Posted on 09/30/2004 11:24:42 AM PDT by Michael Goldsberry
Democratic candidate John Kerry's campaign demanded Thursday that the lights signaling when a speaker's time has expired during debates with President Bush be removed from the lecterns because they are distracting, but the commission hosting the debates refused.
An angry exchange between representatives of the Kerry campaign and the Commission on Presidential Debates took place just hours before the candidates were to meet at the University of Miami for the first of three debates, The Associated Press learned. Kerry's team threatened to remove the lights when they visit the debate site with Kerry later in the day.
"We'll bring a screwdriver," said a Kerry aide familiar with what several people called an angry exchange. The commission did not return a call seeking comment.
The commission placed the lights on the lecterns in clear view of the television audience and those in the auditorium. An agreement between the Kerry and Bush campaigns specified that timing lights "shall be placed such that they are visible to the debate audiences and television viewers."
However, Kerry's team contended that the agreement doesn't specifically say where the lights should be placed, and it said putting them on the lecterns creates a distraction. The Bush team pushed for the lights in negotiations with Kerry advisers.
The commission is a nonprofit and nonpartisan corporation that has sponsored all the presidential debates since 1988.
The Kerry camp better be prepared to screw them back on, though, because as soon as they take them off, John will have "flipped" out and want them back on. :)
"The 'Rats are used to screwing the American People, so screwing the debate lights is nothing new for them."
Good and pithy!
...where is that darn thing when you need it.
Bringing a screwdriver (the tool, not Ted Kennedy) indicates they know nothing about screwing in light bulbs.
I have 1.75 liters of vodka.
They should use those tamper-proof screws you find in rest room stalls nowadays.
Ain't gonna be nearly enough...
They said screwdriver not screwball.
I can see Saturday Night Live doing a skit on this where every time the light goes off Lurch gets angrier and angrier and then finally flips out and starts trying to destroy the light. The light just keeps glowing no matter what he does. It would be hilarious.
Well, he's that too, you're right.
Question: How many demorats does it take to unscrew a light bulb?
Answer: The world may never know, they're always using a screwdriver to break them.
ROFLOL!!!
Actually, removing the lights might be a good idea...
Kerry might equate the flash of the light with the flash of gunfire that he had seared into his brain in Cambodia...
Kerry does not care about the lights, he cares about lowering expectations.
RULES?
WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN RULES!
...or how about having a 'black light' bulb installed, then if he continues on, his NEW CAPS will glow like neon.
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