After pretty obviously rigging the last Democrat debate format for Hillary Clinton, packing the audience, planting pro-Hillary questions, employing Hillary campaign advisors as its post debate panel, etc…. CNN reminded the world how it earned the name “Clinton” News Network. Last night CNN demonstrated a willingness to abandon even a vestigial recognition of journalistic integrity.
Fred Barnes got the big picture right. The debate was an embarrassment. CNN could not have gone to further extremes to present a mere caricature of the Republican Party. Other than immigration there were virtually no substantive questions about the leading policy issues of the day. Some of the questions, like the extent to which the Bible is allegorical, provide fascinating listening, perhaps Iraq or the larger Middle East might have a slightly higher agenda item than a resolution of a deeply metaphysical question that the last 3,000 or so years have left unanswered. I particularly liked the Confederate Flag question. WW3 is raging and CNN wanted to discuss the Confederate Flag?
So far, we’ve only talked about the usual left wing depiction of Republicans, asked by Democrats, of course. Every Democrat enjoys the red meat and CNN was playing to its typical audience, maybe even overcoming Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert as the primary source of news for most Democrats last night. Of course, CNN would liberally (no pun intended) utilize Democrats to ask Republican primary questions in a Republican primary debate. Not content to be predictably ideologically partisan, however, CNN continued its work for a specific candidate, Hillary Clinton last night.
One of the many questions by or about homosexuals (the dominant issue of the debate, of course) came from one Keith Kerr, a retired California National Guard Brig. General who publicly acknowledged his homosexuality only after retiring. It turns out that Kerr is not only openly supporting the Evita ‘08 run, but is a high level member of a high level national steering committee for Clinton. Kerr was not limited to a question, either. Kerr was allowed to make a two minute diatribe from the floor, after being flown to Florida and housed in a hotel by CNN, about the virtues of homosexuals and the wickedness of Republicans after the candidates answered his rather trivial question.
Much like the source of CBS Bush National Guard documents (although this CNN transgression is nothing like the forgery that Dan Rather and the Democrat hit squads at CBS foisted on the world), Kerr is a long time Democrat activist. More facts left undisclosed by CNN.
Kind of reminiscent of little George Stephanopoulos getting through all those hundreds of thousands of calls to talk to George Bush on Larry King back in 92, eh? Or the word “rat” being superimposed over Vice President Cheney’s face on a broadcast. Yet CNN wants the world to think that it provides a legitimate presentation of the events of our times. Joe Scarborough best describes CNN’s cover story in two words this morning, and I since I can’t top Joe, I’ll say no more on the subject.
50 comments:
So what matters more to you, Sporer--the source of the question or the substance of the answers?
Here's my take on last night...
I think all of these guy get so hyper when giving their answers.
Almost everytime every candidate gives a good start to theior answers, then they know they still have time left... that's when they blow it.
Politico’s Martin Blog: Plant Patrol
By Jonathan Martin
I understand that, in Hillary's case, planting of questions plays into a larger narrative of being cautious and calculating. But I always thought that the whole kerfuffle had a "there is gambling in the casino!" feel to it. That campaigs tee up friendly questions or that candidates call on friendly questioners isn't all that revealatory.
But.
Given that Clinton did catch the flak she did, we're all on guard now about any signs of astro-turf amid the grassroots.
Per the Daily News's David Saltonstall and Celeste Katz, Rudy called on the same individual twice during his weekend bus tour of New Hampshire:
Richard Florino, a local volunteer for Hizzoner's campagin, lobbed softballs both times.
But both he and Giuliani's campaign denied to the News that the questions were planned.
There is, though, a bit of a gray area here. I was at both events and it's likely that Giuliani recognized Florino the second time as being somebody who -- given his swipe at Democrats and their "accomplices at the New York Times editorial page" the day before -- may offer him a fastball down the middle of the plate. That Florino was a bigger fellow and sporting a Patriots sweatshirt at an event where others were dressed more formally probably made him stand out a bit and jog Rudy's memory, too.
That said, in the New Hampshire tradition Rudy did encounter plenty of less-gentle queries during his weekend trek, including a man at a diner Sunday morning who aggressively questioned the former mayor about Iraq before a crush of reporters and photographers.
Was it James Carville or Paul Begala who came up with the questions?
The speech by the gay guy was over the top. Geez, he would have gone on for an hour if people didn't finally start booing to shut him up. Anderson Cooper sure seemed like he was going to let him have the floor as long as he wanted. In the end, he didn't ask a question beyond his video question.
Why that guy? Why did HE get to get all the extra special attention?
The Agenda perhaps?
it's always about guns, god and gays with the d's isn't? That's all they care about.
Concerned Young Undecided Person “Journey” = John Edwards supporter “Journey”
(Her original video shows her in an edwards 08 t-shirt. CNN photoshopped out the shirt and put a solid pink shirt on her.)
Concerned Undecided Log Cabin Republican supporter David Cercone = Obama supporter David Cercone
Concerned Undecided Mom LeeAnn Anderson = Activist for the John Edwards-endorsing United Steelworkers union LeeAnn Anderson
Concerned Undecided Gay Military Retiree Brig. Gen. Keith H. Kerr = Hillary/Kerry supporter and anti-”Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” activist Keith H. Kerr
(CNN cuts out Keith Kerr from the debate rebroadcast)
http://michellemalkin.com/2007/11/29/digging-out-the-cnnyoutube-plants-abortion-questioner-is-edwards-supporter/
I think they are right...it was total crap.
The retired general who asked about gays and lesbians serving in the military at the CNN/YouTube Republican debate on Wednesday is a co-chairman of Hillary Rodham Clinton's National Military Veterans group.
Retired Brig. Gen. Keith H. Kerr was named a co-chairman of the group this month, according to a campaign press release.
He was also active in John F. Kerry's 2004 campaign for president.
Kerr asked candidates “why you think that American men and women in uniform are not professional enough to serve with gays and lesbians.”
A Nov. 11 press release retrieved from the website of the nonpartisan magazine Campaigns & Elections lists Kerr as one of nearly 50 co-chairs of “Veterans and Military Retirees for Hillary."
Kerr also was on Kerry’s National Veterans Steering Committee, according to a campaign press release retrieved from the website of George Washington University.
So the "NEWS" reporters at CNN couldn't do the most basic of research on this guy or any of the others?
Bill Bennett while "live" is getting emails almost instantanously uncovering the plant.
CNN reporters couldn't do that? Seems a bit far-fetched doesn't it?
I bet Anderson Cooper gets nominated for a Nobel "piece" prize.
What a piece of work that guy is. Is Dan Rather his mentor?
State 29 has a better nickname for CNN. :))
Go check him out:
http://state29.blogspot.com/
I wonder if John Edwards will refuse to appear on CNN since they "clearly can't be objective".
"there were questions - ones moderator Anderson Cooper kept insisting had required a lot of time and effort by the questioners -
on the Confederate flag,
on Mars,
on Giuliani's rooting for the Boston Red Sox in the World Series,
on whether Ron Paul might run as an independent for president,
and on the Bible
New Iowa Rassmussen Poll today:
When only voters who are “certain” they will participate in the caucus are included in the totals, Obama is supported by 26%, Edwards by 25% and Clinton by 23%.
Among Democrats who name Iraq as the top voting issue, 28% support Obama, 25% Clinton, and 23% Edwards.
For those who name the economy as the top issue, it’s Clinton 30%, Edwards 27%, and Obama 21%.
For those who said health care is the number one issue, 38% prefer Clinton, 22% Edwards, and 19% Obama.
Thirty-five percent (35%) say that the War in Iraq is their most important voting issue (Obama wins)
while 23% name the economy (Clinton)
and 18% cite health care (Clinton)
FROM POWERLINE: MORE FRAUD FROM CNN
Jim Vicevich alerts us to a few more Democratic plants at the CNN YouTube Republican candidates forum last night.
Adam Florzak asked a question on Social Security. It turns out that Florzak quit his job with Caterpillar to work with Dick Durbin on Social Security reform.
Then there was Mark Strauss, who
pleaded with Ron Paul to run as an Independent.
It turns out he's a Richardson supporter.
CNN must have known who Strauss is because he participated in the CNN/Youtube Democratic presidential debate this past July.
The guy who asked the question about corn subsidies, Ted Faturos, is a former intern for Democrat Congresswoman Jane Harman.
Ok, this is getting ridiculous, yet another Democrat posing as a Republican for the CNN/YouTube debate.
This one is David McMillan, an aspiring TV writer in California, AND, a Bush and Rove hatin', John Edwards fan, who asked why the Republican party doesn't attract more African-Americans to it's side.
did CNN try to Vet these questions at all????
I mean, come on people, all you had to do was look at his YouTube page which features multiple videos about John Edwards, more than a couple of VERY tasteless and discriminatory videos featuring the "Blind Black Republican" (of course the "it's just satire" excuse would probably be put in play here by defenders, but I'm sure that a satirical video featuring the Deaf Dominican Democrat would be villified by libs far and wide).
Not satisfied with David's video collection as proof of his liberal/democrat bona fides? Ok, then check out his blog, which is light on links but does feature as it's sole blogger on his blogroll, that most famous of sock-puppeteers, Glen Greenwald.
The more names I check, the more convinced I am that not only did CNN not take the time to examine the appropriateness of the questions and questioners, but rather they must have actually gone out of their way to select a majority of liberal questioners asking asinine "gotcha" questions.
So far, every name I've checked has either been a democrat supporter, a democrat operative, or a Paulite/pseudo-dem (see: Emily Ekins, Joseph Dearing).
Ted Faturos goes by the internet alias "young_chower", and last night he had a Flikr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/tfaturos. This morning, after I exposed his ties to Democrat Congresswoman Jane Harman, the page is gone. Go ahead, check the link.
"young_chower" still has a profile page up at Chow.com (with a handy picture too). I'm guessing that there's not a "cover my tracks" button available to Chow.com members like there is for Flikr accounts.
By Matthew Balan | November 29, 2007 - 12:56 ET
Thursday�s �American Morning� program on CNN, while reporting retired Brigadier General Keith Kerr�s connections to the Hillary Clinton campaign, failed to mention one key revelation made by debate moderator Anderson Cooper during the post-debate coverage - that Cooper knew that Kerr was �an activist of some sort.�
Co-host John Roberts not only reported on Kerr�s membership of Clinton�s �LGBT Americans For Hillary Steering Committee� during all 3 hours of �American Morning,� but conducted a live interview of Kerr during the 7 am Eastern hour. Six minutes into the 6 am Eastern, Roberts gave the following brief on the Kerr story.
JOHN ROBERTS: After the debate was over, CNN found out that a man who asked one of the most intense questions of the night had a connection to the Clinton campaign.
"We didn't know it at the time, but we do know it now, and we want to clear things up for you."
Only a half-hour after the close of the debate, debate moderator Anderson Cooper, responding to Bill Bennett, who had mentioned that he was receiving “a ton” of e-mails stating Kerr was part of the Clinton steering committee, stated that he “had not heard that, and had no knowledge of [that], nor do I think anyone here."
"And if so, that should have been certainly disclosed, and we would have disclosed that."
"I do know that he is an activist of some sort, but I had not heard that he's actually working for a campaign.”
Roberts did not mention this detail in his 6 am hour brief, nor did he mention it in the subsequent briefs or segments on the Kerr story.
By Noel Sheppard | November 29, 2007 - 12:07 ET
In the greatest of ironies, after Democrats refused to participate in debates sponsored by Fox News due to its supposed partiality, CNN has now shown itself in back-to-back debates to be as biased as biased can be.
After either participating in or allowing the planting of campaign operatives at November 15's Democrat presidential debate in Las Vegas, it has now become apparent that similar stocking of audience questioners occurred in Wednesday's Republican debate.
In one of the last remaining New Hampshire rock ribbed GOP villages a store clerk told me her top issue is transgender rights!
The gay vote will determine the outcome of the election. Gays are such an economic force in today's America in my area childless high earning gay couples are critical to maintain property values.
Wouldn't have crossed my father's mind to answer as I did this question my youngest son posed several years ago in his early teens. Asking how I'd feel if he married outside the faith without skipping a beat replied, "First bring home a girl!"
The collapse of sexual identity is the direct result of families shattered by endless warmaking, federal policy promoting divorce, and trade, environmental and investment policies which transferred our best jobs and industries overseas. Every administration since Eisenhower went along with this.
That's why for REAL REPUBLICANS I'm the only rational choice.
I guess we know the real reason why the democrats refused to debate on Fox. It had nothing to do with their false belief Fox is biased.
They knew Fox would NOT be BIASED or CHEAT or commit journalistic FRAUD.
Mrs. Soprano knows what she is doing.
Revised figures show fastest economic growth in four years
The economy grew at a 4.9 percent pace in the third quarter, the strongest performance in four years, according to revised figures from the U.S. Commerce Department, reported the Associated Press.
The 4.9 percent pace is better than the 3.9 percent growth rate previously reported for the quarter ended Sept. 30 and was driven by U.S. exports and businesses investing in inventory.
Exports grew by 18.9 percent on an annualized basis in the third quarter, and many businesses invested in equipment and software and construction of new buildings.
Consumer spending grew at a 2.7 percent pace, up from 1.4 percent in the second quarter.
Agreed. State 29 has a better name for CNN:
Cocksucking News Network!!!
Unlike D's who are afraid of Fox NEws, R's are generally not afraid to listen to CNN. We've been filtering their bias all of our lives - until Fox came along.
For instance, one of my favorite shows CNN is Reliable Sources. It's a talk show with journalists - I think all but one a lib - talking about how "fair and balanced" they all are.
I can't wait to listen in this weekend to see how they react to the firestorm over the fraud they conducted on the public last night.
Do you think they'll talk about it? Will there be a rerun of an old Barbara Streisand Concert instead?
I see Spotlight doesn't get it. D's never think anything is a wrong or unethical thing to do. Language as she uses above is more self-revealing than she may realize. It tells us she cares nothing of ethics and only about the end result. The ends justifies the means is pretty much the Clinton campaign strategy.
Go out to Essential Estrogen (her web) and read her column wherein she discusses Ron Pauls answer to who should be penalized for an abortion.
She actually knows 10 people personally that have had 10 medically necessary abortions. She writes that as if that is a small number and that is more normal than not.
Who is she hanging with? What are those medical conditions that are life threatening? 10 people with life threatening conditions requiring abortion?
Does anyone know what the statistics are on this? Of all pregnancies, what percentage might result in a life threatening condition requiring abortion?
I think life threatening to them means its threatening to their freedom to engage in unprotected sex when the spirit moves them.
From: Sneak Peek at CNN/YouTube Debate Videos/By Ariel Alexovich, dated November 21, 2007.
…many of the remaining posts involve asking the candidates to defend their opposition to gay marriage and abortion. Those kinds of “lobbying grenades” would be disqualified by the CNN selection team, Mr. Bohrman said.
“There are quite a few things you might describe as Democratic ‘gotchas,’ and we are weeding those out,” Mr. Bohrman said. CNN wants to ensure that next Wednesday’s Republican event is “a debate of their party.”
Has anyone seen Mark Penn?
I can't believe the CNN Suit in Chief, David Bohrman, who is their “Washington bureau chief and executive producer of the debate, used the word "weeding" in advance of the debate knowing full well he had "planted" all the questions.
Was the pun intended?
Wow - with all the panic about having to answer a question from a gay retired general - how is the GOP going to deal with the real tough guys out there. Untwist your panties, answer the question, and move on.
Update: New - Muslim questioner was a former CAIR intern.
Another Hillary campaign strategist checked in at 8:06
Wow, the traditional democrat response to lying and getting caught, untwist your panties and move on.
priceless.
It wasn't the question. The question was answered without hesitation and with clarity. That's not what the fuss is about.
It's finding out about the intent to fraud the public.
As a democrat, you don't have that as a value and thus do not see anything wrong with that. That is why you are a democrat.
Scratch it if it itches.
I think party activists ought to be the ones asking the questions and not these stupid journaltaners. Party activists are going to pick the candidate of their party and want their questions asked so they can determine whom to pick. The Journalists always ask stupid, non pertinent questions for their own reasons and those reasons have nothing to do with voters.
Edward R Murrow is rolling in his grave at what has become of journalism.
According to press and trade reports today, Wake Up With Whoopi was yanked from WKTU-FM today without warning, other than a brief note sent to staffers mere hours before the change. Poor ratings were cited by the station.
Recently, after similar results led to terminations in Chicago and Philly, your Radio Equalizer speculated that Whoopi’s radio days appeared numbered. Now, one can easily expect the syndicated program to be shut down, perhaps in the next few days.
Actually I'm an undecided GOP caucus voter and dont see what the big deal is. Some of you need to get a freakin' life.
Americans of means who fail to sign up for health insurance could find their wages garnisheed and their tax refunds withheld if John Edwards becomes president.
The North Carolina Democrat noted Thursday that under his universal health-care plan, every American would be required to have health insurance.
He said people who couldn’t afford to pay the premiums would qualify for public subsidies or government health plans such as Medicaid.
But he said people who could afford insurance would not be allowed to choose to go without
8:46 - if you're bored, go do something with the "your life" that you must have.
Or, say something interesting
I don't see what is fraudulent here with the gay guy's question. He gave his real name, didn't he?
I know King George allowed only true disciples into his re-election rallies, but in my democracy anyone has a right to attend campaign events and ask anything.
BTW, I am not Essential Estrogen. I am Spotlight.
Mark Klein right now is leading in all the unofficial polls in Iowa. He has Iowa and New Hampshire clearly won. I drove by Frank Stalone's campaign headquarters today as he admitted that there is no fighting the Klein onslaught. Amazing that all these candidates build organizations make phone calls and work hard only to lose to Mark Klein's Caucus machine.
Mark Klein said this in a previous post, cut and pasted, copied exactly:
"Wouldn't have crossed my father's mind to answer as I did this question my youngest son posed several years ago in his early teens. Asking how I'd feel if he married outside the faith without skipping a beat replied, "First bring home a girl!"
In other words, Mark Klein doesn't consider non-Jews as even human beings......
Thanks, Mark. Now that we've cleared that up. Can you specifically point out where the rock is that we Chrstians crawled out from under? Seeing as we're not "girls" or "boys" for that matter. From what gene pool did we evolve?
Can anybody even list a question that was unreasonable? It seems to me that you are whining about nothing. Which question in particular was not a legitimate concern to people of either party, planted or not planted? And do you really think that someone running for office isn't prepared ahead of time already for the majority of questions that have already been asked of them thousands of times? D'uh.
I agree with the above post. Why are you trying to "parent" the candidates and shield them from legitimate questions? Who cares who asked them? Why don't you try to find a REAL conspiracy? If the politicians can't answer a simple question, then they aren't fit for office! Let's weed them out now! We need to see who has brains and balls to run the country. Their job discription includes talking China out of blowing us all up and we're trying to shelter them from simple questions from *gasp* a Democrat? Get real. As the Republicans say, "Y'all just need to cowboy up and git 'r dun." If you can't answer a question, get out of the race.
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