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Living Up to Expectations, CNN's YouTube Debate Skews Leftward
NewsBusters.org ^ | 7/23/2007 | Matthew Balan

Posted on 07/23/2007 9:04:23 PM PDT by Pyro7480

In the lead-up to Monday night’s YouTube debate with the Democrat presidential candidates, CNN ran prime-time specials previewing videos that might be featured during the debate, and most of those featured came from the liberal side. It should be no surprise then that video clips featured left-wing clips by almost a 3 to 1 margin versus the conservative clips - 17 liberal clips to 6 conservative clips, out of a total of 38 video question clips.

Video of 10 of the liberal questions (6:20): Real (4.53 MB) or Windows (3.79 MB), plus MP3 audio (2.15 MB).

In the 7 pm hour, the first left-wing question came 17 minutes in, and asked the Democrats where they stood on reparations to blacks for slavery. This was followed by a questions on how race and class affected the response to Hurricane Katrina; and how Obama and Clinton address criticisms that they’re not "black enough" or "feminine enough."

Two question clips in a row at the bottom of the 7 pm hour dealt with the question of "gay marriage," one of them from a Reverend Reggie Longcrier from North Carolina, who got to ask his question through his video clip, and in person at the debate. This was the first "gotcha" moment of the debate, which was directed towards John Edwards. Two liberal questions on the timetable for troop withdrawal from Iraq, whether women should have to register for Selective Service, closed the 7 pm hour.

Only two conservative questions were asked during the 7 pm hour. The first came 46 minutes into the hour, and the questioner asked how we could pull out of Iraq, when it would likely get worse after we pulled out. The second, which came immediately afterwards, asked from Senator Gravel from Alaska to defend his statement that members of the military who died in Vietnam died in vain.

At the top of the second hour of the debate, a Stephen from California (and was actually present for the debate as well) asked the Democrat presidential candidates if they would be willing to meet with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea in the first year of their administrations. This was the second "gotcha" moment, as Stephen was in the audience as well. Host Anderson Cooper first directed the question to Barack Obama, and Stephen himself directed it to Hillary Clinton. Another question about troop withdrawal from Iraq followed.

Twenty-four minutes into the second hour, one of the most egregious question clips of the Democrat debate featured a woman who self-identified as someone who worked for Planned Parenthood, and asked the candidates about sex education. The lunacy continued with the next two questions, but this time on the "hot topic" of climate change. A crudely-animated snowman asked a question about global warming, followed by a "Bay Area" woman, specifically in Berkeley, California, who asked the candidates how they would decrease energy consumption. While a third question clip related to "climate change" followed (the producer agreed with the "scientific consensus" on man-made global warming), the questioner asked the candidates about their stance on nuclear energy, which he supported.

In the last half-hour of the debate, the main issues shifted to the benefit programs of the government, such as Social Security and health care. Two women from Pennsylvania asked the candidates if they would accept a minimum wage salary if they were elected president, in an attempt to get the candidates to see how the minimum wage needs to be increased. In the following clip, a woman from Wilmington, DE asked what was up with people who make more than $97, 500 stop paying into the Social Security system (she obviously saw this as problematic).

The big question of the last half-hour was a question clip that came from four individuals, each with a health problem or disability (a son who has a mother with Alzheimer’s; a woman with three relatives who have diabetes; a woman whose breast cancer treatment made her bald; and a man in a wheelchair) , who asked the candidates what they were going to do to help their problems. As a follow-up, a young woman asked whether the candidates’ health care plans covered "undocumented workers." The last left-wing question came from a young atheist man who worried about the Democrats paying lip service to religious Americans.

The first conservative question of the 8 pm hour, which some might consider to be ambiguous (though it was asked by a member of the military), asked Hillary Clinton how could people in the Middle East could take her seriously as president when they treat women as second-class citizens. The next conservative question did not come until 45 minutes later, when a widely-publicized question on taxes, set to country music, was played. Another conservative question, which pointed out how taxes go up under Democrat administrations, followed immediately afterwards. The final conservative question, which was played as the debate went slightly over into the 9 pm hour, asked the candidates where they stood on the issue of gun control, as he proudly showed-off one of his guns.

The Republicans’ YouTube debate isn’t until September, but the public shouldn’t act surprised if CNN starts showing a number of clips that are mostly liberal in the lead-up to that debate.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: cnn; democrats; liberal; youtube
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CNN and YouTube lean left? No way!
1 posted on 07/23/2007 9:04:29 PM PDT by Pyro7480
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To: Pyro7480
While the writers on Newsbusters are usually pretty great, didn't this one realize this was a Democrat debate, and thus the questions would be left of center?
2 posted on 07/23/2007 9:07:12 PM PDT by JennysCool ("The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." -Mencken)
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To: Pyro7480

Yeah, well, no surprise there.


3 posted on 07/23/2007 9:08:13 PM PDT by RepublitarianRoger
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To: JennysCool
I think the writer expects that CNN will do the same thing with the Republicans. See the last line

The Republicans’ YouTube debate isn’t until September, but the public shouldn’t act surprised if CNN starts showing a number of clips that are mostly liberal in the lead-up to that debate.

4 posted on 07/23/2007 9:08:44 PM PDT by Pyro7480 ("Jesu, Jesu, Jesu, esto mihi Jesus" -St. Ralph Sherwin's last words at Tyburn)
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To: Pyro7480

Well, this was a debate between Dems, by Dems and for Dems. They can debate all they like, I’m not voting for any of them.


5 posted on 07/23/2007 9:09:07 PM PDT by Cementjungle
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To: Pyro7480
but the public shouldn’t act surprised if CNN starts showing a number of clips that are mostly liberal in the lead-up to that debate.

Well, it is CNN. Nothing less would be expected!

6 posted on 07/23/2007 9:13:09 PM PDT by JennysCool ("The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." -Mencken)
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To: JennysCool

However, they are running for President of the USA, which means, like it or not, he/she will represent America to the world and they should have to answer questions on topics that are of interest to conservatives as well—in equal measure—since this country is pretty evenly split 50/50 between liberals and conservatives.


7 posted on 07/23/2007 9:14:05 PM PDT by Tamar1973 (Riding the Korean Wave, one BYJ movie at a time! (http://www.byj.co.kr))
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To: JennysCool
Watch this. They actually let these guys ask a question. Biden slammed them as being offensive to the people of TN. Their question was, "Does it offend you that Al Gore Might Run? All said no.

Media folks found them fast, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jgaddguhs4&mode=user&search

8 posted on 07/23/2007 9:14:27 PM PDT by eyedigress
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To: Pyro7480

They all want to draft women? And they were mud wrestling over how best to surrender in Iraq. Disgusting.


9 posted on 07/23/2007 9:18:00 PM PDT by Williams
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To: Pyro7480
This was a circus.. Please God don’t let the Pubbies fall into the trap and replicate this abortion..
10 posted on 07/23/2007 9:42:39 PM PDT by Robe (Rome did not create a great empire by talking, they did it by killing all those who opposed them)
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To: Pyro7480

Is it me? Or is it completely obvious that Osama Obama Hussein is Hillary’s pre ordained Veep nominee?


11 posted on 07/23/2007 9:44:57 PM PDT by Garden Island (US out of Iraq!.....And into Iran, Syria, and Pakistan!)
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To: Pyro7480

I don’t watch Youtube CRAZY liberal debates, and I don’t watch most “user videos” on Youtube, they’re filled with liberal spouting off at the liberal cause de jour!

I usually only use it for tv/movie clips and videogame clips, ect.


12 posted on 07/23/2007 9:46:30 PM PDT by JSDude1 (Republicans if the don't beware ARE the new WHIGS! (all empty hairpieces..) :).)
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To: Pyro7480

I was working out at a gym and got to listen to most of this debate in the background. The YouTube questions were at least not insipidly boring like the usual dog-and-pony show the media questioners do. I actually like that new approach as it added something to the debate. I actually thought most of the Dems came off as more normal human beings without the constant worshipping of the media guy asking them questions. The fact of the matter is the CNN political team cherry picked the videos for the debate (no suprise there) and thus we get the usual left-agenda view of the world they desire.

A couple of things I was amused at during this debate:

1) A YouTube guy asked Hillary how she felt about 28 years of Bush / Clinton if she wins and does 2 terms as president (i.e. doesn’t America need a change). She was well prepared and said Bush should not have won in 2000, Bill did a great job, and she wanted to stand on her merits. Anderson Cooper then turned to the Senator (?) on the end to ask him what he thought about her answer and he blasted all the other democrats as limousine liberals being funded by fat cat wall street bankers, and that Hillary and the rest of them didn’t stand for the little guy. Every Dem on the panel just glared at the guy, it was priceless.

2) Obama was very smooth. Example: YouTube guy asked each candidate to say one good thing and one thing they disagreed about the candidate on their left. Most of the candidates weasel worded their way out of this trap, but Edwards couldn’t resist as he had Hillary. He kissed up on the good but when it came to what he disagreed with her, he said “I really don’t care for that pant suit she is wearing tonight”. Now Hillary gave him the evil eye, smiled, and said we are lucky the night is almost over, and preceded to say only nice things about Obama. Here is were Obama showed how smooth he is, before starting on Richardson, he looks at Hillary and says “I really think you look quite nice tonight”. That was slick and very much well done by him.

3) After the debate, the useless CNN hacks started immediately claiming their favorite candidate won (metrosexual guy loved Hillary, black guy loved Obama, hispanic girl loved Richardson, etc.). I immediately realized why I can’t stand most Dem candidates because of the way the MSM guys drool all over them. Before that part of the show the Dem candidates actually came off okay and so did Anderson Cooper. Once the media king makers strapped on their knee pads I had to quit watching it.

4) The poor republican guys will be ambushed by video after video, they better get ready.


13 posted on 07/23/2007 9:59:42 PM PDT by Gen-X-Dad
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To: Garden Island

Thank you, I was just about to post that I think Obama and Edwards are both kissing her butt so they can be veep,,,,

It was eerily obvious to me,,,,


14 posted on 07/23/2007 10:08:00 PM PDT by DrewsMum (If con is the opposite of pro, then wouldn't CONgress be the opposite of PROgress?..I'm just sayin..)
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To: Cementjungle

Watch them..They are the most dangerous people in America. Know you’re enemy. They are control freaks and will usher in Globilization of my life faster than CNN will “Dana Bash Bush”! :^)


15 posted on 07/23/2007 10:09:20 PM PDT by eyedigress
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To: eyedigress
Watch them..They are the most dangerous people in America. Know you’re enemy. They are control freaks and will usher in Globilization of my life faster than CNN will “Dana Bash Bush”! :^)

Isn't that the truth...very scary ....hate to even think about it....

16 posted on 07/23/2007 10:12:35 PM PDT by Niteflyr ("If you’re drawing flak, you know you're over the target".)
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To: Garden Island

Is it me? Or is it completely obvious that Osama Obama Hussein is Hillary’s pre ordained Veep nominee?


No, you are seeing just fine. They were all lovey dovey toward one another, Obama defends her against Edwards on the cheap shot on her choice of clothing, and the CNN press hacks are lusting after their dream ticket. The only question is who will be on top at this moment?


17 posted on 07/23/2007 10:17:39 PM PDT by Gen-X-Dad
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To: Niteflyr
You must obey! I am telling you what this Country is about!


18 posted on 07/23/2007 10:32:57 PM PDT by eyedigress
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To: Pyro7480

the debate was excrutiating to watch!!!

read orwell and watch the debate.....see if any analogy can be realized!!!


19 posted on 07/24/2007 3:31:57 AM PDT by nyyankeefan
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To: Tamar1973

They are not running for President of the USA, as you wrote. They are running for the right to run for President.


20 posted on 07/24/2007 4:53:53 AM PDT by TxCopper
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