How CNN blew the debate coverage

To begin with, Lou Dobbs was allowed to spew his huffy outrage for an entire hour before the debate began. You can read an outraged real-time response here.

Dick Morris, no stranger to The Clintons, had the best evaluation of CNN's coverage of The Democratic Presidential Debate. He's right about the treatment of Hillary. I haven't seen that many softballs since the last time I went to the batting cages.
RealClearPolitics - Articles - CNN Caves, But Clinton Will Still Struggle in Iowa
In the meantime, the world now knows who controls The Blitzer Manhood....

Photo is from Grouchy Old Cripple

I tried to do a real-time blog of the debates, but didn't note anything about Wulf Blitzer taking it easy with Hillary till here, sometime after the 2nd break. Blitzer asked if Clinton was too polarizing, and then just let it die....

I didn't catch that Bill Richardson was possibly given more mouth time, possibly because of his being the nice, let's not dogpile-advocate in the previous debate.

The other issue, which I've ranted about previously (in defense of Clinton), was the issue of canned questions....Questions from the audience that had a longer preamble than The Constitution. And these people were butchering the questions ! ! Stumbling and fumbling all over them....Does anyone actually think these folks were generating those questions on their own?

Addition on Saturday night, November 17th....various bloggers are looking at photos of the randomly selected audience members chosen by CNN to ask questions, and are determining that the Nevada debate had more "plants" than The Rain Forest.

And then Sunday morning, there's this little jewel, from The New York Holy Times, wondering why James Carville was allowed to pose as an impartial commentator.

Yet Another Sign That The Apocalypse Is Upon Us

Click Here to see "what rough beast slouches toward Bethlehem, waiting to be born...."

The Third Earliest Post on The Democratic Presidential Debates in Nevada

We came back to the debate in mid-question, and I have no idea what it was….Ok, it’s about Supreme Court Nominees. Dodd is answering. They’re going into the Ultimate Wedge Issue….Roe Vs. Wade. What will we ever talk about if they start dispensing The Pill from vending machines?
Biden: He’s presided over more Court Confirmations than anyone in History. Wants to appoint real people, not lawyers, professors, etc. Joseph Biden is Pro-Privacy.
Richardson: Roe Vs Wade boilerplate.
(This issue has become so overdone, that it’s not even a discussion anymore. It’s more like Shakespeare, and everyone knows their lines.)
Kucinich: He wants to be the healer in the White House, Living Wage, etc.
Clinton: Any nominee would have to share Hillary’s view on “Privacy”.
(Roe Vs. Wade was argued before the courts in terms of privacy, not right to life, or woman’s right to chose. That’s why it’s a weak law.)
Obama: He wouldn’t appoint anyone who doesn’t support The Right to Privacy.
Edwards: Boilerplate about Privacy. He brings up the Segregated South. He knows how important it is to have judges with backbone. (Edwards is making more sense as he goes along.)
New questioner: nothing seems to be getting better in the middle east, only worse. If elected, what message will you offer the whole country to see us through this period of transition?
Malveaux: Piggybacks on that to tweak Obama…
Obama: He didn’t slam Hillary, he just thinks he’s the better candidate. Differences should end at the water’s edge. Build schools in Mid-East. Talk to our enemies. He says some good things about Republicans.
Wulf to Hillary: Are you too polarizing?
Clinton: I want to be the President for all Americans. (I think Hillary’s people got to Wulf, and threatened to break his kneecaps if he didn’t throw softballs to Hillary.)
Biden: I’d start by ending the war. You have to gain respect in elected office. He’d include Republicans in his administration. He then goes through a roll call of his accomplishments in the Senate.
Richardson: We won’t be the World’s policeman, we’ll be the world’s conscience. Protect Israel, and make a Palestinian state.
Malveaux: Introduces a student, who asks Hillary….Do you prefer Diamonds or Pearls?
Clinton: I like both.
That line will be the only one consistently quoted from this entire debate.

This has been interesting. If you’re trying to type the basics of what each candidate says, it’s easier to tell who has something to say, and who is free-associating their talking points.
Obama and Edwards were booed when they tried to tag-team Hillary.
Hillary did a lot better. But you can’t tell from these debates why she should is the front-runner.
So if I had to pick one of these people to be President of The United States, who would I pick? Joseph Biden. Barack Obama as a close second.
Joseph Biden brings a lot of experience to the table. Good sense of humor. He comes across as a very trustworthy politician.
One day, not in 2008, but one day, Barack Obama will be President of The United States. If he was a stock, I’d buy it. Not because I agree with him on everything, Lord knows I don’t, but he’s incredibly smart and young enough to run again and again and again.

The Second Earliest Post on The Democratic Presidential Debates in Nevada

Ok, everyone has had a rest room break.
This is the 2nd half of the debate.
Suzanne Malveaux is going to be moderating questions from undecided Democrats….
A Mother/Son are present. The Son has done 3 tours in Iraq, and gets a well-deserved standing O.
Everyone’s worried that we’re going to be in Iran. How is each candidate going to keep her son at home?
Biden: Don’t ratchet up the winds of war. Don’t do things that make the Muslim world think this is a war against Islam. Don’t go to war with Iran.
Clinton: Oppose a rush to war. There is no legal authority to attack Iran. Begin Negotiations. Get Everyone to The Table. Hillary says (truthfully) that the Revolutionary Guard is a terrorist group.
Edwards: Thanks Chris, The soldier. Stop Bush, Cheney, and The Neocons. They wanted the IRG declared a terrorist group. AND a proliferator of WMD’s
Obama: The IRG resolution said we should maintain forces in Iraq, AND keep an eye on Iran. We have to bring it to a close, and change our mindset. That’s what strong Presidents do.
Wulf: Barack, you weren’t there for the vote.
Obama: That’s what happens when you run for Pres.
Malveaux: Introduces a new questioner. Her son is making 30k, Corporate people are making 100K for going over there (like Jack Croddy would, if he only was forced to go.)
Richardson: He would pull out all contractors and residual forces within a year. Would keep all volunteer force. Increase military pay. Introduce a Heroes Health Card.
Malveaux: introduces a Racial Profiling questioner. What about American Civil Liberties harassment?
Edwards: Yes sir, your rights have been abused by the Patriot Act. Stop the illegal spying on the American People. Close Gitmo. (First sane thing I’ve heard Edwards say: we shouldn’t be debating what torture will be tolerated in the U.S.)
Kucinich: Gets a laugh by saying he voted against the Patriot Act Because he was the only one who read it. IMPEACH.
Biden: There’s nothing in the Patriot Act that says Racial Profiling is ok.
Malveaux: introduces an immigration question. The guy brings up Lou Dobbs B.S.
Richardson: Slams Kucinich for including him (as a governor) in Congressional votes. WE NEED TO STOP DEMONIZING IMMIGRANTS. Congress only funded half the “fence”. MEXICO: GIVE JOBS TO YOUR PEOPLE ! ! ! (Richardson just earned a lot of man points….)
Dodd: Answers the question in Espanol Brilliant. Dodd says it’s flawed to assume you have to give up rights to be safe.
Malveaux: question from a casino cashier. She has 8 grandchildren. Gets applause. The babyboomers are going to be retiring. Country has a deficit. She will have casino pension, but many people won’t have that. What do you plan to do to ensure that Social Security and Medicare will be intact?
Obama: 78 million baby boomers will be retiring. Get out of Iraq, and you’ll have the money. Don’t privatize. Adjust the cap on a payroll tax. Good answer. Medicare is a bigger problem because of inflation. We need a Universal Healthcare Plan.
Wulf: Hillary, why won’t you vote to raise the S.S. cap?
Clinton: I’m for fiscal responsibility. Bush inherited a budget surplus. It’s gone. We have a crisis. (Nobody wants to say that Social Security is an irresponsible Pyramid Scheme….)
Obama: only 6% of Americans make 90K per year. That ain’t the middle class. He accuses Hillary of playing with the numbers.
Clinton: There are people who would find a higher cap burdensome. (They’re going faster than I can type with their numbers and accusations. They’re going to take another break.) Clinton is doing much better. I thought for a minute that Obama was going to get in her face about Social Security, but he backed off. Joseph Biden remains the Democrat that I would want to see in The White House

The First, and Earliest Post on The Democratic Presidential Debate in Nevada

The theme for tonight’s CNN debates from Nevada: “This Time, The Gloves Come Off!”.
If that’s the case, can someone please stick the gloves in Lou Dobbs’ mouth? Having to listen to his borderline racist, jingoistic, outraged Populist mess prior to this debate has been an ordeal.
If Lou Dobbs was from Mexico, he would be doing anything in his power to get into the United States.
God, I wish someone would catch him employing an illegal Hispanic Nanny.
Lou, ask your audience what is screwed up about Mexico, and try to get your audience upset over that, ok? There’s only a river separating them from us. Same oceans. Same weather. Do an investigative report.
Ok, we’re getting started….
Wulf Blitzer is singing the praises of Nevada. Hasn’t mentioned GREAT blackjack rules.
He’s brought out John “The Carolina Ambulance Chaser” Edwards.
Chris Dodd, who did ok at the last debate.
Barack Obama, who came across very well last time. He’s going to be President one day, but probably not this time.
Hillary Clinton, who will probably spend the evening at the bottom of a dog pile.
Delivered by UFO, Dennis Kucinich.
Bill Richardson, who in my opinion, is running for Vice President.
Joe Biden, who I thought won the last debate.

They’re doing a Photo-op. It would be funny to have each candidate flounce down a catwalk while an announcer describes what they’re wearing, who designed it, and how much it sells for at Wal-Mart.

Wulf Blitzer is saying that the candidates must stay “on-topic”. Good luck, Wulf.

Campbell Brown is asking Hillary about “parsing”. Hillary is happy to be here. Her pantsuit is asbestos. She’s been fighting for 35 years for her positions. She’s been specific.
Wulf is trying to start some stuff…He asks Barack to clarify his attacks on Hillary. Well, Barack is happy to be here also. He thinks Americans want straight answers. Hillary doesn’t give them.. Driver’s Liscences, Immigrants, Social Security, etc. WE NEED A DIFFERENT KIND OF POLITICS. The reason is, Washington (Hillary) doesn’t listen.
Wulf throws it to Hillary….”When it came to step up and support Universal Healthcare, he chose not to do that”. Hillary covers everyone. She’s been fighting that battle for 15 years. Republicans aren’t going to quit without a fight.
Obama: Let’s talk about healthcare….hillary thinks the problem is no one has forced them to get it. Barack thinks they just can’t afford it. Everyone should healthcare as good as Congress. GOOD LUCK PAYING FOR THAT, BARACK.
Hillary: I invented healthcare.
Big muddle. Everyone talking at once.
Barack: Hillary states that she wants to mandate it. But she’s not garnishing wages. She’s not enforcing it. The audience is yelling. This will be like the WWF if someone doesn’t quiet this Nevada audience down.
Edwards: Nobody’s perfect. Can we have a Prez that will restore trust? Edwards is now the first to dogpile. He lists all the ways that Hillary is like Bush. The camera keeps going to Hillary. She looks irked.
Hillary: I respect all my colleagues on the stage. She doesn’t mind taking hits. Edwards is taking his attacks out of the Republican playbook. (audience cheers). Edwards looks irked. We need to put forth a positive agenda for America.
Wulf: we want Biden to weigh in…
Biden: OH NO NO NO….PLEASE DON”T CALL ON ME ! List of things that Americans are worried about….Biden makes a joke, and Hillary does her cackle.
Biden asks who among us can take care of big huge problems…Biden says he has the experience. He comes across as The Adult in The Room.
John Roberts, an older Ken Doll, asks about people attacking Hillary for flip-flopping:
Edwards says it’s ok for people to change their minds. But not in the same paragraph. Nevadans are booing. I think the lights are too bright. Edwards is blinking too much. He’s listing number of poor people in America. We all have choices.
Wulf: why is John Edwards so angry?
Dodd: We have a job to do…(stay in office, funnel money to our contributors, and keep people from worrying.) People quit listening when it gets this shrill.
Bill Richardson: He gets to say something, introduces himself. John wants class war, somebody else wants generational war, Hillary wants any war. He wants to give peace a chance. The governor of New Mexico wants to be John Lennon. Let’s stop the mud-slinging. Let us, Let us, Let us, etc etc etc
Wulf: Are you ready to commit that you will support the Democratic nominee?
John: Yes All others: yes. Dennis: if anti-war. Biden: wouldn’t support any of them.
Barack, on an immigration question: Bush has done nothing. 5 million have come across the border since Bush took office. We have to state a comprehensive solution: tight borders, prosecution of employers of illegals. HE SAID “MAKE SURE THEY’RE LEARNING ENGLISH.” This will come back to haunt him.
Wulf: Do you support D.L.’s for illegals?
Barack: he advocated it as state senator from Illinois. Blah blah, blame Bush.
Wulf does another role call on D.L.’s: Barack: He’s getting hung up trying to parse his answer. Edwards: No. more elaboration. Dodd: Kinda said no. Barack: Yes. (I think) Clinton: No. Kucinich: these people aren’t illegal, but undocumented. Cancel Nafta. Give them a legal path. Richardson: Yes. He did it in New Mexico. Biden: No.
Aging Ken Doll: Asks Dodd about education….Teachers can’t get raises for excellence. Teachers Unions are a problem, aren’t they?
Dodd: Brings up poverty, not merit pay for teachers.
Wulf: Asks Kucinich if he disagrees with Unions about anything….
Kucinich: Yadayadayadayada….I don’t think we’ll ever know. When pressed, he says Teamsters wanted to drill in Alaska, and he didn’t.
Richardson: minimum wage for Teacher’s oughta be 40 grand. Kindertgartens, art, math, no huge loans, Two years tuition = 1 year service.
Clinton: She likes School based merit pay, not individual. The school is a team. (Everything has to be “group” and socialized with Hillary. It Takes a Village”) She won’t say yes or no.
Biden: An Excellent Teacher should be judged by improving him/herself by getting more degrees. (This has been proven to have no effect on teaching ability, BTW.) Who is going to judge what is excellent?
Campbell Brown: Pakistan has a state of emergency. Musharaff (sp?) is in big trouble. Should we keep propping him up?
Biden: He’s gotta keep fair and free elections going in Pakistan, (or get them going to begin with). Joe has a Pakistan plan for the Pakistan middle class. (Then he gets in a great dig at the big 3 candidates, apologizing for having the boldness to answer a question….)
Richardson: We got our principles wrong in Pakistan. Democracy and Human Rights are the most important. Put up 10 million bucks. Conditional on Liberalizing the nation. Free elections, restore the courts, etc.
Wulf wants clarification: What’s more important, Human Rights or American Security?
Richardson: It’s not about what Haliburton wants.
Edwards: Basic Goals….no extremism, dem elections, watch extremists, no nukes. Edwards is going to rid the world of Nuclear Weapons.
Obama: Human Rights vs. National Interests…They aren’t contradictory. The more Human Rights are observed, they more everyone’s national security is improved. (Good Answer.)
Dodd: National Security, (after some Bush slamming). He then says some good stuff about being careful what you wish for. There are a lot of voting extremists in Pakistan.
Hillary: National Security. Hillary isn’t going to parse a single answer tonight.
John Roberts: Asks Richardson about a unit doing it’s 13th tour in Iraq. Looong question. Is the troop increase working?
Richardson: the surge isn’t working. 3/18ths of benchmarks aren’t working. 65% of Iraqi’s say it’s ok to shoot an American. (He’s giving a long, long, long answer. Kucinich looks irked ‘cause he didn’t get to answer the Pakistan question.)
Kucinich: I’m the only one on stage who voted against the war, And has a plan to bring the troops home. Then he answers the Pakistan question. Dennis says we created the Pakistan problem.
Obama: More troops in Iraq are making a difference in some neighborhoods. He’s going to end the war in 16 months. Talk to Iraq and Syria.
Campbell Brown: what about Chinese Toys? Are your co-democrats responsible?
Kucinich: my co-candidates are responsible. John Edwards, you voted in favor of a lot of this. (much audience noise)
Edwards: America’s trade policy has been a disaster. Big corporate interests have taken over the country. Now he’s talking about NAFTA. We shouldn’t replace Corporate Republicans with Corporate Democrats.
Wulf: Asks about Bill’s NAFTA support….Was Ross Perot right?
Clinton can only remember charts. “we need to take a look at it.” Every parent should be worried about China toys, pet food, etc etc etc….
Wulf: Was NAFTA a mistake?
Clinton: It didn’t deliver as hoped. Enforce Labor and Environmental rights.
Dodd: We’re in a global economy. We have to expand those markets.
Barack: Obama supports the Peru Free Trade Agreement. On China…The Japanese send their own inspectors in. We should do the same.
Biden: We can shut this down if we want to. Bush won’t do it.
John Roberts: exposition, exposition, exposition, Obama, where should Nuclear Waste be kept?
Barack: We should work on developing safe ways to store this, as opposed to finessing our “Not In My Backyard” strategies. Obama then asks why Wulf keeps asking “assuming we can’t” questions….”Let’s assume we can”….Good answer.
Richardson: the future is renewable. Turn Yucca Mountain into a National Laboratory. Find a safe way to get rid of this stuff. Plus, we have to sacrifice a little bit.
Hillary is asked about going to Wellesley, and her statements about “the all boys club”. Is she exploiting gender?
Clinton: I’m not playing the gender card, I’m playing the winning card. I’m not attacked because I’m a woman, I’m attacked because I’m ahead. Quotes Truman. “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” “I’m comfortable in the kitchen.”
What did you mean at Wellesley when you referred to The Boys Club?
Clinton: There are some impediments. It’s the hardest glass ceiling. (She’s doing well here. Good spiel.)
THANK GOD IT’S ALMOST BREAK TIME.
Wulf: do any of you think Clinton is playing the gender card?
Edwards: We gotta have a strong candidate. We have to know the differences. He gets booed on a dig about campaign contributions.)

At this point, I’d say that Obama and Biden are doing well. Edwards is neutral. Hillary is doing much better than her last outing. Dodd, Kucinich, and Richardson haven’t screwed up, but haven’t done anything to get out of last place, either. I’m going to go ahead and post this, As Is. Hope it’s accurate.

Landmark Tower Imposion

I've written enough serious posts for now.

Here's the video of Fort Worth's Landmark Tower implosion

In case you were wondering, the WWF is also scripted.

Captain's Quarters, one of the best conservative blogs, is wondering if the wheels have come off the Hillary Clinton Campaign....I think not.

Have The Wheels Come Off For Hillary?

For a candidate whom everyone expected to march confidently to her party's nomination, Hillary Clinton has begun stumbling and cannot seem to right herself. First came a disaster of an answer at the last presidential debate, and the breathtaking attack on Tim Russert for having the temerity to question her about an immigration issue in her home state. Next came the revelations of question planting at campaign events.

The question-planting business is the latest upheaval in Hillary's Week That Has Not Gone Well.

Muriel Gallo-Chasanoff is a Grinnell University student who threw some softballs for Hillary to spontaneously hit out of the park at a "Town Hall Meeting".....

Today, CNN also notes that the (Clinton campaign's) explanation given for the Grinnell University incident doesn't quite wash, either:

Gallo-Chasanoff, whose story was first reported in the campus newspaper, said what happened was really pretty simple: She says a senior Clinton staffer asked if she'd like to ask the senator a question after an energy speech the Democratic presidential hopeful gave in Newton, Iowa, on November 6.
"I sort of thought about it, and I said 'Yeah, can I ask how her energy plan compares to the other candidates' energy plans?'" Gallo-Chasanoff said Monday night.
"'I don't think that's a good idea," the staffer said, according to Gallo-Chasanoff, "because I don't know how familiar she is with their plans."
He then opened a binder to a page that, according to Gallo-Chasanoff, had about eight questions on it.
"The top one was planned specifically for a college student," she added. " It said 'college student' in brackets and then the question."

(Perhaps the next question was to be asked by "Elderly Nun", and was about The Glory of Hillary's Medicare Plan. With another question about college loans, to be asked by "African American Youth". "Wounded Veteran" to ask "How Evil Is Bush?" Naw....that's all just speculation on my part.)

How many decades has it been since White House Press Conferences weren't as scripted as The Taming of The Shrew? Hasn't it been widely acknowledged that one of the ways to reward loyalty in the White House press corps is to allow a reporter to fully participate in the scripted Q & A with the President with the cameras rolling? It goes back to Kennedy, doesn't it? I haven't had time to find out, but if you put SCRIPTED PRESIDENTIAL PRESS CONFERENCE into Google, you'll get 1.7 million hits....

I don't mean to be a Killjoy, but when Leno or Letterman do a side-splitting, spontaneous interview with some actor plugging his new movie? It's scripted. There's at least an outline, and some incredibly talented people are paid a lot of money to write it. (Those writers have gone on strike, BTW.)

When the tribunal of ex-jock TV commentators come out with wonderful pre-game analysis of each player, coach, and team, but seem to struggle to be as articulate at halftime? It's because more of the pre-game can be scripted. (Notice how they all hold and wave their pens and pencils at all times, but nobody seems to be writing anything....)

Have you ever seen the "behind-the-scenes" look at a new movie? Where they're filming a scene, and there's a director, and a cameraman, and a sound woman, and two or three people doing lighting? Have you ever wondered how they do that with "reality" TV, and not fall all over each other as the participants run through the jungle or the streets of Paris?

There's a script.

We're coming out of a year when FEMA employees posed as reporters in a fake news conference, to explain that FEMA was doing a hell of a job.

So does anyone think The Candidates or their handlers are going to leave anything to chance at one of these Town Hall events? Hillary's opponents would be lining up to ask about Gennifer, Whitewater, Vince Foster, Cattle Futures, Monica and The White House Travel Staff.

Give Hillary a break.

That's why the genuine debates, as opposed to The Town Hall Campaign Events, are worth watching. Who knows what Tim Russert or some crazed YouTuber is going to toss out there.

So then the game become a matter of psyching out the debate moderators....Here's more from Captain's Quarters....

Now Drudge reports that the Clinton campaign warned Wolf Blitzer not to get tough in this week's debate, or else:
CNN's Wolf Blitzer has been warned not to focus Thursday's Dem debate on Hillary. 'This campaign is about issues, not on who we can bring down and destroy,' top Clinton insider explains. 'Blitzer should not go down to the levels of character attack and pull 'a Russert.'' Blitzer is set to moderate debate from Vegas, with questions also being posed by Suzanne Malveaux...

They're going to be going at it again Thursday night. 7:00. CNN. It's one of the only things on TV not impacted by a Hollywood Writer's Strike.

Did Saint Peter get the memo?

Now it's official.

Despite opposition from various Popes, The Spanish Inquisition, and Ann Coulter....Howard Dean has become the Rosa Parks of The Afterlife.

Dean says Jews can go to heaven - Mike Allen - Politico.com

I cannot believe that in the year 2008, The Leader of The Free World will be chosen by taking part in discussions like this one.

Is Michael Dukakis going to say that Allah will now allow infidels into Paradise?

Is John Kerry going to do a careful study on The Norse Gods, and come out with an opinion on whether Huns could get into Valhalla?

Is Ron Paul going to chime in, and declare that Santa can now bring toys to bad little boys and girls?

The cartoon below has nothing to do with the article. I just thought it was funny.

"Progressive" Is The New "Reactionary"

Here's George Will on the Peruvian menace. He makes some of the same points made elsewhere in these pages, namely that: Opposition to liberalized trade has become liberal or, as is now said, "progressive."

Peru and Other Menaces Newsweek Voices - George F. Will Newsweek.com

It's a beautiful irony. "Classical Liberalism" in the original sense, was generally about smaller government, individual rights, freedom of contract, etc.

Are there any groups more likely to maintain the Big Government Status Quo than those who self-identify as "Progressives"?

The Farmers of Manhattan Need Your Money

EWG Farm Subsidy Database has an interactive version of the map above. It's a map of farm subsidies, with the largest red dots representing the homes of farmers receiving over $250,000.00 in government subsidies, the smallest represent farmers receiving less than $10,000.00 in government subsidies. And in case you don't have good eyesight, that's a map of Long Island.

What would happen to our nation, our economy, and our way of life if the farmers of Manhattan couldn't afford to cultivate Central Park? What would happen to our food prices if David Rockefeller (big red dot) could no longer afford to sell fresh vegetables from the back of his pickup? Would Broadway be Broadway without the familiar John Deere tractors making their way from 42nd street to Tavern on The Green? What if the residents of the West Side can't purchase products made from locally grown wheat?

There's a way of life at stake here !

As I understand it, the current farm bill has made it through the House and the Senate. Please call or write your Senator or Rep, and encourage them to overide any Bush veto of the farm subsidies bill. The farmers of Manhattan are the backbone of America. We've given them money in exchange for campaign contributions for so long, it wouldn't be fair to stop now.

For a more detailed explanation of The Manhattan Farming Crisis, check out the blog of The Advice Goddess.