The focus of the CNBC Republican presidential debate was supposed to be economic policy: taxes, trade, immigration and how to generate economic growth.
The two-part Oct. 28, debate, titled “Your Money, Your Vote,” focused on the broad categories of jobs, taxes and the deficit, the general health of the economy, and the financial freedom of Americans.
Liberals in the news media and policy experts watching the debate reacted on twitter, often with attacks on the candidates and their proposals.
Nicholas Kristof, a long-time New York Times columnist, slammed Fiorina after she defined and expressed opposition to “crony capitalism:’
Hypocrisy alert! Carly Fiorina warning about crony capitalism, about the big wanting to get bigger. Her nose just grew two inches!
— Nicholas Kristof (@NickKristof) October 29, 2015
Another employee of the Times, labor and workplace reporter Steven Greenhouse noted on-stage infighting after Kasich attacked what he called the “fantasy” policy proposals of others:
Kasich is taking charge and reading the riot act to the other candidates. Let's get real about these crazy schemes, he says.
— Steven Greenhouse (@greenhousenyt) October 29, 2015
After several candidates, including Sen. Marco Rubio, Fla., and Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas, called out the media’s liberal bias and unfairness to the GOP candidates, Greenhouse played the victim:
Should the media questioners just sit there & take all of the candidates' insults against the media? Maybe they should stage a walkout.
— Steven Greenhouse (@greenhousenyt) October 29, 2015
Norman Ornstein, a resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), also vented frustration that Rubio would point out bias in the media.
Tried and true by Rubio, attack the liberal media
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) October 29, 2015
Although Ornstein works for AEI, he has long criticized Republicans. In 2012, he co-authored a Washington Post article titled, “Admit it. The Republicans are the Problem.” In 2013, the Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., called Ornstein “consistently wrong on almost everything,” according to National Review. McConnell even joked about how unpopular Ornstein must be, as a liberal working at a conservative think tank. Erick Erickson, of RedState, has also called Ornstein “the in house pet liberal at the American Enterprise Institute who they let out of his cage once in a while to lament the free market, conservatives, and the like.”
Ornstein started getting personal during the CNBC debate when he also insulted Rubio’s appearance.
Rubio tonight looks like a door-to-door salesman
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) October 29, 2015
Later, when former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush remarked off-the-cuff that he would give a “warm kiss” to any Democrat willing to cut spending by $10, Ornstein suggested a “same sex marriage” question.
Should have asked a followup on same sex marriage https://t.co/dzA1MHZJFv
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) October 29, 2015
When the debate turned to Dr. Ben Carson’s tax proposals, NBC contributor and Huffington Post Media Group’s global editorial director, Howard Fineman, had a field day.
First, he mocked Carson for using dollar amounts when talking about his tax plan.
Dr. Carson numbers, what?
— Howard Fineman (@howardfineman) October 29, 2015
Then, he suggested Carson just leave the debate.
Cruz needs to drive Carson home
— Howard Fineman (@howardfineman) October 29, 2015
