Comments on: Unfair for Stephanopoulos to moderate debate with Clinton

By: Vince P

Vince P — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 22:53:24 +0000

By the way, Vince P in #3, Sean Hannity more than â€œsuggestedâ€ the question about Obamaâ€™s relationship with the Vietnam War-era terrorist William Ayres. If one listens to the tape of Hannity on the phone with Stephanopoulos, Hannity is dictating the wording and Stephanopoulos says he is writing it down. If one listens to the tape of the debate, Stephanopoulos asks the Obama the question pretty much word for word as dictated by Hannity.

Um that’s still the definition of “suggests”. Or are you saying that Steph has no power of his own to resist what is asked of him?

By: Trace Phelps

Trace Phelps — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:51:36 +0000

I didn’t have a problem with George Stephanopoulos moderating the debate. I guess I’m trusting enough to believe that he could separate political loyalties from his role as a journalist. (As I commented in one of your other posts, Dan, Mayhill Fowler, the blogger who broke the story on Obama’s elitist remarks in San Francisco, supports Obama and contributed the maximum $2,300 to his campaign, but her instincts [and perhaps ethics] as a journalist kicked in and she gave us a story she didn’t want to write.) Despite his partisan leanings and the fact that he gets his paycheck from FOX News, Karl Rove is one of the most objective (and most interesting) political analysts on the air. Tim Russert, who usually terrorizes guests from both parties, is among a number of talking heads who successfully made the move from partisan roles to journalism. (One of my best friends has been a newspaper editor for years at the same time he’s been very active in the GOP, in which he has held important state and national posts. While his editorial page usually reflects his partisan leanings, anyone who reads the news articles in his paper would never know the man in charge lives and breathes Republicanism.)

Anyway, Dan, Stephanopoulos asked Obama questions that needed to be asked, questions that the mainsteam media had been refusing to ask, questions that dealt with two very important issues in any presidential campaign…Obama’s judgment and character.

By the way, Vince P in #3, Sean Hannity more than “suggested” the question about Obama’s relationship with the Vietnam War-era terrorist William Ayres. If one listens to the tape of Hannity on the phone with Stephanopoulos, Hannity is dictating the wording and Stephanopoulos says he is writing it down. If one listens to the tape of the debate, Stephanopoulos asks the Obama the question pretty much word for word as dictated by Hannity.

By: GayPatriot » Credit Where It’s Due or the Problem with Googling

GayPatriot » Credit Where It’s Due or the Problem with Googling — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 16:28:16 +0000

[...] Unfair for Stephanopoulos moderate debate with Clinton [...]

By: PatriotMom

PatriotMom — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:34:49 +0000

I think George left the Clinton’s behind when he realized who and what they were. I think it was a great move on ABC’s part to have him moderate.

By: ILoveCapitalism

ILoveCapitalism — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:21:57 +0000

Here’s an example of Steph’s (relative) neutrality and skill. He asked Obama,

“Do you think Rev. Wright loves America as much as you do?”

That’s a very fair phrasing. The starting premise is yes, *of course* Obama loves America. But it also reflects the fact that when it comes to Wright, Obama still has some ’splainin to do. By contrast, I would have phrased it:

Rev. Wright was your and Mrs. Obama’s chosen spiritual teacher. In your hearts, do you damn America as he has done publicly?

Getting closer to the truth, I think. But some might pretend that isn’t fair.

By: Vince P

Vince P — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:13:27 +0000

I love the fact that Hannity may have suggested some of the questions that Steph asked. This gets the leftists really crazy

By: ILoveCapitalism

ILoveCapitalism — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 23:02:44 +0000

GPW, this is one of the occasions we disagree. Steph left the Clinton fold long ago. To some extent he sees through them, though he is not as hostile as some. That makes him a fairly neutral choice as moderator. And as the event proved, he did a reasonable job. Your Karl Rove – Jeb Bush analogy would only hold up if Rove had left the Bush Administration around 2002 or 2003 and become a Bush family critic. As we know, he hasn’t.

I think it’s about time a major network asked the Democratic candidates DIFFICULT questions. Remember how CNN and others did that in the Republican debates? The MSM is finally showing some even-handedness. ABC is not the debate’s loser, but the debate’s winner; my opinion of them has gone up.

By: megapotamus

megapotamus — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:17:51 +0000

Stephanopolous should recuse himself from any Clinton related duties but that doesn’t leave much. Really he should never have been hired to the lofty position he commands. He had no journalistic experience at that time and his only public job was with the Clinton’s in one capacity or another. Of course none of this caused any concern with our left-leaning citizens until it bit ol’ Obammy on the backside… if it did. I don’t see how any media pro could have handled Cry-baby Barry any more softly but, of course, I don’t care who gets spanked harder between Barry and Hill. As long as someone takes it on the chin.