It’s undeniable that the Republican Primary Debates of the 2012 election have devolved into one large trainwreck that gives NBC’s Fear Factor or Oxygens Bad Girls Club a run for its money. Whether it’s the wild accusations, the physical altercations, the lack of facts, the sitcom “boo track” that makes up the audience, the contestants who forget their lines, or the cult following, it’s clear that the Republican Debates exist in some hyper-real space that can only be defined by Reality Television.
Accordingly, 1115 has decided to compile a schedule for Season 2 of the 2011/2012 Republican Primary Debates. This is a complete and up-to-date as of January 23, 2012.
| January 7, 2012 | 9pm ET on ABC Location: Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire Sponsor: ABC News and WMUR Participants: Santorum, Romney, Paul, Perry, Gingrich, Huntsman |
| January 8, 2012 | 9am ET on NBC Location: Chubb Theatre at the Capitol Center for the Arts in Concord, NH Sponsor: NBC News, Facebook and the Union Leader Participants: Santorum, Romney, Paul, Perry, Gingrich, Huntsman |
| January 16, 2012 | 9pm ET on Fox News Location: Myrtle Beach Convention Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Sponsor: Fox News and Republican Party of South Carolina Participants: TBD |
| January 19, 2012 | Air time TBD on CNN Location: Charleston, SC Sponsor: CNN and the Southern Republican Leadership Conference Participants: TBD |
| January 23, 2012 | 9pm ET on NBC Location:University of South Florida in Tampa, Florida Sponsor: The St. Petersburg Times, NBC News, the National Journal and the Florida Council of 100 Participants: TBD |
| January 26, 2012 | 8pm ET on CNN Location: Jacksonville, FL Sponsor: CNN, CNN en Español, The Hispanic Leadership Network and The Republican Party of Florida Participants: TBD |
| February 22, 2012 | 8pm ET on CNN Location: Mesa Arts Center in Mesa, Arizona Sponsor: CNN and the Republican Party of Arizona Participants: TBD |
| March 1, 2012 | 8pm ET on CNN Location: Georgia Sponsor: CNN and the Georgia Republican Party Participants: TBD |
| March 5, 2012 | Air time TBD on NBC Location: Reagan Library in Simi Valley, CA Sponsor: Reagan Library, NBC News and Politico Participants: TBD |
| March 19, 2012 | Air time TBD on PBS Location: Portland, OR Sponsor: Oregon Public Broadcasting, NPR, PBS, and The Washington Times Participants: TBD |