Filed under: Internet, CNN, FOX News, Elections, Jim Greer
Is the sun getting too hot in Florida for GOP Chairman Jim Greer? This week, the newly-appointed GOP chairman for the balmy Red State can’t stay ahead of his own spin-machine. The New York Times’ Adam Nagourney reported yesterday that “The Republicans are, shall we say, a little more tentative about the new media world. CNN and YouTube are struggling to get the Republican field to agree to a similar debate; one date in September had to be scratched after Mitt Romney and Rudolph W. Giuliani cited scheduling conflicts.”
Not so much, Nagourney. According to insiders involved in the Florida debate, “Greedy Greer” conveniently forgot that the GOP made an agreement with FOX News Channel to have FNC’s debate in October serve as the first debate in the state for the 2008 race. Greer, who has yet to pass up a media opportunity, heard rumblings that CNN wanted to bring its YouTube debate to Florida for GOP candidates. Instead of respecting the agreement with FOX, Greer revealed his apparent man-crush on Anderson Cooper and Co. by publicly partnering with YouTube and CNN for the September 17 debate.
According to the Grey Lady, Republican candidates aren’t fans of the YouTube format. Unfortunately you can’t print everything you hear, as the truth is the candidates aren’t fans of Greer and his double-speak and already had the FNC October debate on the books. Using the high school equivalent line of “I have to wash my hair that night,” GOP frontrunners cited scheduling conflicts to get around the fact that Greer was trying to have his CNN cake and eat with FNC, too. Insiders say that Greer was frightened by FNC’s threat to pull out of Florida debate and begged CNN to reschedule so he could try to fix his over-promising to all parties involved.
The rescheduled date for the CNN/YouTube debate has yet to be officially announced. When contacted to confirm the October Florida debate, a FOX News spokesperson said that they “are looking forward to working with Jim Greer and hosting the first GOP debate in Florida for the 2008 race.”
