by James Oliphant
An Internet petition is making the rounds, condemning the performance of ABC moderators Charles Gibson and George Stephanopolous in Wednesday's Democratic presidential debate.
It's being sent by Moveon.org and here's what it says:
Editor & Publisher called this week's ABC presidential debate "perhaps the most embarrassing performance by the media in a major presidential debate in years."
Moderators George Stephanopolous and Charlie Gibson spent the first 50 minutes obsessed with distractions that only political insiders care about--gaffes, polling numbers, the stale Rev. Wright story, and the old-news Bosnia story. And, channelling Karl Rove, they directed a video question to Barack Obama asking if he loves the American flag or not. Seriously.
Enough is enough. The public needs the media to stop hurting the national dialogue in this important election year. Can you sign the petition to ABC and other media outlets and pass it on to friends who are also fed up?
A compiled petition with your individual comment will be presented to ABC and other media
While Barack Obama Thursday joined the chorus of critics of the debate, his rival Hillary Clinton doesn't seem so bothered by it.
This morning, on a news program in Philadelphia, (as reported below by Rick Pearson) she brushed complaints about the debate aside:
Can I say that I've been through, what, 23 of these debates? And as I recall, I was asked some pretty tough questions in nearly every one of them. That goes with the territory. Having been inside the White House, I know the pressures inside the White House; I know how hard it is every single day. When the going gets tough you can't run away.
And it's going to be tough going to deal with these hard problems; getting out of Iraq in the right way, turning the economy around, getting universal health care, ending our dependence on foreign oil. The special interests are going to be a lot tougher than 90 minutes of questions from two journalists and we need a president who is going to be up there fighting everyday for the American people and not complain about how much pressure there is, and how hard the questions are.
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Comments
That will not stop those that do not want to see a Senator Obama Presidency! They are on mission, just as President Bush was on a mission to get us into a ground war with Iraq!!! All they want to do, is to damage him enough, where they think he is unelectable!! Senator McCain doesn't have to lift a finger, they will do all the dirty work for him. Don't take on corporate America, Senator Clinton learned that some years ago and now, she 's their best friend!!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, Chicago | April 18, 2008 11:57 AM
Moveon.org and the Trib's Swamp reporters are just now discovering that George Stephanopoulos is a longtime Clinton operative and a longtime Dem operative?
Where were they when the same George Stephanopoulos, same lifelong card-carrying Democrat, "moderated' the Republican debate? Where was the Swamp when right-wing bloggers objected to Democrat Stephanopoulos and his biased questioning?
And will the Swamp ever acknowledge that other debate "moderators" like Tim Russert and Chris Mathews were Dem party operatives prior to going into "journalism"?
Posted by: Bruce | April 18, 2008 1:49 PM
"And, channelling Karl Rove,"
Ah yes, the omnipotent Karl Rove. This is great stuff. Least ye think that this is so unfair, - ABC, CBS, these are YOUR indigenous folks, dems. What kind of treatment can Sen. McCain expect, if and when we get to that point in this protracted journey.
Posted by: Scott - Houston, Tx | April 18, 2008 2:20 PM
As Hillary said; she has years of experience, John McCain has years of experience, Barack Obama has a speech.
Hillary's "plants" asked her tougher questions than Barack was getting from the media.
Posted by: whatnow | April 18, 2008 4:15 PM
Why not just request that all debates be moderated by Keith Obermann and be done with it.
If Obama thinks this is tough, now we know why the little girl won't be interviewed on Fox.
Posted by: Terry | April 18, 2008 9:14 PM