Debate Demands

Republican Candidates Agree on List of Debate Demands

By Kevin Drum

After last week's CNBC fiasco, Republican candidates for president are meeting tonight to discuss their conditions for participating in future debates. A source with one of the campaigns has been texting me from inside the meeting with a list of their demands:

1.There will be no "gotcha" questions about math.
2.All graphics that appear beside candidates must be approved by the campaign.
3.There will be a ten-minute break halfway through the debate.
4.Each candidate will be allowed to phone a friend for one question.
5.All 14 candidates will be allowed on the main stage. At the end of each 15-minute period, candidates will vote one participant out of the debate. In the final round, the seven remaining candidates will get to ask the moderators questions.
6.No non-English speaking networks will be allowed to participate.
7.Each podium will include the candidate's website address in a minimum of 3-inch type.
8.Male moderators must wear red ties.
9.Each campaign will be allowed to veto a maximum of two moderators each.
10.Fox News will be exempt from all these rules.
11.Candidates can "steal" a question from another candidate once per debate.
12.Frank Luntz "dial" responses will be run across the screen in real time.