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What’s Youngkin Afraid Of?

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by

Dick Hall-Sizemore
in ,

Judy Woodruff
Photo credit: PBS

By Dick Hall-Sizemore

Glenn Youngkin, the Republican nominee for governor has declined to participate in what has become a traditional kick-off for gubernatorial candidates, a debate at the annual meeting of the Virginia Bar Association.  His reason — the moderator gave $250 in 2010 to a Haitian disaster relief fund run by the Clinton Foundation. Never mind that the proposed moderator, Judy Woodruff, is a prize-winning journalist and has moderated Presidential debates, as well as several of the VBA debates.

So far, the two candidates have both agreed to participate in only one debate.  McAuliffe has accepted invitations to four other debates and Youngkin, one other. The McAuliffe campaign says that it has not declined to participate in the one other debate that Youngkin has accepted (sponsored by Liberty University, Hampton University, and the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce). The Youngkin campaign refuses to say whether it has declined any of the other four that McAuliffe has accepted. (For full story see here or here.)

As Steve Haner pointed out recently, it is not that long before early voting starts. Youngkin needs to get out and introduce himself to voters. Or maybe he is hoping that, with all his money, he can rely on advertising.

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42 responses to “What’s Youngkin Afraid Of?”

  1. Steve Gillispie Avatar
    Steve Gillispie

    Another Sizemore partisan opinion post slamming Republicans. Why do you sully your good reporting skills with trashy pieces like this?

    PBS has become offensively and blatantly partisan and hostile to anyone considered conservative. Prize-winning journalist? Like all the Pulitzers for now proven false stories leaked by partisans at the CIA and FBI?

    Why don’t you do some real reporting on the disgusting bias of media like PBS and their offensive treatment of Republican candidates in all the debates of the past few years? Such exposure would be good for your profession.

    I say good for any politician who refuses to participate in these mock debates rigged to show liberals at their best and Republicans and conservatives at their worst.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      Why can’t Youngkin offer to debate and propose moderators he likes and go from there instead of flimsy excuses about the deep state and conspiracies against Conservatives? Probably a good thing Gillespie is not an adviser? The first time Youngkin says “deep state FBI”, it will certainly get attention and who knows there might actually be liberals that believe it too!

    2. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
      Dick Hall-Sizemore

      Rather than defending Youngkin, you attack me and PBS. By the way, if both candidates are answering the same questions, how would it be “rigged to show Republicans and conservatives at their worst”? I would think they Republicans and conservatives would want a statewide stage in which they could show themselves at their best.

      1. LarrytheG Avatar
        LarrytheG

        Yep. Attacking personally is becoming more and more a standard with some Conservative types here on BR.

        You crossed the line Dick when you failed to stay on the “right” side here in BR , shortly you will surely be pronounced as a “troll”.

        1. Matt Adams Avatar
          Matt Adams

          Irony. Complaining about personal attacks while personally attacking everyone who doesn’t agree with you.

      2. Steve Gillispie Avatar
        Steve Gillispie

        Are you serious? It’s not always the question. It’s the interruptions, the follow-up questions, the arguments and commentary the “moderator” makes back, etc. etc. And I’ve seen plenty of debates where each candidate did not get the same question.
        I’m sure both sides want that stage where they can show themselves at their best. Republicans wont get that from any debate with a mainstream media moderator.

        1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
          Dick Hall-Sizemore

          So, Republican candidates can only show themselves at their best in front of moderators from conservative media? That does not speak well of them.

        2. John Martin Avatar
          John Martin

          oh good god, give it a rest

  2. Eric the half a troll Avatar
    Eric the half a troll

    Youngkin is afraid of Judy Woodruff?! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      well.. afraid of the questions… ? 😉

      1. Eric the half a troll Avatar
        Eric the half a troll

        https://tenor.com/ZFC2.gif

    2. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Youngkin is afraid
      Could’ve stopped there. Fear and loathing on the Trump-endorsed campaign trail.

    3. Nancy Naive Avatar
      Nancy Naive

      Youngkin is afraid
      Could’ve stopped there. Fear and loathing on the Trump-endorsed campaign trail.

  3. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    Can’t really tell if this is Youngkin shying away or his handlers/team but not a particularly good sign. Did he negotiate for a different moderator?

    Maybe he’s keeping his powder dry and soon he’ll come out with guns blazing against “woke” and CRT, and “ruining” the Magnet Schools, etc.

    He could say he’d never governed like Northam has and go after McAuliffes’ “socialism” smelly green deals, ,etc..

    How can he KEEP the GOP base in RoVa and NoVa and still win votes to the left of the GOP in NoVa and Va suburbs?

    I’m sure they got a plan.

  4. vicnicholls Avatar
    vicnicholls

    Debate forums with a Democrat lead to nothing, especially on a leftist attack station.

    1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
      Dick Hall-Sizemore

      The debate would not have been on a “leftist attack station”. It would have been before the Virginia Bar Association.

      1. vicnicholls Avatar
        vicnicholls

        As I said …

      2. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        Dick, to a Trumpette, the Bar is a leftist attack station… and so is the Chamber of Commerce.

        1. LarrytheG Avatar
          LarrytheG

          good lord.

  5. Matt Adams Avatar
    Matt Adams

    “Foundation. Never mind that the proposed moderator, Judy Woodruff, is a prize-winning journalist and has moderated Presidential debates, as well as several of the VBA debates.”

    This is a misnomer, Ms. Woodruff didn’t moderate a Presidential debate. She has moderated the 1988 VP debate and subsequently didn’t moderate again until 2016. To which she moderate a singular Parties debate for nominee, which she did again in 2020.

    If you’re going to roast others for “taking things out of context” perhaps you should hold yourself to the same standard, less you want to be labeled a hypocrite.

    1. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
      Dick Hall-Sizemore

      She was a moderator of three Republican Presidential debates and 1 Democratic Presidentiall debate in the 2000 election system and Democratic Presidential debates in 2004, 2016, and 2020. Perhaps I should have been a little more precise in my comment: She has moderated numerous debates at the Presidential level.

      1. LarrytheG Avatar
        LarrytheG

        This is yet another example of just how far right Conservatives have shifted. They don’t trust any but right-leaning media anymore. There are two kinds of media – left and right – not middle!

        1. Matt Adams Avatar
          Matt Adams

          So now I’m “far-right”? Interesting, do you have anything to back that statement up?

      2. Matt Adams Avatar
        Matt Adams

        Thank you for the thoughtful response and correction.

        Edit: I myself was incorrect, the article to which I read only made more of a footnote for the additional debate in between 1988 and 2016.

  6. Eric the half a troll Avatar
    Eric the half a troll

    He’s probably afraid she will ask about things like this:

    https://www.cnbc.com/2021/07/13/virginia-is-back-as-americas-top-state-for-business.html?fbclid=IwAR2knllMGxhA9IMr4TLpZe4LeQqYhUMjQC3iMueW-mKBvFvdfOLkrRNY_ZE

    Can’t have that, eh…?

    1. Stephen Haner Avatar
      Stephen Haner

      It has nothing to do with Woodruff probably and is a simple risk-benefit calculation. If there are no debates at all, that might have an impact on undecided voters, but by a month from now the fact that this didn’t happen won’t matter. If he wiped the floor with Terry, might be some benefit. No more than if he does the same in September. Likewise if the opposite happens.

      On my way to the gym an hour ago I saw the lead-in to the big CNBC announcement and recognized the reporter was standing in the NN shipyard, with a very distinct building behind him. Went and worked out. One of the other years Virginia was #1 they came to the shipyard for the announcement. Great visuals. But it looks like the Northam interview was at the port.

      From CNBC’s own story:

      “But as one of only five states with no statewide public accommodation law to protect nondisabled residents against discrimination according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, North Carolina falls short on Life, Health and Inclusion (No. 37), potentially enough to keep the top spot out of reach.”

      All this woke business everybody rails against? Wall Street eats it up, folks.

      1. Nancy Naive Avatar
        Nancy Naive

        And the Youngkin solution is? Co-CEO just in time for a run at the Va. Governorship, eh?
        “Look guys, I’m retiring in 2 years and it’s not like the Carlyle Group is a stranger to right wing politics, how about boosting my chances by making me CEO? It’ll pay off for you.”

        “Uh, how about Co-CEO? Not that we don’t trust you wouldn’t trash us in just 2 years, but it would be better for you if we look successful.”

        Hypothetically speaking.

        Maybe that’s why he’s all “what I will do as governor” and not “this is how as governor I will do”.

      2. LarrytheG Avatar
        LarrytheG

        “Life, Health and Inclusion (375 points – 15%)
        Combine an era of enhanced social consciousness with a growing worker shortage, and it explains why, now more than ever, companies are demanding that states offer a welcoming and inclusive environment for employees. At the same time, the pandemic has put a new spotlight on health and health-care resources. These new dimensions of quality of life led us to reimagine and rename this important category for 2021. We continue to rate the states on livability factors like per capita crime rates, health care and environmental quality. Because of the new focus from businesses, we have expanded our measures of inclusiveness, looking more deeply at protections against discrimination, as well as at voting rights and current efforts to expand or restrict access to the polls, based on legislation enacted as of June 1, 2021. As the nation seeks to move past the pandemic, we look at Covid-19 vaccination rates, and we consider public health and hospital resources to deal with the lingering effects of the pandemic as well as potential future crises.”

        I guess that makes CNBC as bad as PBS, eh?

    2. Super Brain Avatar
      Super Brain

      Would love to see his 1040 and his carried interest income.

  7. Nancy Naive Avatar
    Nancy Naive

    The Peter Principle candidate.

  8. energyNOW_Fan Avatar
    energyNOW_Fan

    I think I probably donated to the same Clinton/Bush relief fund. WTOP said this morning 3 debates have been agreed to. Youngkin probably buying time. I am sure McAuliffe is a well practiced debater.

    1. Matt Adams Avatar
      Matt Adams

      It’s a bit ironic given recent events in Hati.

      Also, that initiative unfortunately failed to pan out in 2010.

      https://www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2016-37826098

  9. Ronnie Chappell Avatar
    Ronnie Chappell

    Youngkin erred in justifying his decision to not appear at the VBA debate on a contribution made to a charity a decade ago. He should have instead, simply said that based on the tone, bias and content evident on the Newshour on PBS that he lacked confidence in it being a fair forum. I have contributed to PBS for more than 40 years and watched the Newshour for decades. I still contribute to PBS but have stopped watching the Newshour because I no longer trust in the fairness or quality of its coverage. (I was a working journalist for 16 years and worked with reporters for another 23.) Too many liberal reporters interviewing other liberal reporters. Too much coverage of personalities and too much one-sided coverage of many issues. After watching the news on a major network, we watch the BBC (also on PBS). Who moderates a debate matters as much as who refs a sporting contest. In a world in which Donna Brazile was caught (and then admitted) leaking debate questions to candidate Hillary Clinton, I can understand why Youngkin would be concerned about getting home-jobbed by a hostile moderator. My advice to Youngkin would be to condition debate appearances on the presence of a balanced panel. Perhaps ask someone like Holman Jenkins of the WSJ to serve as the co-moderator of the VSB debate. Finally a comment about the importance of questions. The people in control of the questions at a debate are in control of the conversation. They dictate what the audience hears about and the topics the candidates have to address.

    1. WayneS Avatar
      WayneS

      “My advice to Youngkin would be to condition debate appearances on the presence of a balanced panel.”

      Good idea.

    2. Stephen Haner Avatar
      Stephen Haner

      All valid points, Mr. Chappell.

    3. Dick Hall-Sizemore Avatar
      Dick Hall-Sizemore

      Because I don’t watch the Newshour, or any TV newscasts for that matter, I can’t comment on your observations regarding that program. Your suggestions about the debate formats make eminent sense, however.

  10. Ronnie Chappell Avatar
    Ronnie Chappell

    Youngkin erred in justifying his decision to not appear at the VBA debate on a contribution made to a charity a decade ago. He should have instead, simply said that based on the tone, bias and content evident on the Newshour on PBS that he lacked confidence in it being a fair forum. I have contributed to PBS for more than 40 years and watched the Newshour for decades. I still contribute to PBS but have stopped watching the Newshour because I no longer trust in the fairness or quality of its coverage. (I was a working journalist for 16 years and worked with reporters for another 23.) Too many liberal reporters interviewing other liberal reporters. Too much coverage of personalities and too much one-sided coverage of many issues. After watching the news on a major network, we watch the BBC (also on PBS). Who moderates a debate matters as much as who refs a sporting contest. In a world in which Donna Brazile was caught (and then admitted) leaking debate questions to candidate Hillary Clinton, I can understand why Youngkin would be concerned about getting home-jobbed by a hostile moderator. My advice to Youngkin would be to condition debate appearances on the presence of a balanced panel. Perhaps ask someone like Holman Jenkins of the WSJ to serve as the co-moderator of the VSB debate. Finally a comment about the importance of questions. The people in control of the questions at a debate are in control of the conversation. They dictate what the audience hears about and the topics the candidates have to address.

  11. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    I don’t think blaming media and others as a reason not to speak directly to voters is a good approach for winning, and it may cede advantage to McAuliffe and the Dems.

    He needs to connect with voters and especially voters to the left of his built-in base who don’t know much about him.

    He does not need to win NoVa or the suburbs, but he needs to be competitive and get those votes that are not solid Dem – they do exist.

    I probably would not like a Youngkin administration, but I much respect elections where people actually KNOW the candidate and make an informed vote. That’s different from a partisan vote in my mind.

    Youngkin has a significant advantage that many candidates don’t have and that is he, as a relative unknown, actually has the opportunity to define who he is instead of his opponent. So his words – and actions – matter, but he can’t sit on it.

  12. James Wyatt Whitehead Avatar
    James Wyatt Whitehead

    Nixon never debated in 1968. Of course after 1960 disaster you can understand why. Still debating had been his life long strength. In a way it served Nixon well. His mass media strategy was excellent and the commercials were highly effective.

    I can’t imagine having a debate on fair grounds in today’s world. Staying out of the debates: It might be the smart move for Glenn. Maybe the rallies and commericals can be enough!

  13. Donald Smith Avatar
    Donald Smith

    Team Youngkin can do very well in a Judy-Woodruff-led debate, if it goes into that debate with its eyes wide open.

    No one with common sense expects Woodruff to be unbiased. She’s the poster child for the DC-area progressive elite. Adults will know that Woodruff is in McAuliffe’s camp. And many Virginia adults are sick of progressives’ bias and childishness.

    They will expect Woodruff to openly side with Team McAuliffe—maybe not in the initial moments of the debate (Woodruff does, after all, have to keep up appearances), but when it counts, she’ll be there for the Democrats. When it’s time to press McAuliffe on tough issues, or dumb things he’s said, she’ll change the subject. We ALL know this will happen.

    Youngkin should do the debate. Everyone know it’s tilted to the Democrats’ favor. And, the MSM that Woodruff represents has very, very low esteem among the American people. Youngkin should treat the “objective, professional, non-partisan” Woodruff as a de facto Democrat. Which she is.

    1. LarrytheG Avatar
      LarrytheG

      Can Youngkin win in Virginia with only GOP base votes?

      If the answer is no or maybe not, then where should he look for more votes, and how will he reach them if they’re not normal consumers of Conservative media (which we will assume he’ll win all the Conservative media viewers)?

      For the potentially “reachable”middle or even left voters – how will he reach them, message them and win them over if the premise is that any media that is not Conservative is “biased” and not to be used?

      Judging from the number of slick one-page color flyers I receive in the mail (includes one from Youngkin), it could be they don’t see debates sponsored by non-Conservative media as effective anyhow.

      However, I’m probably not alone when I pretty much ignore the flyers from both left and right and, in fact, anything that looks like PR.

      I want to know Youngkins positions on the substantive issues and I have to say if he plays the Culture War, anti-BLM, CRT message, he’s totally done.

      Yes, I DO vote and HAVE voted GOP but not of late – that party has gone off the rails and the only way I’d consider Youngkin is if he is a straight shooter and meaningfully addresses the major issues of the day which may make him a CINO/RINO in the eyes of some of his whacked out base that feeds on conspiracy theories and “blood of patriots and tyrants” wackadoodles.

      That’s Youngkins essential challenge. Can he gain more votes than he’ll lose. Can ANY GOP do that these days?

      I know folks here think I’m “left”, but let me tell you, there are a bunch of folks to my left in the electorate. Youngkin has no chance in hell of getting ANY of them. He does have a slim chance with me even though I KNOW if he wins, he brings along Va GOP which lost it’s marbles some time ago in my view and only more recently redeemed themselves by managing to avoid having Chase as their candidate.

      Can he win over people to my right and to the left of his built-in Conservative base enough to be McAuliffe?

      We’ll see.

  14. LarrytheG Avatar
    LarrytheG

    Business has always been a natural constituency for the GOP especially when the GOP was fiscally conservative and socially moderate.

    But the GOP has become so engrossed in the culture war that many Corporates now find themselves agreeing more with the Dems on “equity”, voting, and related issues AND the target of disagreeing Conservatives and the GOP.

    So it’ll be interesting to see how Youngkin plays his business philosophy with his political philosophy and how well that compares with current GOP attitudes towards social issues and business/corporate.

    More to the point, will Youngkin get a fair share of corporate campaign money?

    If he is getting it, not showing up on VPAP!

    It’s true he’s rich enough to self-fund but does he also actually need corporate support for his candidacy?

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