Posted on 11/13/2011 1:05:54 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Have you ever had one of those 'uh-oh' moments where you hit "reply all" on an e-mail without intending to? I have. And, apparently, so have the people at CBS News, and they have some explaining to do.
The question at hand involves how many questions the candidates get during debates. There’s always plenty of grousing about that from the second and third tier candidates – Rick Santorum did it again last night in South Carolina – but Michele Bachmann now has a much more solid case to make in complaining on this score. It turns out that CBS inadvertently sent a memo to somebody on Bachmann’s staff which seems to indicate that they planned to keep her on the back bench.
Numerous candidates from Rep. Michele Bachmann to Rep. Ron Paul complained about unfair treatment from the network, arguing that rival campaigns had received far more attention during the debate. The Bachmann campaign went so far as to release an email that they said spokeswoman Alice Stewart had “inadvertently received” from CBS earlier in the day.
In the email string, CBS News’ political analyst John Dickerson said that Bachmann was “not going to get many questions during the debate and she’s nearly off the charts,” a reference to the Minnesota congresswoman’s low standing in the polls.
After the debate Stewart said that CBS News was guilty of “a bias” against Bachmann.
“I inadvertently received an email where CBS made it clear that Michele was going to receive fewer questions than the other candidates. Clearly this is a problem,” Stewart said. “The debates are an opportunity for the candidates to share their views on the issues. This is an important issue for Congresswoman Bachmann. She’s a member of the House, the Foreign Intelligence Committee. She knows this issue unlike the other candidates on this stage and the email chain that I inadvertently received clearly indicates a bias on CBS’ part to limit the questions to Congresswoman Bachmann.
Here’s the pertinent portion of the e-mail in question so you can judge for yourself.
“Okay let’s keep it loose though since she’s not going to get many questions and she’s nearly off the charts in the hopes that we can get someone else,” Dickerson replied, apparently unaware that Stewart was copied on the email.
CBS is in a tough position here. On the one hand, if we’re to be honest about this, it’s obvious that the networks want to try to focus the most attention on the frontrunners who are in the most competitive positions. That’s where the news is, after all. But if you’re going to invite everyone to the debate, logic dictates that the whole idea here is to offer a broad range of ideas for the voters to consider, so everyone should – in theory – get equal time. It’s a tough balancing act, but CBS got caught with their hand in the cookie jar on this one.
Frankly, we’re running the clock down here before Iowa and New Hampshire, and I’ve already been thinking it might be time for the debate hosts to begin paring down the field. But even that’s a challenge. It would be nice to have less than eight people on stage so they might be able to get more than one minute per question. But where do you make the cuts? To be fair, you’d have to include anyone with clear frontrunner numbers in the polls. (Romney and Cain.) Money also plays a big factor, like it or not, so Perry is still in the mix on that count and may still make a comeback, particularly given his excellent effort in South Carolina. Newt is showing steady momentum with his poll numbers moving in the right direction. Ron Paul, while never near the top, consistently polls at or near double digits, so it’s hard to drop him. But could they reasonably slash Huntsman, Santorum and Bachmann and still claim to be giving the voters all of the information they need?
Either way, if you’re going to put your thumb on the scale, you need to be honest about it. CBS took another black eye on this embarrassing “tear away the mask” moment.
Yes, they gave the time to Mittens.
Kind of becomes a self fulfilling prophecy doesn’t it? Why invite them just to ignore them?
It's not like this is a lie. CBS should have been up front and put a polling requirement on the attendees. There are just too many people in these debates anymore.
Maybe there was a height requirement.
Couldn't be. Wrong Paul was there.
Huntsman, Santorum, and Paul should of been removed from the stage ages ago.
Bachmann.. I’d give her a little more time.
Its always this way. During the 2008 debates half the people standing up there would stand there all night and field maybe one question. It was shameful and obvious and they should have known better than to let the very same bunch of clowns control the debates again this time around...
But here we are again. Same thing again. When do we learn? Or rather, when do our own cast of clowns learn? You don’t give your political enemies the power to shape your argument before you even get it out of your mouth. And you don’t give your political enemies the power to decide which of you gets to speak, and which of your ideas gets cut off and shouted down.
The candidates themselves should refuse to play this game, they should plan and execute their own debates. If CNN or the alphabets don’t want to broadcast it, then find someone who will. But don’t let the alphabets moderate it. They can let the cameras roll, they don’t get to control the discussion.
Are you as tall as this bar? If you aren’t, get off the ride.
I agree. The candidates should get together and call a halt to this. 2 debates in 3 days. When do they have time to do anything else.
They would not do this if she was a black female
I’ve watched all ten debates.
I’ve made my decision and I don’t think another debate is going to change my mind.
Anyone have stats on the number of viewers for Saturday night?
“Huntsman, Santorum, and Paul should of been removed from the stage ages ago.
Bachmann.. I’d give her a little more time.”
To think that the moderators might have discriminated against one of the candidates!! s./
Personally, I don’t care and all four need to go. These extraneous POTUS wannabees who can’t win under any circumstances need to gracefully, or not so gracefully, bow out so that the GOP and the rest of us can make some sense of this gaggle of geese and choose the one who can take Hussein out at the knees..
CAIN, GINGRICH, PERRY, ROMNEY. Let the games begin.
Dear GOP
The media is the enemy. They are operatives of the Demoncraps. Why do you not get it? Or, do you get it and you are complicit? They are merely manipulating the outcome of the primaries. Stay away from them.
I would remind you that the referendum in Nov, 2010, was just the first shot. If you want a total house-cleaning just keep acting stupid. I suggest you re-read (or, for some of you read for the 1st time) the U.S. Constitution. Since most of you are lawyers I don't understand why you don't understand that it is a Contract. A contract that we, the people want enforced. If not enforced by you, we will find representatives that will.
If you had of watched Bret Baier’s special, you would have seen exactly how the GOP contrives with the MSM to control the possibility of an unknown ie RR, to gain traction in the primaries.
The sooner we recognize that we have annointed a political class to rule over us, the easier it will be to undo what we have done.
There was a bloodless coup in 08, and no one seemed to notice. God help us.
I think all candidates should have equal time. Didn’t they used to have equal time in years past?
I also don’t like the way Romney has always been front and center for every debate.
there was a point in time where I would of dropped Gingrich and Cain too...
now I support them both...
I was trying to come up with some sort of formula, where you needed to either be polled 5% national or be above 10% in one of the first 5 primaries.
But after last night.. I am not quite ready for Bachmann to go yet, she did well and she’s finally got her appearance together too.
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