates. tion “absolutely embarrass- been asked so far in this
The Nielsen company said ing” on MSNBC’s “Morning debate illustrate why the
14 million viewers watched Joe” on Thursday. American people don’t
the debate on Wednes- Kathleen Hall Jamieson, a trust the media,” the Texas
day night, down from the University of Pennsylvania Republican said. “This is not
24 million who saw the first communications professor a cage match. And look
contest on Fox News Chan- and debate expert, said at the questions — Donald
nel in February and the 23 Harwood’s last sentence Trump, are you a comic
million viewers for CNN’s ruined what could have book villain? Ben Carson,
second contest. Still, it’s been a useful question. can you do math? John
an extraordinarily high bar: “It sounds to the audience Kasich, will you insult two
a 2011 debate with GOP as if one is spinning the people over here? Marco
candidates on CNBC had question in a way that pre- Rubio, why don’t you re-
3.3 million viewers, Nielsen supposes the candidate’s sign? Jeb Bush, why have
said. candidacy is illegitimate,” your numbers fallen?”
This week’s debate also she said. “How about talking about
competed against the sec- Similarly, she said asking the substantive issues?”
ond game of the World Se- to outline a weakness can Cruz said.
ries. be easily skirted, because That drew applause, pre-
Like baseball umpires, de- what candidate is likely to dictable since attacking
bate moderators are most give an honest answer? the media usually plays
noticed when something CNBC officials privately well with a Republican au-
goes wrong, and Carl Quin- noted that Trump and John dience, and led other can-
tanilla, Becky Quick and Kasich praised the debate didates to join in.
John Harwood were in the in later interviews on the Mike Huckabee objected
spotlight Thursday. Individ- network. to Harwood asking him
ual candidates grumbled CNBC would not comment whether Trump had the
and Republican National beyond spokesman Brian moral authority to lead the
Committee Chairman Re- Steel’s comment: “People country, and Trump chimed
ince Priebus said the mod- who want to be president in that it was “such a nasty
erators’ performance “was of the United States should question.” Trump accused
extremely disappointing.” be able to answer tough Quick of incorrectly quot-
Quintanilla asked each questions.” ing him, and it took her sev-
candidate a job inter- In subsequent questions, eral minutes to prove her
view question at the out- Ben Carson was asked point. Quintanilla’s ques-
set: “What is your biggest what kind of analysis made tion about whether the
weakness?” him think his flat tax plan federal government should
Harwood then said to would work, Marco Rubio regulate fantasy football
Trump: “You’ve done very asked why he wouldn’t fell flat.
well on this campaign so far “slow down, get a few “We have $19 trillion in
by promising to build a wall more things done first” be- debt, we have people out
and make another country fore running for president of work, we have ISIS and
pay for it, send 11 million and whether he hates his al-Qaida attacking us, and
people out of the country, job as a senator, Jeb Bush we’re talking about fanta-
cut taxes $10 trillion without asked why his candidacy sy football?” Chris Christie
increasing the deficit and wasn’t catching on and said. Christie on Thursday
make Americans better off Carly Fiorina asked why called debate questions
because your greatness Americans should hire her snarky and biased.q
