At a DNC fundraiser last night before a performance of the hit musical Hamilton in New York City, President Obama mocked the current slate of Republican presidential candidates and their complaints that the moderators at the recent CNBC debate were too hard on them.
Said Obama:
“Have you noticed that every one of these candidates say, ‘Obama's weak. Putin's kicking sand in his face. When I talk to Putin, he's going to straighten out. Just looking at him.' Then it turns out they can't handle a bunch of CNBC moderators at the debate. Let me tell you, if you can't handle those guys, then I don't think the Chinese and the Russians are going to be too worried about you.”
Watch:
Yesterday, Politico obtained a letter demanding greater control for the candidates from the TV networks:
The letter, obtained by POLITICO and drafted for the campaigns by veteran GOP attorney Ben Ginsberg, asks networks to commit to, among other things, not asking candidates to raise their hands in answer to a question, not holding a lightning round, not allowing “candidate-to-candidate questioning” and keeping the temperature in the debate hall below 67 degrees.
Ginsberg sent the draft letter on Monday morning. It has yet to be signed off on by the campaigns. “Thoughts/edits/approvals welcomed,” Ginsberg wrote. “You all indicated last night that the letter should be sent no later than Tuesday.”
