With the liberal bias of CNBC’s debate being so obvious that even Carl Bernstein and the left-wing Salon acknowledged the network’s failure, the circling of the wagons has begun. Debate moderator John Harwood appeared on CNBC, Thursday, to spin. Referring to Marco Rubio, Harwood huffed, “He, like other candidates, went after the media, which is a popular thing to do in a Republican primary.”
The journalist condescended, “As I said, he [Rubio] and other candidates, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, they got a lot of mileage with Republican primary voters by going after us.”
On NBC’s Today, Chuck Todd offered a similar critique, chiding, “Look, in many ways this was a premeditated attack.”
On CNN, Alisyn Camerota said of Donald Trump's attacks against the media: “He has a beef, but it's not a legitimate beef." On Twitter, anchor Chris Cuomo assailed, “The idea that all media is biased is silly.” The CNN anchor later complained that “last night’s media-blaming was just a weak duck and cover for questions they couldn't or rather not answer clearly.”
TV Newser on Thursday noted that while other media outlets have been discussing the bias of the debate, CNBC has steered away from discussing it.
A partial transcript of John Harwood’s comments can be found below:
Squawk on the Street
10/29/15
10:36 AM EDTSIMON HOBBS: Republican presidential candidates taking the stage in Bolder, Colorado last night. Let's bring in our chief Washington correspondent John Harwood. Was Rubio the clear winner, John, in your view?
JOHN HARWOOD: Well, I thought Rubio did a very effective job. And he, like other candidates, went after the media, which is a popular thing to do in a Republican primary.
...
HARWOOD: As I said, he and other candidates, Chris Christie, Ted Cruz, they got a lot of mileage with Republican primary voters by going after us.
