July 24, 2007
Hotline After Dark -- Will Video Kill The Anchor Star?
The first DNC-sanction debate was last night:
CNN's Cooper: "YouTube got nearly 3,000 video clips. Thirty-nine of them actually made it into the debate" ("AC 360," 7/23).
FNC's Cameron: "This was supposed to be the intersection, the debate in which new and old media got it together. ... We had at one point a video where a snowman was asking about global warming" ("Hannity & Colmes," 7/23).
Ex-WH adviser David Gergen: "The clear winner tonight was this format, because the questions were fresh." More Gergen: "The overall impact of tonight's debate was there was no clear winner, and even though the rest of the candidates were better, the fact that Hillary Clinton continues to deliver a superior performance I think is really beginning to set in now an making it much tougher to beat her" ("AC 360," CNN, 7/23).
CNN's Crowley: "No open warfare, but the two leading Democratic contenders circled each other time and again." More Crowley: "I really think the stars of this show at this point were the questioners. I really think they did bring out something a little different in these candidates. I thought the variety of the questions gave us new looks at not just the top tier, but the lower tier, as well" ("AC 360," 7/23).
Dick Morris: "I thought that CNN has at least solved its big problem, which is really boring anchors" ("Hannity & Colmes," FNC, 7/23).
GOP pollster Frank Luntz, on the reax of his focus group: "It was a good night for Joe Biden and good night for Senator Obama" ("Hannity & Colmes," FNC, 7/23).
SORRY ABOUT THAT
And on "Countdown" last night, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann apologized to Wendy Vitter:
Olbermann: "We owe an apology for something that happened on this newscast on a night I was off last week and we offer it fully and unreservedly. It is to Mrs. Wendy Vitter, wife of the senator from Louisiana who has been caught up in the DC madam scandal. Last Tuesday this program aired a segment about her attire and her demeanor at their joint news conference. Not only was a series of unfortunate and inappropriate terms used, there was no justification for such a segment about what a woman, a victim of her husband's inappropriate behavior was wearing in public. The story should not have aired, it should not have been couched in the terms used, it should not have happened, and it won't happen again. So to Mrs. Vitter and to you, the viewer, I once again apologize" (7/23). [EMILY GOODIN]
Posted at 08:27 AM
Comments
Does anyone find it disturbing that the media on CNN (Jeffrey Toobin, David Gergen) declared Clinton the winner though in focus groups that outcome was quite the opposite (Obama, Biden, Richardson)?
It appears the American people not only have to "take back" America from tone-deaf Mr. Bush, but, deluge media outlets with reminders to report events without class bias.
It's very apparent these talking heads haven't talked to the average Joe in years...you can't FORCE FEED Hillary Clinton down our throats.
Tommy | 07.24.07 09:16 AM
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There was a distinct difference between some of the user-generated questions (not counting the odd ones) and the typical debate set-up. For example, take one of the most specific and uncomfortable questions: "Will your health plan cover illegal immigrants?"
Hot topic, asked in a direct way, could have been answered simply in either direction. A question which highlighted differences between the parties. Could have been knocked out of the park for supporters, or spun to get the maximum effect for the undecided.
The result: evasion, platitudes, mock anger.
A series of process answers, really, rather than response to the "peoples' questions."
Actually quite illuminating response, if not in the way political insiders might have wanted.
Pining for Chuck Todd | 07.24.07 10:26 AM
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