Republicans Cuts Ties With NBC After MSNBC Debacle, Chooses CNN

By Katherine Weber, Christian Post Reporter Wednesday, January 20, 2016

CNBC debate moderators (L-R) John Harwood, Becky Quick and Carl Quintanilla asks questions during the 2016 U.S. Republican presidential candidates debate in Boulder, Colorado, October 28, 2015. | (Photo: REUTERS/Rick Wilking)

The Republican National Committee cut ties with NBC for the upcoming Republican presidential debate. CNN will host the February debate instead.

RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement this week that the committee made the decision to depart from the NBC network following the controversial CNBC-hosted presidential debate in October 2015, where debate moderators were criticized for asking rude and biased questions of the candidates.

"The Republican National Committee has decided to move forward without NBC's participation in our February debate in Houston, TX. The RNC has awarded the debate to CNN, who will broadcast it on Thursday, February 25th in Houston at a location to be decided," Priebus said in a statement.

Priebus had previously voiced his concern over the NBC network's moderation following the October CNBC debate, when he sent a letter to NBC News Chief Andy Lack tentatively canceling plans for the February debate.

Republican U.S. presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson looks back as business Donald Trump (not pictured) takes the stage as he stands with former HP CEO Carly Fiorina, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Chris Christie before the start of the 2016 U.S. Republican presidential candidates debate held by CNBC in Boulder, Colorado, Oct. 28, 2015. | REUTERS / Rick Wilking

Both CNBC and NBC are owned by NBC Universal.

"The CNBC network is one of your media properties, and its handling of the debate was conducted in bad faith," Priebus wrote to Lack in October. "We understand that NBC does not exercise full editorial control over CNBC's journalistic approach. However, the network is an arm of your organization, and we need to ensure there is not a repeat performance."

Priebus also criticized the CNBC moderators in an October statement, saying, "While debates are meant to include tough questions and contrast candidates' visions and policies for the future of America, CNBC's moderators engaged in a series of 'gotcha' questions, petty and mean-spirited in tone, and designed to embarrass our candidates."

"What took place Wednesday night was not an attempt to give the American people a greater understanding of our candidates' policies and ideas," he added.

The date of the upcoming debate will now be moved from February 26 to February 25. The event is still scheduled to take place in Houston, Texas, although a location has not been announced.

This upcoming debate will be important to GOP presidential hopefuls as it falls five days before Super Tuesday, when several U.S. states hold their primary elections.

Last week, Priebus warned of the importance of the GOP winning this year's presidential election during the Republican National Committee's winter meeting.

"If we don't win, what happens to our party?" Priebus questioned. "Could we function as a national party in the same way?"

"It'd be tough," the RNC chairman continued. "It's difficult to keep up with the opposition when you don't have the presidency,."

"I can promise you that. What's a party chairman going to say in 2017 to our donors and our grassroots if we're looking at 12 or 16 years out of the White House?" Priebus added.