Editorial board displays hypocrisy over debate

The hypocrisy of the Republican leaning editorial board of the Livingston County Daily Press & Argus is just stunning.

Today’s editorial bemoans the fact that Sunday’s gubernatorial debate where Democratic nominee Virg Bernero scored a decisive victory over Republican candidate Rick “Chief Executive Outsourcer” Snyder suffered from a lack of “substance” and we need more debates with better moderators than rightwing Detroit News Editor Nolan Finley and Detroit Free Press editor Stephen Henderson with better questions, saying:

“…one can only wonder if one or two additional debates would have allowed more depth and more probing questions. As it was, the two moderators asked what appeared to be carefully scripted questions that elicited predictable, unenlightening answers. The follow-up questions that were asked were gentle and seemed designed to show equal treatment rather than forcing each candidate to defend or define his position.”

Of course they were “carefully scripted questions.” They went in prepared, and Henderson even asked a question a reader sent in. That is what debates are all about, and they are also about the two candidates standing side by side answering questions and defending their positions where voters can compare and contrast.

But that’s not where the hypocrisy comes in. Last month when the outsourcer was doing everything possible to duck the debates, continue to hold scripted townhall meetings in front of friendly audiences and let his millions and the millions of PAC money buy 30-second TV ads the paper editorialized that “Debates are of questionable value.”

“Debates are of questionable value?”

The fact is if the conservative mainstream media like this newspaper had held the outsourcer more accountable we would have more than one debate with different formats. Perhaps we would have a real townhall meeting like Bernero suggested in the debate on Sunday where you can ask tough questions.

The hypocrisy is just stunning.