I think the GOP does have a good point on debate moderators.
Look at these classic moments (not all from debates).
Katie Couric asking Palin about the Bush doctrine.
Katie Couric asking Palin what newspapers she reads.
Someone asking Herman Cain about who the President is of Uzbekistan.
John Harwood asking Rick Perry about which 3 branches of government to cut.
John Harwood asking Donald Trump if he has a comic-book campaign.
CNBC moderator asking Kasich why his campaign is doing so badly.
None of these questions really have much to do with the business of governing. As Lawrence O'Donnell points out, Presidents don't have to respond instantly. And they have advisors to tell them who the President of Uzbekistan is.
And does it really make sense to ask whether someone's campaign is from a comic-book.
And why ask questions about why someone is winning or losing. This seems especially silly.
So I have to agree, the debate questions don't really serve the public very well.
I guess what I do like about the debates is it offers the opportunity for the public to see the candidate unscripted, instead of hiding behind policy papers.
I guess I'd argue that there's a way to have an intelligent unscripted discussion without necessarily asking surprising questions. For example, I might ask all of the candidates to discuss their proposed tax plan and then ask a follow-up about some details of the plan.
Just a plain vanilla question but it seems sort of useful.
Anyways in summary I do think the Republicans sort of have a point there.
Question list
1. (QUINTANILLA) whats your biggest weakness?
2. (Harwood to Trump) Is this a comic book version of a presidential campaign?
3. (Harwood to Trump) They said that you have as chance of cutting taxes that much without increasing the deficit as you would of flying away from that podium by flapping your arms.
4.(Quick to Carson). Dr. Carson, let's talk about taxes... So what analysis got you to the point where you think this will work?
5. (Harwood to Kasich) That is, you had some very strong words to say yesterday about what's happening in your party and what you're hearing from the two gentlemen we've just heard from. Would you repeat it?
6. (QUINTANILLA to Rubio) Now, you're skipping more votes than any senator to run for president. Why not slow down, get a few more things done first or least finish what you start?
7. (Harwood to Bush) Governor, the fact that you're at the fifth lectern tonight shows how far your stock has fallen in this race, despite the big investment your donors have made.
8. (Quick to Fiorina) I just wonder, in terms of all of that -- you know, we look back, your board fired you. I just wondered why you think we should hire you now.
9. (QUINTANILLA to Cruz) Does your opposition to it show that you're not the kind of problem-solver American voters want?
10. (Harwood to Paul) Do you oppose that budget deal because it doesn't cut those programs enough?
11. (Quick to Christie) It raises the question: When it is acceptable to break a social compact?
12. (Quick to Trump) Mr. Trump, let's talk a little bit about bankruptcies.
13. (Cramer to Carson) Have these (pharma) companies gone too far? Should the government be involved in controlling some of these price increases?
14. (Cramer to Christie) As a former prosecutor, do you believe the people responsible for the GM switch and the cover-up belong behind bars?
15. (Harwood to Bush) Governor Bush, in a debate like this four years ago, every Republican running for president pledged to oppose a budget deal containing any tax increase even if it had spending cuts ten times as large.
16. (QUINTANILLA to Fiornia) Mrs. Fiorina, in 2010, while running for Senate in Tech Ridge (ph), California, you called an Internet sales tax a bad idea. Traditional brick and mortar stores obviously disagree. Now that the Internet shopping playing field has matured, what would be a fair plan to even that playing field?
17. (Quintanilla to Rubio) (personal finances) In terms of all of that, it raises the question whether you have the maturity and wisdom to lead this $17 trillion economy. What do you say?
18. (Harwood to Kasich) (import-export bank) If subsidies are good enough for Ohio companies, why aren't they good enough for companies trying to compete overseas?
19. (Quick to Cruz). working women. I just wonder what you would do as President to try and help in this cause?
20. (QUINTANILLA to Carson) Why would you serve on a company whose policies seem to run counter to your views on homosexuality?
21. (QUINTANILLA to Carson): One more question. This is a company called Mannatech, a maker of nutritional supplements, with which you had a 10-year relationship. They offered claims that they could cure autism, cancer, they paid $7 million to settle a deceptive marketing lawsuit in Texas, and yet you're involvement continued. Why?
22. (Harwood to Rubio) But your Senate colleague, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, says in reality, the tech industry uses this program to undercut hiring and wages for highly qualified Americans. Why is he wrong?
23. (QUICK to Mr. Trump), let's stay on this issue of immigration. You have been very critical of Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook who has wanted to increase the number of these H1Bs.
24. (SANTELLI to Senator Cruz) let's focus on our central bank, the Federal Reserve. You've been a fierce critic of the Fed, arguing for more transparency. Where do you want to take that?
25. (SANTELLI to Carson)Dr. Carson, you told The Des Moines Register that you don't like government subsidies, it interferes with the free market. But you've also said that you're in favor of taking oil subsidies and putting them towards ethanol processing.
26. (Quick to Huckabee)Apart from your tax plan, are there specific steps you would require from corporate America to try and reduce the income inequality.
27. (Harwood to Bush)Given the problems we've been discussing, growing gap between rich and poor, why would you tax labor at a higher rate than income from investments?
28. (QUINTANILLAto Kasich) :Marijuana legalization
29. QUINTANILLA to Trump: Would you feel more comfortable if your employees brought guns to work?
30. (Harwood to Huckabee) The leading Republican candidate, when you look at the average of national polls right now, is Donald Trump. When you look at him, do you see someone with the moral authority to unite the country?
31. (Epperson to Fiorina) Should the Federal Government play a larger role in helping to set up retirement plans for these workers?
32. (Epperson to Kasich) This country has over $100 billion in student loan defaults. That's billion with a b.
What will you do to make sure that students, their families, taxpayers, won't feel the economic impact of this burden for generations?
33. (Quintanilla to Bush) QUINTANILLA: Governor Bush, daily fantasy sports has become a phenomenon in this country, will award billions of dollars in prize money this year. But to play you have to assess your odds, put money at risk, wait for an outcome that's out of your control. Isn't that the definition of gambling, and should the Federal Government treat it as such?
34. (Harwood to Christie) HARWOOD: Governor Christie, you've said something that many in your party do not believe, which is that climate change is undeniable, that human activity contributes to it, and you said, quote: "The question is, what do we do to deal with it?".
35. QUICK to Senator Paul, among the leading conservative opponents to the creation of Medicare back in the 1960s was Ronald Reagan. He warned that it would lead to socialism. Considering the mounting cost of Medicare, was he right to oppose it?
36. HARWOOD: Governor Bush, Mr. Trump says that he is capable of growing the economy so much that Social Security and Medicare don't have to be touched. Do you want to explain how that is going to happen, Mr. Trump?
37. QUICK to Paul: Do these solutions sound like they would work?
38. Harwood to Carson. HARWOOD: Yes. You've said that you would like to replace Medicare with a system of individual family savings accounts, so that families could cover their own expenses.
39. HARWOOD to Rubio: ...that Dr. Carson's right, that we can replace Medicare with individual savings accounts?