The Republican National Committee wants out of bipartisan presidential debates, and critics had thoughts.
On Thursday, the RNC threatened to bar Republicans from election-year debates in a letter that chair Ronna McDaniel sent to the nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates.
Democratic National Committee chair Jaime Harrison led the criticism, tweeting the move was because “Republicans can’t win a fair fight and they know it.”
Republicans can't win a fair fight and they know it. Regardless of the RNC’s tantrum, voters can count on hearing from President Biden and Vice President Harris who are proud of their records. https://t.co/rrDUlXOk0l
— Jaime Harrison, DNC Chair (@harrisonjaime) January 13, 2022
The RNC was ripped and ridiculed in equal measure by others on Twitter:
The RNC sees Presidential debates in the same way @GOPChairwoman Ronna McDaniel sees the name Romney. Perfectly skippable.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) January 13, 2022
This is insane. Why.
— Adam Kinzinger (@AdamKinzinger) January 13, 2022
RNC moves to require presidential candidates to skip traditional commission debates | TheHill https://t.co/amrPDI4WFr
The only import of this story is that Trump is so scared of debating, he’s making the RNC humiliate itself three years early https://t.co/LQ1RLFdSyi
— LOLGOP (@LOLGOP) January 13, 2022
When most of their platform is indefensible and an outright attack on democracy and communities across this country, it’s no surprise the RNC would not want their Republican presidential candidates to participate in debates. Cowardly, yes. Surprising, no. https://t.co/N3EM94jHbg
— Thomas Kennedy (@tomaskenn) January 13, 2022
The RNC has announced it does not want presidential candidates debating.
— Agolf Twitler Slayer (@bblock29) January 13, 2022
Any Republican candidate must sign a pledge not to debate.
This is what you do
WHEN YOU AIN'T GOT SHIT!
This is ludicrous performance art. What's the RNC going to do if its nominee decides to debate? Disown him/her? Sue him/her? https://t.co/HiUanEMuUV
— Robert Schlesinger🖖 (@rschles) January 13, 2022
“Alright guys, our candidates can’t form complete sentences, answer questions or think on their feet, so instead of finding good candidates, let’s refuse to let the morons speak, cool?”
— Titus (@TitusNation) January 13, 2022
RNC Signals a Pullout From Presidential Debates - The New York Times https://t.co/DuxUENSlQo
This is ludicrous performance art. What's the RNC going to do if its nominee decides to debate? Disown him/her? Sue him/her? https://t.co/HiUanEMuUV
— Robert Schlesinger🖖 (@rschles) January 13, 2022
Another example of Republicans’ antipathy toward public institutions and civic processes leading them to just…walk away. Doesn’t bode well for accountability or transparency. https://t.co/cyttc6eGMN
— Tim O'Brien (@TimOBrien) January 13, 2022
Ominous sign. The debates are full of problems and quadrennially a disappointment, but they do carry forward one key idea: there exists a common world of fact, about which candidates for president can be questioned. The RNC wants out of that. https://t.co/fupF3CaUhh
— Jay Rosen (@jayrosen_nyu) January 13, 2022
The RNC wants to stop all Republican candidates from participating in presidential debates because they don’t want to answer critical questions.
— David Leavitt (@David_Leavitt) January 13, 2022
BREAKING: The RNC says it will require all presidential candidates to pledge to NOT participate in any debates run by the Commission on Presidential Debates, breaking a decades-long tradition.
— Jon Cooper 🇺🇸 (@joncoopertweets) January 13, 2022
Who agrees these Republican cowards FEAR THE TRUTH? ✋
The RNC deciding it won’t do debates anymore makes me think the gop is doubling down on its anti-democratic instincts.
— Molly Jong-Fast (@MollyJongFast) January 13, 2022
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