Posted on 10/01/2004 6:59:00 AM PDT by kddid
PBS host Jim Lehrer was challenged Friday morning on claims that he went easy on Sen. John Kerry during Thursday night's presidential debate, while tossing verbal hand grenades in President Bush's direction designed to keep him on the defensive.
"I don't know what in the world you're talking about," Lehrer told radio host Don Imus, in his only post-debate interview.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
PBS's Jim Lehrer? What would you expect?
I watched it all, and it seemed to be the case, at least to me.
That Lehrer failed to ask Kerry about his 20 years of cutting weapons systems and US intelligence was inexcusable. Bush's agreeing to him as moderator was a big mistake.
He most certainly did "wink" at Kerry as he shook his hand.
to me it appeared KErry was aware of what the questions were going to be, halfway through almost all of the questions, he was ready to answer. It was so scripted even his answers were exactly 2 mintues or less.
The questions were bias. But that's not what "made" the debate. Dubya had 45 minutes of talk time to smack Kerry. The campaign has chosen the humble, high road, distinguish the differences in our ideas ... method.
Lie down with dogs, wake up with fleas.
I am surprised either side agreed to this format.
They were both asked tough questions and since Iraq was the big question of the night, it made sense that Bush was going to see tougher ones. Kerry was asked what SPECIFICALLY he would do differently about Iraq, which was a hard question in itself cuz their ain't no answer for that.
Lehrer also gave each guy chances for extra rebuttal time, which Bush could have used more effectively if he was sharper.
Bush wasn't the best I'd seen him before.
FROM THE GET-GO IT WAS ATTACK BUSH. Ooops /caps off....
Anyway, Bush was always having to defend his actions - the questions contained an assumption of wrongdoing...
"So President Bush, when did you stop beating your wife?"
President Bush, why do you suck?
Senator Kerry, why do you think President Bush sucks?
Pardon my unladylike language, but this is exactly how it was. I also think that Kerry had the questions before hand, since his answers seemed to seque quite nicely into the next question.
Theere is a thread which lists all the questions, and without the responses you can see exactly how anti-Bush they were. I recommend reading the threads about the suspicioins that Kerry had knowledge of the questions, as well.
I was ignored when I pointed this out. Bush gave too many debates...
The questions were definitely biased against President Bush. He should have had at least a couple of questions that would have challenged Kerry's long record of opposing national security.
It was obvious how Lehrer was going to handle debate with the very first question directed at Kerry - "what 'collosal mistakes' has Bush made in the War on Terror?"
Let's go after him... take him out like Rather.
Bush and Rove agreed to the format and the moderators. I thought that maybe Rove had a double-secret jujitsu strategery to manipulate these obviously biased moderators to advantage. I don't think so anymore.
You summed it up PERFECTLY.
Yep.... I flipped over to CBS right after he debate for about 10 minutes because I was curious. It seemed to me that CBS was trying to be VERY VERY careful. Trying to be certain that they did not seem partisan. It was kinda funny really.
Some of the questions were directly from Kerry. No, Kerry didn't get to ask them, but he might as well have.
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