Posted on 10/07/2004 9:43:26 PM PDT by mack98
**Shieffer Speaks at Olsson's**
ARLINGTON, VA -- CBS's Face the Nation host Bob Schieffer appeared at Olsson's bookstore in Arlington, Va, where he signed his latest book [highly recommended--see Amazon.com], discussed current events, and answered a few questions.
He mentioned this "10-minute" interview and the picture above (he likes the photo and appreciates that he looks statesmanlike).
He's a personable fellow, comes across as upfront & sincere, and will probably do quite well as moderator at the prez debates next week. Smiling, Schieffer said that he's very excited about the opportunity to moderate the prez debate in Arizona next week.
Schieffer told the group, which included many who had to stand [seating ran out], that his debate questioning of both candidates will focus on domestic issues, but he considers Iraq the top priority in this election. Apparently, he was originally scheduled to moderate the foreign affairs debate, but was bumped to the third debate. He said he had no problem with that, and researched US domestic issues so he would enough questions. [He said he learned a great deal about foreign affairs after interviewing former envoy Dennis Ross for several hours. That was before he learned of the change in moderators. Since Shieffer had to research domestic issues instead, he simply started over the following week, he told the crowd.]
Schieffer said that the nation and its leadership ought to focus on how to get out of Iraq rather than past mistakes.
His opening remarks included sorta-endorsement of the national draft. While he commented that a possible draft is, in his opinion, on the minds of many young people, he believes that a 2-year minimum national service for all 18 y/o would help restore national unity. [He recalled the rally-around-the-flag national unity immediately post-9/11.]
He added that he believes that today's US is bitterly divided along ideological lines. He attributed the extreme partisanship to the nasty electioneering on both sides, citing, in particular, the latest prez elections TV ads. Lately, he said, Republicans and Democrats can't even seem to attend the same church services or live in the same neighborhood.
When asked about last week's prez debate, he felt that Bush was off his game and that it was not the Bush he knew. [Apparently, from his remarks, Schieffer has known Bush for many years.] Schieffer predicted that Bush will smile much more in tomorrow's [Friday] debate.
And, what did Schieffer say about the controversy involving Dan Rather and President Bush's military records? He said that Rather got burnt by a source.
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Did he mention how his news organization is completely discredited and the debate should be hosted by someone impartial and objective like Michael Savage?
Schieffer is on the record having made negative statements about President Bush recently. No way the man should be allowed to moderate a debate involving President Bush, even if he were employed by a reputable (as in unbiased) news organization.
I can't believe the Bush campaign would allow anyone from CBS to participate. Period.
I thought the woman from the other night did a fairly good job. My dream moderator would be Brit Hume or Bill Kristol.
Bob Schieffer may be a nice guy, but he's also a representative of CBS.
Because those in the CBS offices, as well as Rather, tried to stonewall the public on the memo issue any CBS representative shouldn't be involved in the debates.
Getting another moderator would send a signal to the rest of the MSM that the administration doesn't take kindly to those who try to trash the president.
The liberal aroma comes right across. The top issue in this election is NOT Iraq...it is NATIONAL SECURITY...of which Iraq is a subset. Just another MSM lib trying to put the spin on GWB. SOS.
I like both Schieffer and Lehrer and think they are both fair. That's my call. Blaming Bush's poor performance as to the first debate on Lehrer as so many did here was rather pathetic. I hope 1) Bush does much better in the second and third debates, and 2) that if he does not, we don't see a repeat performance of bashing the moderator. Bush is a big boy, and can and should be able to take care of himself.
It sure is, but the only one's laughing are the Yellow Dog Democrats, of which Schieffer is one.
Interestingly, no questions to Schieffer re Rathergate. [He mentioned it once and offered to answer any related questions, but none came. What does that say about the supposed "outrage" Americans felt toward Rather?!]
Everyone behaved, as strange as it may sound re a DC crowd. Me thinks everyone just wanted their book signed.
Yeh, right. And Clinton was helpless and was merely seduced by the evil Monica! Sure!
The guy seems like a nice enough guy, but he's been on the inside so long he can't see straight.
He's just another one of the old blind farts!
Point taken. But Schieffer has been caught in lies in previous months. He almost always repeats the DNC view of events.
I agree that the President gave a lousy performance in the debate but as another freeper said the questions Lehrer asked were not very fair.
Read the questions. As the freeper (sorry I can't remember who said it) said, they were all basically, "Mr President, why do you suck?" and then "Mr Kerry, why do you think President Bush sucks?"
I'm not a fan of Schieffer and I know that he's a liberal. However, it's unfair to blame him for the actions of Dan Rather and he's no worse than the debate moderators who aren't from CBS.
I read that thread, and thought is was akin to RNC spin. Bush could have used the questions asked very effectively. There really was no material bias. I think Lehrer was simply trying to get the candidates to reveal themselves more. I thought he did a very good job. Heck, I get tough questions all the time in my profession, and relish them. It gives me a chance to get where the rubber meets the road in a hurry.
I thought Gwen Ifill did a creditable job in the VP debate. That's my call. I don't automatically think that as long as the moderator sits there and doesn't wear a "Kerry/Edwards" pin that he automatically is deserving of kudos. The attack questions that Lehrer bombarded Bush with were shameful. The first debate turned into a "Why are we doing so poorly in Iraq" inquisition. You may think the questions themselves don't matter in how a debater performs, but I do.
He's a personable fellow, comes across as upfront & sincere, and will probably do quite well as moderator at the prez debates next week.
Oh yeah. I’m sure he’ll be an unimpeachable paragon of impartiality.
Bob Sheiffer on Larry King Live - October 4, 2004
[On the first debate] Jim [Leher] and I talked about this beforehand, and I thought he did just a remarkable job. I mean, he made sure all of the areas that should be covered were covered in some detail. Sometimes he would extend the debate, and that's -- under the rules you can do that. Sometimes he would just go on to another question.
So I really learned watching Jim as he conducted that first debate. I think it's going to be -- I think it is going to be a lot of fun. I'm really looking forward to it….
[On Iraq] I think right now, if you were to try to hold elections now, you certainly couldn't hold them. And I think it's still an open question whether we will be able to hold elections in January as scheduled.
And if not, what happens after that? I just see a big question mark in Iraq right now, but I do not believe the situation is nearly as good at this point as some of the administration are trying to lead us to believe. It just seem that way to me, it doesn't feel that way. I don't talk to people who come back from there who tell me it is that way…
Will people be convinced, as the president argues, that this is the most -- this is the right place to be to fight the war on terrorism? Or will they take John Kerry's side and say that Iraq is a diversion?
That's where the -- that's where the election is now joined. And I think that is where John Kerry got back in this game when he said during the debate, when he was able to finally stake out in language you could understand what his position is on Iraq, and his position is that Iraq was a diversion. Now, you can agree with that or disagree with it, but at least you know where he stands on this. And I think a lot of people were just really had questions about what it was that Kerry wanted to do...
And I have to tell you, I am not one of those who believes that we can do it alone. I think we have to find a way to bring the entire civilized world to bare and to join with us in trying to declare war on these thugs. If we wind up being just one nation, the United States, against the Muslim world, that is simply not going to work.
Boy reading that, I can't even begin to figure out who he's pulling for in this race. Of course, in his own words, he's learned alot from Jim Leher about moderating a debate in an impartial manner.
"The next question is for you, Mr. Bush, you'll have 15 seconds - Is there anything you haven't totally f#*ked up in the last four years? President Kerry will have ten minutes to respond."
Yep.
There is a bit of spin there to the Kerry side, but what exactly do you disagree with the guy on as to substance? Bush has been a bit light on admitting that the insurgency in Iraq was a huge disappointment. It does appear to be getting a bit better lately as the perp cities seem to be heading towards pacification maybe, as to the light at the end of the tunnel. Schieffer might be a bit out of date. Let's hope he is more out of date by early November.
Did they ever? I don't think so. The core Democrat constituency prays in Synagogues and Black Baptist churches. Other Democrats are so much less likely to attend church services that Schieffer's statement seems to have arrived by carrier pigeon from the twelfth dimension.
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