In Wednesday's USA Today, Ari Fleischer, the first press secretary for President George W. Bush, offered a list of tough questions the NBC/MSNBC/Telemundo moderators could ask the Democrats. The headline in the paper was "Ask Democrats tough questions about culture and economics. Put them on the spot."
First, he said "Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said President Bill Clinton should have resigned because of his treatment of women. Do you agree Clinton should have stepped down as president due to his me-too problem?"
They could throw in that Gillibrand was also controversial among Democrats for pushing Sen. Al Franken to resign for his alleged harassment (and chest-grabbing photo) of Lee Ann Tweeden. On culture, he proposed:
►Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams said she was fine with noncitizens voting in some local elections. Are there any elections in which you would support allowing noncitizens the right to vote, or do you flat-out oppose allowing illegal immigrants the right to vote in any election?
►If illegal immigrants commit felonies, will you allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement to deport them?
►Aside from those who commit felonies, are there any illegal immigrants you would support deporting?
On economics, Fleischer used to be a press aide for Rep. William Archer on the House Ways and Means Committee. He suggested they should be asked how high the marginal tax rate should go (it's currently 37 percent). Socialists will want it to go to at least half of the annual income. Other ideas:
►How do you define “fair share”? The top 10% of taxpayers, people making more than $139,713 a year, made almost 47% of the nation’s income but paid nearly 70% of all income taxes. What percent of the income tax should they pay? And I repeat, they make just 47% of the nation’s income.
►And for democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders, have you ever flown first class?
Then he threw in a few foreign policy questions, including whether they would reverse Trump's policy of moving America's embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Plus:
►Will you re-sign the Iran nuclear deal, the same one President Barack Obama negotiated?
►President Obama promised to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. Will you make a similar pledge, and if so, to where will you move Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the chief planner of the September 11th attacks? Or would you consider releasing him?
►Did President Obama do the right thing when he released five Taliban prisoners from Guantanamo in exchange for Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl? Do you consider Bergdahl a traitor?
And finally, this little Russian-dirt zinger: "Will you pledge not to use Fusion GPS for any of your opposition research?"
