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Lehrer Stacks Deck Against Bush
NewsMax ^ | 9/30/04 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 09/30/2004 7:48:13 PM PDT by wagglebee

Presidential debate moderator Jim Lehrer showed once again Thursday night why top aides to President Clinton used to call him "our moderator" when presidential debate time rolled around in 1996.

The questions, which Lehrer announced at the outset had been authored exclusively by him, were supposed to help the American people determine which candidate would be a better steward of U.S. national security in a post-9/11 world.

But there were no queries to Sen. Kerry about his long Senate record of voting against defense appropriations; or his sponsorship of a bill to cut CIA funding by 6 billion dollars a year after terrorists struck the World Trade Center in 1993; or Kerry's support of the nuclear freeze movement during the height of the Cold War.

Kerry wasn't asked about why he teamed up with Jane Fonda to protest the Vietnam War while his band of brothers were still on the battlefield, or why he met with enemy leaders in Paris, or why he accused fellow soldiers of being "monsters" and "war criminals."

Most Americans would consider the answers to those questions extremely relevant to the selection of any U.S. commander-in-chief during a time of war.

But not Jim Lehrer. Instead, he focused on Iraq with question after question that suggested Bush had blown it.

Here's a sampling:

"You said there was a miscalculation in Iraq," Lehrer asked the president. "What was it and how did it happen?"

"What colossal misjudgments, in your opinion," Lehrer asked Kerry, "has President Bush made in these areas [Iraq]?"

To Bush: "Mr. President, has Iraq been worth the cost in American lives -10,052 - I mean 1,052 up to today?"

To Kerry: "You've repeatedly accused President Bush of lying to the American people on Iraq. Give us some examples of the president being untruthful on Iraq?"

Despite his focus on Iraq, however, Lehrer never asked why Kerry voted to authorize the war, then turned around and voted against the legislation to fund it. Or why he voted against authorization for the first Gulf War, even though President Bush's father had amassed just the kind of coalition Kerry says the U.S. needs now.

Likewise, the PBS host declined to ask Kerry about comments in recent days from French and German officials who announced they have no intention of sending troops to Iraq, even if Kerry is elected.

That's quite a stunning development, given that Kerry's Iraq policy rests almost solely on the promise that he'll persuade Old Europe to pitch in and take some of the load off U.S. forces.

But not stunning enough, apparently, to interest Mr. Lehrer.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2004; bush; debate; debates; defundpbs; firstdebate; jimlehrer; kerry; mediabias
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To: whadizit

W was great in 2000 against Gore. Sure, Gore imploded with his three different personalities during the debates. He certainly wasn't the Gore that debated Kemp in 96, but W beat him hands down in each debate in 2000. Both in style and substance. Tonight, he was far from his 2000 performance. Bush looked tired, irritated, uncomfortable, groped for words, kept repeating himself. There were some solid moments, by for consistancy and style, Kerry won.


61 posted on 09/30/2004 8:24:10 PM PDT by joesbucks
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To: squirt
I'm with you sKerry had the questions before hand.

He did seem to have an amazingly good sense of how long to speak after each one, and how much time he could affort to use on 'prelimiary' topics.

62 posted on 09/30/2004 8:24:28 PM PDT by supercat (If Kerry becomes President, nothing bad will happen for which he won't have an excuse.)
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To: wagglebee
Lehrer is a PBS POS!
'Nuff Said!
63 posted on 09/30/2004 8:24:32 PM PDT by Fiddlstix (This Tagline for sale. (Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: wagglebee

I thought Jim was less obnoxious then he was in the 2000 debates


64 posted on 09/30/2004 8:24:44 PM PDT by UB355
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To: squirt

That's ridiculous, but if it were true, then W should do good in the next debate with questions from the audience.


65 posted on 09/30/2004 8:25:04 PM PDT by Finalapproach29er ({about the news media} "We'll tell you any sh** you want hear" : Howard Beale --> NETWORK)
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To: Wil H

I too, was disapointed By 43's responses, but having lived i MA, Kerry's B.s was almost too hilarious for words!! He Spoke ALOT, But what did He REALLY SAY?


66 posted on 09/30/2004 8:25:22 PM PDT by acapesket (never had a vote count in all my years here)
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To: Diddle E. Squat

I agree with all your "why's"!!

One thing about the current crew of Republicans is that THEY WILL NOT FIGHT!! I heard today that there is so much voter registration fraud going on but the Republicans will NOT challenge due to being AFRAID OF BEING CALLED RACISTS!!

These guys must get over their timidity and do what is right! Get a backbone! They should not have agreed to 3, should NOT have agreed to Lehrer, etc., etc. THEY ARE SO AFRAID OF WHAT PEOPLE WILL SAY that by not doing what is good for them may bring THEM DOWN!!

THIS WAS W'S BEST CHANCE and he goofed.


67 posted on 09/30/2004 8:25:25 PM PDT by whadizit
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To: Lijahsbubbe

Bush shook his hand first


68 posted on 09/30/2004 8:25:58 PM PDT by UB355
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To: Wil H

You must have dozed off during the President's response on bilateral talks with the North Korean Kook. Bush made it very clear that his strategy of engaging China, Japan, and other countries in bringing pressure to bear on NK is working.

As W said, there is nothing Kim Jong-il would like better than to go back to bilateral talks ( a la Clinton), and get China off his back!


69 posted on 09/30/2004 8:26:19 PM PDT by Palladin (Proud to be a FReeper!)
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To: wagglebee

This is spot on, and besides, those of us watching CSPAN must have been put off by his Warden like behavior to the audience before the debate. He made me sick with his threats.


70 posted on 09/30/2004 8:27:22 PM PDT by ladyinred ("John Kerry reporting for spitball and typewriter duty.")
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To: wagglebee

Lehrer Stacks Deck Against Bush

And we're surprised because...?

71 posted on 09/30/2004 8:27:24 PM PDT by BillaryBeGone
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To: wagglebee
This is ridiculous. Reminds me of Joe Gibbs complaining about the refs in the Monday night game against the Cowboys.

If you're griping about the moderator, you didn't train hard enough. Period.

72 posted on 09/30/2004 8:28:11 PM PDT by sinkspur ("John Kerry's gonna win on his juices. "--Cardinal Fanfani)
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To: whadizit

So, you don't like the President's style.

I'll take substance over style any day. As a speaker, W is straightforward, sincere, calm, and effective.

Kerry speaks like Hitler-- a damned megalomaniac.


73 posted on 09/30/2004 8:28:23 PM PDT by Palladin (Proud to be a FReeper!)
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To: wagglebee

I was hoping the president would have hit Kerry with his record, the president was too scripted he does better when he speaks from the heart with just a few notes.
I thought the president was too easy on Kerry.


74 posted on 09/30/2004 8:28:37 PM PDT by Burlem
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To: Palladin
You're getting repetitious, just like Kerry.

"Strong at home, respected abroad."
"Strong at home, respected abroad."
"Strong at home, respected abroad."
"Strong at home, respected abroad."
"Strong at home, respected abroad."
"Strong at home, respected abroad."
"Strong at home, respected abroad."..........

75 posted on 09/30/2004 8:28:48 PM PDT by Honorary Serb (Kerry is an empty suit, and Soros is his puppet-master!)
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To: wagglebee

Lehrer is out of touch with his roots - Oklahoma, where Bush will garner 68+ % of the votes. Shame on him!


76 posted on 09/30/2004 8:28:52 PM PDT by Doctor Don
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To: wagglebee

Anybody but a fool knew he was going to do that.


77 posted on 09/30/2004 8:28:58 PM PDT by sport
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To: acapesket
sKerry: "whine, whine.... Bush bad, Bush bad.....I can do better.... I have a plan (?) oh, and I was in the war....I know better... yad yada yada blah blah..."

Bush: "we are fighting terroists on their turf .... bringing freedom to middle east.... defending America.... defeating terrorists..... trying to defuse nukelar threat... I am resolved.... I will continue to follow course and not send mixed signals and waiver... I want your vote of confidence for 4 more..." Amen!

SKerry more presentable debater about same old wafling crap - Dubya solid defender and fighter for America. Who you gona vote for? Wafling POS or real commander?

FR rocks, way slow Eh?

FReeper Leo

78 posted on 09/30/2004 8:29:11 PM PDT by Leo Carpathian (Vote the RATS out!!!)
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To: wagglebee

I thoroughly agree with this.

The premise of every question was negative toward President Bush and his policies.

These people are absolutely forgetful of 3000 murdered on 9/11. They want to go back to bread, sex, and circus; and being murdered is less a concern than if they lose their "sensual delights."

This is the ultimate immorality...to value your own life less that your pleasures.

It is the rat eating cocaine instead of food until it flops over dead.


79 posted on 09/30/2004 8:30:05 PM PDT by xzins (Retired Army and Proudly Supporting BUSH/CHENEY 2004!)
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To: wagglebee
This was round twelve of a classic fifteen round championship fight. The champ has hurt the challenger in previous rounds(almost as much as challenger has hurt himself), and he had a chance to put him away this round. But, this round was a draw, although the referee was clearly in the challenger's corner with the pattern and tone of questions.

Challenger's legs looked a little fresher, and both fighters landed some solid blows, took some punishment, and missed on a few.

The champ missed a few openings, but he'll exploit those in the later rounds. Challenger did get a cut over the "smell test" comment, and it will probably bleed for the rest of the fight. Overall, I think the champ should still be ahead on the scorecard at this point.

The ringside news hounds will try to keep the excitement building by pumping up the challenger, but their impact will be fleeting.

The rule in prizefights is always "you have to knock out the champ to win", and that didn't happen tonight.
80 posted on 09/30/2004 8:30:18 PM PDT by EagleClaw
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