Since when are Republican presidential candidates so
thin-skinned? As I reviewed last night’s Republican debate in Iowa,
I was struck by Newt Gingrich’s umbrage to a perfectly reasonable
question from Chris Wallace (see video below). Wallace drew his
question from a widely reported news story (Gingrich’s campaign
problems) and gave the former House speaker a chance to
respond.
Gingrich’s response, though, would lead one to think that
Wallace had asked him the age-old no-win question, “When did you
stop beating your wife?” I understand that Newt was looking for an
opportunity to differentiate himself from the rest of the pack, but
objecting to Wallace’s line of questioning wasn’t the best avenue
for doing it.
On that same note, Wallace’s query of Michele
Bachmann on Fox News Sunday in June was in line, too. His “flake”
question was widely derided, but it was legitimate. Even more, just
as with Newt, it gave Bachmann a chance to respond to the
criticism.
Candidates vying for the most powerful office in the world
shouldn’t expect softball soup.
About the Author
David N. Bass is a journalist who writes from the Old North State. Follow him on Twitter.
