Ambush at the ABC debate
So before the debate I wrote this:
Rumors are going around that one of the moderators of tonight’s debate, George Stephanopoulos, is plotting some kind of ambush question for Obama. Stephanopoulos, you may recall, is a former Clinton official who played a major role in getting Bill Clinton elected in 1992–the documentary “the War Room” which chronicles the 1992 election primarily follows Stephanopoulos and James Carville, who has been vocally anti-Obama this season (e.g., calling Richardson “Judas” for endorsing Obama). CNN pulled Stephanopoulos from its debate because of his Clinton conflict of interest. ABC has a different view, apparently.
Hat tip to Billary Redux for breaking this.
And then I live blogged the debate. There wasn’t an ambush question, so much as a series of absurdly non-substantive questions.
As an experiment, I’ll keep a negative scorecard. -1 point for saying something negative or raising a negative personal issue about a candidate.
Scorecard: ABC: 0, OBAMA: 0, CLINTON: 0
ABC: Will you take the other as a running mate? OBAMA: Too soon to answer. Clinton: Too soon to answer.
No points deducted. It’s a lame question since it’s been asked so many times, but not technically negative.
ABC: Bittergate? (-1), OBAMA: lets talk about issues, CLINTON: “fundamental misunderstanding” (-1), “cling to tradition” (-1), “people taken aback and offended,” (-1),
Scorecard: ABC: -1, OBAMA: 0, CLINTON: -3
ABC: Can Obama win? (-1) Can Clinton win? (-1), CLINTON: yes, OBAMA: absolutely, but it’s not helping that Clinton keeps making personal attacks (-1)
Scorecard: ABC: -3, OBAMA: -1, CLINTON: -3
ABC: Reverend Wright? (-1), OBAMA: I’ve answered that, ABC: do you think 8k people should’ve walked out? (-1), CLINTON: “You get to choose your paster” (-1), ABC: You rescinded the invitation… (-1), ABC: Does Rev. Wright love america (-1), what will you do when those sermons are replayed? (-1) You’ve disowned him? (-1) Do you believe he’s as patriotic as you are? (-1), CLINTON: The Rev. Wright issues deserves further exploration (-1), Farrakhan too (-1),
Scorecard: ABC: -9, OBAMA: -1, CLINTON: -7
This is unbelievable. They haven’t discussed any substantive issues whatsoever yet. I love that they quoted the Constitution before launching into this debate that involves no constitutional or even policy issues whatsoever.
ABC: 6 in 10 voters don’t find you honest (-1), sniperfire in bosnia (-1),CLINTON: I’m sorry.
Scorecard: ABC: -11, OBAMA: -1, CLINTON: -7
ABC: Clinton hasn’t been truthful, has she? (-1), OBAMA: She has the right to make mistakes now and then, like me.
Scorecard: ABC: -12, OBAMA: -1, CLINTON: -7
Good lord.
ABC: Do you believe in the American flag? (-1), OBAMA: I revere the American flag, ABC: You know William Heirs, doesn’t that make you unpatriotic? (-1), OBAMA: this is stupid, CLINTON: Obama served on a board with Heirs and what he said was hateful (-1), OBAMA: President Clinton pardoned two members of the Weather Underground (-1)
Scorecard: ABC: -14, OBAMA: -2, CLINTON: -8
Hell with this. I’m not gonna keep blogging it. Nothing presidential about this debate. Incidentally, please don’t think I was judging Obama negatively for the two points I deducted. I think they were fair responses–I was just being technical to my scoring rules.
Update: I love this interviewer trick: If you want to call the candidate an asshole, don’t ask, “are you an asshole?” Instead you ask, “How will you defend yourself against the charge that you are an asshole when it is raised in the general election?”
6 Responses to “Ambush at the ABC debate”
http://lots-o-thoughts.blogspot.com/
Stephanopoulos pulled out the William Ayers thing. When Clinton piled on, Obama countered by mentioning the Clinton pardon of Weather Underground members.
The first half was all bitter-gate, Rev. Wright, Bosnia, electability, VP selection, etc. It was a very silly debate, and the moderators got booed at the end.
The biggest problem with this election (as well as all the other ones I’m old enough to remember) is the ridiculous press, force-feeding us ridiculous non-substantial issues and glossing over all the important stuff (you only had 90 seconds to respond to the real question).
http://www.luros.org
There were questions? I only heard an ad for Halcyon. Although, the TV did come free from my doctor.
http://www.matthewfunk.net/blog
This was a televised dramatization of stabbing Caesar in the Senate house, and most commentary on it indicated as much. Resoundingly, the censure is being piled on them.
Shame on ABC. A pox be on their houses and all that.
http://overbreadth.com
In the end, I just made another donation to Obama’s campaign.
http://www.matthewfunk.net/blog
Well, and like Antony emerging from Caesar’s stabbing with a speech that would lead to redefining politics for generations to come, Obama had some excellent words on it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlR9DNfqGD4
I just polished off a blog post on that brouhaha, but I think what happened last night has the potential to be seen as among the many of Obama’s heroic moment.
http://overbreadth.com
Matt, I didn’t get a chance to watch the Obama response video until tonight. Great response. He’s constantly reminding me why I’m supporting him.
Is it just me or does Clinton look like she just can’t believe Obama won’t go negative? When he referenced her “cookie” comment from the nineties, she looked like she was gonna burst, before realizing his point was actually a compliment.
Discussion