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Gibson's Attempt to Influence Debate (Vanity)
NY Times ^ | 10/08/04

Posted on 10/08/2004 10:25:07 PM PDT by huac

Moderator Gibson decides that this is to be the final question of the second Presidential Debate:

"Q. President Bush, during the last four years, you have made thousands of decisions that have affected millions of lives. Please give three instances in which you came to realize you had made a wrong decision and what you did to correct it."

In a debate with no high points, the final question was one last chance to stump the President. Gibson chooses a question which is designed to put Bush on the defensive, hopefully having to answer for mistakes, and allowing Kerry the last word criticizing President Bush, making a striking final impression.


TOPICS: Politics/Elections; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: abc; bias; bush; bushkillstinman; bushtheman; bushwins; bushwinsdebate; commiekerry; highfivebush; kerry; kerrylied; kerrysucks; liberalliars; liberalloons; lovebush; mediabias; presidentbush; presidentialdebate; seconddebate; votebush2004; votegwb2004; welovebush; wherespetronski; woodforsale
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In a debate with no high points, the final question was one last chance to stump the President. Gibson chooses a question which is designed to put Bush on the defensive, hopefully having to answer for mistakes, and allowing Kerry the last word criticizing President Bush, making a striking final impression.

This would have been a fair question to ask sometime before the end of the debate, followed by a question to Kerry about some similiar perceived deficiencies. To ask it at the end is clearly an attempt to leave a final impression that the President was on the defensive, having to answer for his shortcoming, and that Kerry was on the offensive, attacking Bush for his mistakes. A subtle ploy, but it could have been very effective. I think President Bush sidestepped this landmine deftly, but it clearly show's a moderator bias in attempting to give Kerry a powerful parting shot

1 posted on 10/08/2004 10:25:07 PM PDT by huac
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To: huac

It's hard to get a parting shot when your whimpering in the dugout...

sKerry got whomped! and the whole world saw it. Don't believe me take a poll in your own house. Mine came out

Bush 2
sKerry 0


2 posted on 10/08/2004 10:28:22 PM PDT by IllumiNaughtyByNature
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To: huac

Wow -- the Gray Lady must be looking for some sort of redemption if they're willing to call Gibson on his bias. A good second step would be to call him on his attempts to interject his personal follow-up questions.


3 posted on 10/08/2004 10:28:26 PM PDT by Steve_Stifler
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To: Steve_Stifler

I should clarify that the question was the excerpt. The rest was my observation. Sorry about that.


4 posted on 10/08/2004 10:31:22 PM PDT by huac
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To: huac

This is from the NYT?


5 posted on 10/08/2004 10:31:46 PM PDT by Ken H
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To: huac
I groaned when I heard that question and screamed at the TV, "What a loaded question...".

It was horribly biased of Gibson to try to slap Bush and run like a little kid back to his house. I was so proud and amazed with the Solomom style way that Pres. Bush answered it. And he called a spade a spade, questioning the integrity of the question! WAY TO GO BUSH!

6 posted on 10/08/2004 10:32:12 PM PDT by Danno (the Dems have poop in their pants...)
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To: huac

Heard at the Tart residence, in stereo: "So, Mr. Bush, when did you stop beating your wife?"

We were not amused at the final question. Unless, of course, al-Q'erry were ALSO asked to name three mistakes HE made. I've got a list to help him out....


7 posted on 10/08/2004 10:33:29 PM PDT by Watery Tart (“Che” -- a good collectivist who college girls would TOTALLY do. -- Lileks)
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To: huac
What else could they say after the ABC Memo?

It seems as if ABC is going to take over the bias business from them for a while.

8 posted on 10/08/2004 10:33:56 PM PDT by GrandmaPatriot
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To: huac

You are so right. The bias is unbelievable. Think about it. After The President answers it, the question is then Kerry's "name 3 mistakes the president has made". Unreal. Kerry never gets asked for 3 mistakes he's made in his 20 years as senator. Having said that, the great thing is, Bush took it to Kerry. He didn't fall for the trap. He called the lady on it. He told her "look, when people ask this question, they are really asking...was Iraq a mistake? That's what you want to know isn't it. No it wasn't a mistake." (paraphrasing) It was the greatest out of the ball park answer by the President. He was on his game tonight. No doubt about it.


9 posted on 10/08/2004 10:33:59 PM PDT by ALWAYSWELDING
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To: K4Harty
It was hard to make that parting shot fly when, if you noticed, Bush immediately saw it for what it was. He almost totally answered the lady with what he said WAS NOT his mistakes. He then reiterated his preemptive strategy in Iraq. Watching it, I thought he should have stuck with answering the lady in some small insignificant matter. But as soon as John Kerry stood up, I realized why the Pres. had addressed it so. Kerry's closer was left ineffective and to his supporters, the Pres. was shown to be the wiser.
10 posted on 10/08/2004 10:35:23 PM PDT by SolomoninSouthDakota
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To: huac

http://www.drudgereport.com/mh.htm

ABCNEWS POLITICAL DIRECTOR MEMO SPARKS CONTROVERSY: BOTH SIDES NOT 'EQUALLY ACCOUNTABLE'

**Exclusive**

An internal memo written by ABCNEWS Political Director Mark Halperin admonishes ABC staff: During coverage of Democrat Kerry and Republican Bush not to "reflexively and artificially hold both sides 'equally' accountable."


11 posted on 10/08/2004 10:37:04 PM PDT by ArmyBratproud (all)
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To: huac

President Bush handled the "trick question" perfectly. Gibson is a doofus for selecting it and believing Dubya is not intelligent enough to recognize subterfuge. The Old Media are going down, one by one, and this is immensely pleasing to me.


12 posted on 10/08/2004 10:37:11 PM PDT by arasina (So there.)
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To: huac

It reminded me of the Gwen Ifel question to Edwards: "How do you feel when Mr. Cheney attacks?"


13 posted on 10/08/2004 10:37:22 PM PDT by Deb (A Democrat Stole My GREEN Sweater!!!)
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To: huac
"In a debate with no high points, the final question was one last chance to stump the President."

More like a booby-trap.

Dirty trick -- plain and simple, but Dubya defused it without a problem -- much to the chagrin of the reptilian Gibson and the bloated inquirer.

14 posted on 10/08/2004 10:37:30 PM PDT by F16Fighter
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To: Steve_Stifler

This is NOT from the NYT..........the link is to the NYT trasncript of the debates.


15 posted on 10/08/2004 10:38:52 PM PDT by Howlin (What's the Font Spacing, Kenneth?)
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To: huac

How about learning how to post before putting your own thoughts where you are supposed to put the NY Times article. You make your ramblings sound like they came from the NY Times.


16 posted on 10/08/2004 10:39:09 PM PDT by Dave S
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To: SolomoninSouthDakota

I noticed tonight Kerry's answers and closing statement were either highly negative or in defense of the flip-flop issue. That's the sign of someone on the loosing side. Bush defended when necessary but upped the 'most liberal Senator' rhetoric, listing his accomplishments and positive forwardlooking statements.


17 posted on 10/08/2004 10:39:40 PM PDT by ilgipper
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To: K4Harty

Counting my dog, 5 of us say: Bush A+, Kerry C for both style AND substance!


18 posted on 10/08/2004 10:40:15 PM PDT by Chieftain (Support Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and EXPOSE Hanoi John Kerry's FRAUD!)
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To: ilgipper

That 'liberal' tag really seemed to sting. Kerry couldn't distance himself from it fast enough.


19 posted on 10/08/2004 10:40:28 PM PDT by Steel Wolf (Got wood?)
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To: SolomoninSouthDakota

It was awsome the way Bush warned the lady about what "they" are trying to pull when they ask that question.

That it is basically a bad attempt to say that the War in Iraq is wrong.

He basically called the dems out on the carpet and showed how it was a liberal loaded question. Made Gibson look bad too.

Bush was on tonight.


20 posted on 10/08/2004 10:40:51 PM PDT by ArmyBratproud (all)
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