DEM FLASHED 'WRITE' STUFF AT DEBATE (KERRY PULLED OUT A BLACK PEN?)

New York Post ^ | 10/04/04 | GERSH KUNTZMAN

[kattracks]

October 4, 2004 -- Was John Kerry trying to pull something at the debate last week?

That question was burning up the Internet yesterday after a slo-mo review of the footage showed the Massachusetts senator taking an object out of his right pocket before the first question.

Was it a cheat sheet — as some conservative bloggers claimed — or was it something innocuous?

Either way, it would violate the debate rules agreed to by both campaigns: "No props, notes . . . or other tangible things may be brought into the debate."

Many blogs offered links to the "Pocket-gate" footage. One, INDC Journal, even posted frame-by-frame stills purporting to show Kerry pulling out a notecard and placing it onto the podium.

But the mystery was solved when The Post reviewed a Fox News Channel feed from Thursday's debate: Kerry pulled out . . . a black pen.

[chainsaw]

Did Laherer lie when he said no one knew what the questions would be when he started the debate?????

Did Kerry have the answers ready for the camera?????????

[Nataku X]

Maybe it's a pocket protector and the pen is in it?

[mewzilla]

LOL! Does someone do a designer pocket protector, complete with logo that sells for more than the GDP of most small nations?

[Salamander]

Next you know, they'll be hiring David Copperfield as their public relations man.

Then everything contrary to kerry's liking will be simply "disappeared"....:))

[TomGuy]

FoxNews was the one who got camera rights to the debate. They provided 'pool' feed to the networks. Theirs was the only camera authorized to broadcast. (IIRC)

[savedbygrace]

But he had just finished shaking hands with President Bush, and I haven't seen any indication that his right hand went into any of his pockets betweeen then and the frame you posted. So, how did he get something in his right hand?

It's a mystery.

[Nataku X]

ROTFL

You're right, someone here mentioned that only one Presidental candidate that won the first televised debate has gone on to win an election! (Clinton in 1996)

[TomGuy]

Someone in one of the threads last evening posted that 'they saw Kerry remove an earpiece and put it in his pocket at the end of the debate.'

[Poster didn't indicate whether that was seen live -- the person was actually at the debate -- or broadcast.]

If true, the RNC should do some electronic jamming during the next debate.

[OXENinFLA]

5(d) Notwithstanding subparagraph 5(c), the candidates may
take notes during the debate on the size, color, and
type of paper each prefers and using the type of pen
or pencil that each prefers. Each candidate must
submit to the staff of the Commission prior to the
debate all such paper and any pens or pencils with
which a candidate may wish to take notes during the
debate, and the staff of the Commission will place
such paper, pens, and pencils on the podium, table, or
other structure to be used by the candidate in that
debate.

---

Even if it was a pen, and I don't think it was, Kerry still violated the rules he agreed to.

[johnnycap]

IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN. IT IS NOT A PEN.
The sky is not red. 2+2 does not equal 5.

[OXENinFLA]

The sky is not red

Oh, NOW you tell me!!!

[TankerKC]

"We plead guilty to having a pen."

Even that was not allowed, so why isn't this a bigger story.

[mewzilla]

Someone in one of the threads last evening posted that 'they saw Kerry remove an earpiece and put it in his pocket at the end of the debate.'

That would explain all the nodding Kerry was doing. Anyone seen any close-ups of Kerry's ears?

[spacejunkie]

HELP!!! How come on Fox they are taking the NY Post's LIBERAL author's word that its 'just' a pen and NOT a story!!!??????

[mewzilla]

A very good question and one that has been much on my mind :)

[mewzilla]

Maybe someone twigged to the earpiece, captured the audio, FNC has the tape, is waiting to play it and thinks the crib notes are small beer :)

[Conservativegreatgrandma]

Did you just see Mancow ask if there was cheating and ED jumped right in and said it was a black pen? Brian and Steve said nothing but I think they were thinking plenty. Why did ED do that?

[Just mythoughts]

"Did you just see Mancow ask if there was cheating and ED jumped right in and said it was a black pen? Brian and Steve said nothing but I think they were thinking plenty. Why did ED do that?"


Perhaps she is nothing more than "dumb", too bad we can't ask her to show the video.

[spacejunkie]

I think ED's problem is she goes out of her way to be non partisan, at the expense of facts, unfortunately. If I were them, I'd reserve any comments (good or bad) until a full investigation is performed. She also commented that he was putting a pen in his pocket....not even close.

To me, this 'taking something out of the pocket' is blatantly obvious and needs to be exposed.

[kattracks]

He was most likely told it was a pen,...

Which, by some (not so) strange coincidence, is what the Kerry campaign is claiming it was.