Posted on 07/27/2004 8:07:29 AM PDT by fight_truth_decay
FNC may have provided fuel to its left-wing critics when the network failed to air Al Gore's speech live, though it ran a lengthy excerpt a couple of hours later at 10pm EDT, and carried on with its regular line-up, running The O'Reilly Factor from 8 to 9pm EDT. Instead of Gore, FNC viewers were treated to O'Reilly interviewing Democratic consultant Howard Wolfson.
When FNC did get around to full-time convention coverage in the 10pm EDT hour, Major Garrett pointed out how "the Democratic platform, written by John Kerry, basically calls for an open-ended financial, military and political commitment to democratizing Iraq. Now, that is not something that all the delegates on this floor agree with." Chris Wallace also pressed Illinois Senate candidate Barack to Obama about the disconnect on Iraq between the platform and the views of the delegates: "Aren't John Edwards and John Kerry hiding where the Democratic Party really is on Iraq?"
And FNC's commentators disagreed on the ideological flavor of Bill Clinton's speech. William Kristol, Publisher of The Weekly Standard, insisted that Clinton delivered a "very centrist speech" while Fred Barnes, Executive Editor of the same magazine, countered: "I didn't think Jimmy Carter, Al Gore or Bill Clinton gave centrist speeches."
Fuller quotes from FNC's Monday night coverage, as tracked by the MRC's Brad Wilmouth:
-- Bill O'Reilly announced a bit past 8pm EDT: "In just a few moments, Al Gore is going to address the crowd here. We might listen in for a minute or so, but we're trying to stay away from partisan speeches in both conventions this year. The 'No Spin Zone' has turned into a 'No Propaganda Zone,' and that's the subject of this evening's 'Talking Points Memo.'"
After showing about 45 seconds of Gore, O'Reilly opined: "Oh man, I wish I was out there. I would have said, 'Hey, a deficit? We got a war on terror. We were attacked. What are you talking about?' I can't do it. I'm up here in the booth. All right, let's get back to talking about Teresa Heinz Kerry, Mr. Wolfson. I like her. I know her. I want her to be feisty. I, these robotic politicians, that's why Gore lost. He was a robot, okay? But if she's gonna get in your face, she's got to explain it, right?"
-- In the 10pm EDT hour, discussing Jimmy Carter's speech, reporter Martha McCallum pointed out: "He also mentioned, though, an interesting point when he talked about the fact that North Korea was a bigger threat, nuclear threat than Iraq is. Interestingly, if you may remember, Carter was part of a delegation under the Clinton administration that went to North Korea, came back and suggested that the Clinton administration basically back off of a military approach there because he didn't feel that there was a serious threat there."
-- Major Garrett soon noted: "In addition to the speeches, there is some actual business being conducted here on the floor of the Democratic National Convention. One of the things that was done tonight, Democrats here on the floor, the delegates reviewed the party platform. And on the central issue touched on both by former Vice-President Al Gore and former President Jimmy Carter, the war in Iraq, it might be interesting for our viewers to know that the Democratic platform, written by John Kerry, basically calls for an open-ended financial, military and political commitment to democratizing Iraq. Now, that is not something that all the delegates on this floor agree with. A Boston Globe poll today showed that 95 percent, 95 percent of the assembled Democrats here for the convention do not think the war in Iraq is a good idea. I talked to one of the biggest opponents of the war, Congressman Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, earlier tonight, he said we don't agree with this platform, but we're not going to make a stink about it. There will be no division among Democrats on this issue. What we in the peace movement will do is try to create a context for John Kerry to change his mind about Iraq once he is elected."
-- Chris Wallace, on the convention floor, quizzed Barack
Obama: # "Earlier we had conservative commentator Bill Bennett on who said this is a liberal party with a liberal presidential ticket that's pretending to be moderates. Your response?"
# "Let me ask you about the Iraq war. The Boston Globe had a very interesting poll in the paper today that found that 95 percent of the delegates now believe that the U.S. never should have gone into Iraq in the first place. Aren't John Edwards and John Kerry hiding where the Democratic Party really is on Iraq?"
-- William Kristol declared of Clinton's address: "And giving a very centrist speech, very much a contrast to Al Gore, you know, I was thinking about that listening to Clinton. Nothing about 'the people versus the powerful,' no attack on big corporations, no invocation of the great liberal themes, abortion rights, all that kind of stuff. An incredibly centrist, I mean, this was Bill Clinton. Bill Clinton wants John Kerry to run as a Clinton Democrat with the addition that he will be a stronger leader on foreign policy in a post-9/11 world."
Morton Kondracke: "I disagree. No, I disagree. I don't think this was exactly a centrist speech....
Barnes soon argued: "I didn't think Jimmy Carter, Al Gore or Bill Clinton gave centrist speeches."
Kristol: "I think you're wrong. I think if you are an undecided swing voter out there, this was a speech you could resonate to. This was not a bitter, partisan attack on Republicans. President Bush wasn't mentioned. And even the contrasts were pretty garden variety political contrasts. I mean, I think this was a pretty effective first night for John Kerry."
First of all, as the FNC knew, Gore could not have pleasured us with his fiery from the pulpit screaming speeches. All speeches had to go thru the Kerry group to edit. These edited speeches were intended not to scare fly over America or to intimidate; but to bring in the "undecided" voter from a moderate angle. Oh, well so much for Freedom of Speech at the Democratic Party!
As far as Fox snubbing Gore's speech..Hell, the Clintoons snub him!
I compare the Convention kinda like ordering and expecting a hearty stew and getting bisque!
The Yankee/Red Sox game has been the only thing worth watching in ole BeanTown as of late.
The Grid (anti-terrorist task force mini series)9:00 EST on TNT Monday nights is much more interesting to watch!
SO..How would you rate the Convention..
Boring
Nothing Else to Watch, so Tuned in
Fight_truth_decay you are an idiot and Un-American not to watch!
Interesting
Couldn't tear myself away
Historical and someday will tell my grandchildren about it!
Undecided (Note: gotta love the "duh-undecided" as everyone's future always seems to depend on them)
bttt
Fox knows its audience. If you wanted to see the convention without comments, turn into CSPAN.
I had determined to "watch" it only on FR (can't take the lies - its the closest I come to throwing stuff at the TV) and was relieved to find Bill cutting through the garbage. I know, I'm a wimp.
Bill, for all his faults, hates "bomb throwing" and wouldn't give Gore the time of day. Just turned him off, like yeah, yeah, we know what you are going to say.
They did televise Clinton. (I turned it off, watched that on FR)
I did notice the networks did not televise Gore either.
Fox DOES know its audience. It would have lost 90% of it covering the manic one.
Is O'Reilly's ego so large that he cannot be pre-empted?
How would I rate Convention?
Carter Clinton Gore Edwards Kerry and the anti-war/pro-communist/pro-terrorist demonstrators: Welcome to the Heart of the DNC. This convention worries the Dem candidates for House and Senate in Flyover.
Am I the only one that really does not like Fred Barnes?
Face it! Al Gore is dead and does not know it! And....so is Jimmy Carter! This convention is going nowhere! No viewers (see Drudge)! No substance! No truth! No real Candidate for POTUS. If the Democrats had any brains they would get rid of John Kerry and put Hillary up right now! At least we could then destroy her and her "911" causing husband! The week will only downhill from here. By Thursday only Michael Moore and Chris Matthews will be watching!
"...the peace movement will try to create a context in which John Kerry can change his mind about Iraq once he is elected." That's one of the funniest statements I've read yet. Create a context? Kerry lives in that context. It's called the village of flipflop where the girlie men live.
William Kristol, Publisher of The Weekly Standard, insisted that Clinton delivered a "very centrist speech" while Fred Barnes, Executive Editor of the same magazine, countered: "I didn't think Jimmy Carter, Al Gore or Bill Clinton gave centrist speeches."
Kristol is crazy. Clinton was a total partisan leftist. He's just a good manipulator. I think Clinton's speech was effective, but it was most certainly not centrist.
There's a convention? Huh...if we ignore it, will it go away?
"Am I the only one that really does not like Fred Barnes?"
You are not alone....lol
Clinton's speech was pretty good. I wouldn't call it centrist, since it was highly partisan, but I agree with the basic point which is that if you're in the middle, the speech is likely to help pull you to the left.
All the other speeches were pathetically dull. Is Clinton the only guy in there with a decent speechwriter? That was my impression. The swift boat guy started off good but wound up going way overlong. Everyone else I caught was just plain awful.
I'd like to hear Teresa tonight. I'm very curious about her since she seems like someone who might be able to put forth something entertaining. Unfortunately, she's married to John Kerry and he will have probably leeched all the life out of the speech before it's delivered :-(.
D
Kristol: "I think you're wrong. I think if you are an undecided swing voter out there, this was a speech you could resonate to. This was not a bitter, partisan attack on Republicans. President Bush wasn't mentioned. And even the contrasts were pretty garden variety political contrasts. I mean, I think this was a pretty effective first night for John Kerry."
Actually Kristol is probably right. My independent MIL felt the way he says about Clinton's speech. It was the speech Kerry should give. Perfect in tone for a general election campaign-- straight talk, no Washington-ese.
For the first time ever when America was on a war footing, there were two huge tax cuts, nearly half of which went to the top one percent. I’m in that group now for the first time in my life.X42 is a smart politician. I hope Kerry isn't that smart. Kerry should steal that line-- tax cuts for people like me and you out there in your living rooms are picking up the tab (via tax increases later to pay for the increased deficit). That's how you turn a rich man into a man of the people. You say sh!t like that. It sells. Trust me.When I was in office, the Republicans were pretty mean to me. When I left and made money, I became part of the most important group in the world to them. At first I thought I should send them a thank you note—until I realized they were sending you the bill.
that is why i WANTED to see him...he's a maniac. i actually turned to (gasp) cnn so i wouldn't miss it. i thought his speech was petty, small-minded, struggling with mental illness due to his loss last time, and really really crazy.
i admit to schadenfreude, in this case. i also thought most of the speeches were pretty nasty, not talking realistically about what they want to do (other than spend money) but rather why they hate republicans.
Clips of it do get coverage and the ratings will probably be fine for Thursday night. Kerry should set his speech up just like X42's. Talk about how he doesn't need a tax cut-- why is Bush giving him one and shafting those making little-- how it's just a matter of priorities, that voters just need to vote for the candidate who shares their priorities (more tax cuts for Kerry or more tax cuts for you, the middle and lower class). That is golden rhetoric. It'll get tremendous media play in clips and soundbites.
In a direct way Bill O’Reilly was saying that it is not a good thing for the Democrats to start their convention with these Teresa Heinz Kerry and John Kerry incidents.
Not bad for O'Reilly who is obsessed of looking independent.
As a certified political junkie, I don't need to hear from Al Gore, been there, done that. I enjoyed Fox's coverage last night, with one notable exception.
Dick Morris imploded once again, even O'Reilly was appalled by some of his comments, couldn't get him off the air fast enough.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.