“Florida’s new black history curriculum says, ‘Slaves developed skills which, in some instances, could be applied for their personal benefit,’” she said to Gov. Ron DeSantis. “You have said slaves developed skills in spite of slavery, not because of it. But many are still hurt. For the descendants of slaves, this is personal. What is your message to them?”

She later asked former vice president Mike Pence: “The Department of Homeland Security warns that violence against LGBTQ+ people is on the rise and intensifying. According to a recent study, members of that community are nine times more likely to be victims of violent hate crimes. As president, how would you protect this community from violent attacks and discrimination?”

But the unsparing and frank manner in which she engaged with the Republican field prompted a wave of ferocious backlash from right-wing media figures watching back at home and one of Fox News’ own prime time hosts.

  • I’m unfamiliar with her, but good on her for asking questions that are intended to make these people give impromptu and unrehearsed answers to questions that aren’t soft queries on banal bullshit.

      • @Physnrd@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Copied from https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/second-republican-presidential-primary-debate-transcript

        CALDERON: Governor DeSantis, I have a question for you. Governor DeSantis, I have a question for you. This new black history curriculum says quote, “slaves develop skills which in some instances could be applied for their personal benefit.”

        You have said slaves develop skills in spite of slavery not because of it. But many are still hurt. For descendants of slaves, this is personal. What is your message to them?

        DESANTIS: So first of all, that’s a hoax that was perpetrated by Kamala Harris. We are not going to be doing that. Second of all, that was written by descendants of slaves. These are great black history scholars. So we need to stop playing these games.

        Here’s the deal. Our country’s education system is in decline because it’s focused on indoctrination, denying parent rights. Florida represents the revival of American education. We’re ranked number one in the nation in education by US News and World Report.

        CALDERON: Vice President Pence, the Department of Homeland Security warns that violence against LGBTQ plus people is on the rise and intensifying, according to a recent study, members of that community are nine times more likely to be victims of violent hate crimes. As President, how would you protect this community from violent attacks and discrimination?

        PENCE: Well, as President of the United States, I’ll — I’ll stand up for the safety and the civil liberties of every American, from every background. And I want the American people to know that. But I want to answer the question as well as, Dana, that you just asked Burgum. Because my way of full disclosure, Chris, you mentioned the President’s situation. I — my wife isn’t a member of the Teachers Union, but I got to admit I — I’ve been sleeping with a teacher for 38 years and a full disclosure. Look, education is a state and local function.

    • Flying Squid
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      -41 year ago

      I’m sorry but that’s ridiculous. They absolutely are prepared to give answers on those questions. They’ve already been asked them multiple times. Any reasonable debate prep would have also covered it. It would have only been more in their favor if no one had asked them the obvious questions about slavery and LGBT+ people.

      • The key point of the article is that they haven’t actually been asked these questions multiple times, because they exclusively stick to right wing media which exclusively lobs softball questions at them.

        • Flying Squid
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          -121 year ago

          These are softball questions. They barely challenge their positions.

          • It’s about making them devise answers on the fly though. They could just say “TRANS PEOPLE BAD” but they won’t. The questions were pointed, and asking about very specific thoughts on subjects, which forces these people to either dodge, or give an honest answer. With this crowd, you can guess a lot of idiocy and dodging was used.

            • @captainlezbian@lemmy.world
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              131 year ago

              Exactly “what’s your policy on lgbt people” can lead to an easy way to say you’ll bring more oppression, but “how will you protect lgbt citizens from illegal violence” forces them to either dodge the question, say that they’ll make the violence legal, ignore it, or go tough on crime but this time with the implication that it’ll be at their base.

          • @AbidanYre@lemmy.world
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            141 year ago

            You’re talking about the same political party that thought “what magazines or newspapers do you read?” was too hard a question.

  • @danc4498@lemmy.world
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    761 year ago

    Why are they so afraid of answering questions that 50% of the country is asking? If it’s such a ridiculous question, take the opportunity to give it the answer it deserve and appreciate the person that gave you that opportunity.

    I get it, though, to the fascists, a question is a dangerous thing.

      • @MrSpArkle@lemmy.ca
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        41 year ago

        It was just about what to do with all the “dreamers”, the children of illegal immigrants, many of whom are adults now with jobs and families.

        Pence just refused to say what he’d do one way or the other.

  • Flying Squid
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    201 year ago

    How dare she ask the easiest softballs possible of candidates who should have well-prepared answers to!

  • JokeDeity
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    171 year ago

    LMFAO, I love that the “young Republicans of Iowa” is a room full of old white men.

  • AutoTL;DRB
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    91 year ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    After welcoming viewers in Spanish (the debate was simulcast on Univision), Calderón queried the Republicans through the night on weighty issues related to immigration, hate crimes, health care, and more.

    Ahead of the debate, which ultimately averaged 9.5 million viewers, Calderón told the Los Angeles Times she viewed her co-moderator role as a “big responsibility to represent all of our community” and was “preparing real and respectful questions.”

    She later asked former vice president Mike Pence: “The Department of Homeland Security warns that violence against LGBTQ+ people is on the rise and intensifying.

    But the unsparing and frank manner in which she engaged with the Republican field prompted a wave of ferocious backlash from right-wing media figures watching back at home and one of Fox News’ own prime time hosts.

    “Why did the RNC who is supposed to stand for our values allow Univision BS leftist questions?” CPAC boss Matt Schlapp asked.

    The outrage incited by the journalist’s questions spoke to a larger, worrisome trend that has taken root in the Republican Party in recent years, particularly under the thumb of Donald Trump, where right-wing figures often flock to friendly outlets to air their claims unchallenged.


    The original article contains 655 words, the summary contains 196 words. Saved 70%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!