Posted on 09/30/2004 11:10:39 AM PDT by sr4402
Democratic candidate John Kerry's campaign demanded Thursday that the lights signaling when a speaker's time has expired during debates with President Bush be removed from the lecterns because they are distracting, but the commission hosting the debates refused.
An angry exchange between representatives of the Kerry campaign and the Commission on Presidential Debates took place just hours before the candidates were to meet at the University of Miami for the first of three debates, The Associated Press learned.
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Kerry's team threatened to remove the lights when they visit the debate site with Kerry later in the day.
``We'll bring a screwdriver,'' said a Kerry aide familiar with what several people called an angry exchange. The commission did not return a call seeking comment.
The commission placed the lights on the lecterns in clear view of the television audience and those in the auditorium.
An agreement between the Kerry and Bush campaigns specified that timing lights ``shall be placed such that they are visible to the debate audiences and television viewers.''
However, Kerry's team contended that the agreement doesn't specifically say where the lights should be placed, and it said putting them on the lecterns creates a distraction.
The Bush team pushed for the lights in negotiations with Kerry advisers.
The commission is a nonprofit and nonpartisan corporation that has sponsored all the presidential debates since 1988.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
Why are the debate moderators all liberals?
Instead of a light they could have a huge fog horn like in an NHL game when a guy scores!
That way you could not hear what he has to lie, I mean say when his time is up!
That is a good question. A WAG would be the result of the negotiations.
Oh, that Kerry drives a hard bargain, he does.
Maybe this is just a last ditch attempt to lower the expectations on Kerry's performance in the debate.
I thought they were low enough already. haha. I mean, how much lower could they possibly be?
Didn't you love it the next day when Barbara Bush said Gore was stalking Dubya!!! LOLOLOL
"Democratic candidate John Kerry's campaign demanded Thursday that the lights signaling when a speaker's time has expired during debates with President Bush be removed from the lecterns because they are distracting....."
Duh... that's what they are supposed to do ....
Her son is in college and I suspect that's where this is coming from.
However, this has prompted her son to join the Navy!!!
"Evidently during debate practice Kerry could not keep his yammering down or clearly frame his positions in the time alloted. Heh Heh!! This is a very good sign."
It's a great sign ! I want to see his expression the first time the light comes on ...
No can do... false advertising restrictions and all...
It is probably in the 32 pages of rules somewhere.
this is ludicrous, i heard the Kerry campaign refer to it as GAME SHOW LIGHTS. any oral argument before a federal court of appeals has the same set up with lights. yellow to indicate you are getting close to the end of your allotted time and red when you have to shut up. these lights are perfectly appropriate.
He's been AWOL from the senate so long he's forgotten these are the same lights used in senate hearings.
unless he wants to be able to feign ignorance of the time limitations, i can't figure out why he objects to them. to refer to them as GAME SHOW lights and make them sound undignified or unprofessional given that they are used in the Senate and in courts is just stupid.
Hmm....maybe Kerry's worried about how the color of the bulb will "reflect" on his er...uh.....tan??
one of my big fears is that President Bush will be overcome with a fit of inappropriate laughter when he gets a gander at ole Orange Face across the way there...
I would grant him no such help! Remember, that classic 'RAT technique worked for Al Bore.
I prefer a mic disconnect switch 5 seconds after his time is "up".
If he can't wrap up an idea in 5 seconds, how can he run a country?
Gadzooks! this clown still thinks he is the spoiled princess speaking before a "pink" congressional committe!
How about a cattle prod?
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