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<h1 class=""><a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2013/08/16/rnc-moves-to-freeze-out-networks-on-debates/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent Link:RNC moves to freeze out networks on debates">RNC moves to freeze out networks on debates</a></h1>
<div class=""><img src="http://cnnpoliticalticker.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/mug-hamby.jpg?w=30" class="" alt="mug.hamby" height="28" width="30"></div><div class="">Posted by</div><span class=""><a href="http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/tag/cnn-political-reporter-peter-hamby/" rel="tag">CNN Political Reporter Peter Hamby</a></span> <div class="">
<p class=""><a href="http://twitter.com/politicalticker" class="">Follow @politicalticker</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/PeterHambyCNN" class="">Follow @PeterHambyCNN</a></p>
<p><strong>Boston (CNN)</strong> - The Republican National Committee
approved a resolution Friday vowing to sideline CNN and NBC from the
presidential primary debate process in 2016 unless the networks abandon
plans to produce programs about Hillary Clinton.</p>
<p>CNN recently commissioned a documentary film about Clinton, the
former first lady, U.S. senator and secretary of state, that is
scheduled to run in theaters and on CNN sometime in 2014.<br>
<span id="more-285840"></span><br>
NBC, meanwhile, is developing a dramatic miniseries about Clinton, who
is considering a second presidential bid and would almost certainly
enter the race as the Democratic frontrunner in 2016.</p>
<p>"For the first time our party rules allow us to take action on these
debates. So it is time that we do what's right for our party and our
candidates. And by the way, it is the right thing to do for our voters,"
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said at the meeting.</p>
<p>In a statement released after the vote, CNN responded: "CNN Films, a
division of CNN Worldwide, commissioned a documentary about Hillary
Clinton earlier this year. It is expected to premiere in 2014 with a
theatrical run prior to airing on CNN. The CNN broadcast date has not
been determined. This documentary will be a non-fiction look at the
life of a former First Lady and Secretary of State. The project is in
the very early stages of development, months from completion with most
of the reporting and the interviewing still to be done. Therefore
speculation about the final program is just that. We encouraged all
interested parties to wait until the program premieres before judgments
are made about it. Unfortunately, the RNC was not willing to do that."</p>
<p>The seven-point resolution, which passed by voice vote, describes the
television projects as "little more than extended commercials promoting
former Secretary Clinton," promises that the RNC "will neither partner
with these networks in the 2016 presidential primary debates nor
sanction any primary debates they sponsor" unless they halt production
of the programs.</p>
<p>The language also notes that Robert Greenblatt, the chairman of NBC
Entertainment, contributed to Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential
campaign and President Barack Obama's re-election bid in 2012.</p>
<p>The measure goes to the heart of what Republican insiders believe was
a major problem for the party during the 2012 primary process – a
marathon debate schedule that kept GOP candidates off the campaign trail
and led several of them to make a string of damaging statements in full
view of the national electorate.</p>
<p>Republican nominee Mitt Romney staked out hard-line immigration
positions in several primary debates – he famously called for illegal
immigrants to "self-deport" – and the comments were used against him to
devastating effect by the Obama campaign during the general election.</p>
<p>A group of Republican officials who were asked to draft a
post-election "autopsy" report and plot a path forward for the party
called the number of primary debates in 2012 – 20 in all - "ridiculous."</p>
<p>The RNC "shall endeavor to bring more order to the primary debates
and ensure a reasonable number of debates, appropriate moderators and
debate partners are chosen, and that other issues pertaining to the
general nature of such debates are addressed," Friday's resolution said.</p>
<p>The committee has no formal power to prevent Republican candidates
from participating in network debates, but they could decide to enact
penalties for candidates who might choose to ignore the resolution.</p>
<p>Before the vote, Priebus earned a standing ovation from the
168-member committee when he accused the two networks of "obvious bias"
and said CNN and NBC "won't be hosting a single Republican primary
debate."</p>
<p>"We're done putting up with this nonsense," he said. "There are
plenty of other news outlets. We'll still reach voters. Maybe more
voters. But CNN and NBC anchors will just have to watch on their
competitors' networks." </p>
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