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.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

"Just tell me what you want me to see," -- DiCaprio to Hanks in "Catch Me If You Can."

[Route66]

I have not had time to post much this weekend nor to read every post made about the great debate cheat, but I've been wondering if anyone has reviewed the END of the debate to see what Kerry may have done with the object he brought to the podium. He could not have left the notes or PDA or whatever it was when he walked away and I have not had time to go look at the footage yet.

[montag813]

No way is that a pen! For one thing it was white and square!

Because Fox and Friends want Kerry to win.

[Advil]

Hopefully they're going to get crucified for this lie.

This isn't some lousy footage like your typical UFO story, where you can see whatever you want to see. This footage CLEARLY shows something square or rectangular. Obviously not a pen, and obviously not the paper to write on that was on the podium.

Since it's niether of these things, the only assumption that can be made is that he cheated. This story MUST get out, and it must have legs. Don't let them get away with this one.

[twntaipan]

I am betting it was a pda of some kind with wifi or it was a blackberry and he was being fed the answers as fast as staff could click and paste

[FesterUSMC]

I recorded the debate... i will give it a once over...

[cyn]

NY Post falling down on this one. Once again, freepers (on this linked threads and others) do the heavy lifting:

Close up pics of Kerry's "notes" / Jeff Head -- http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1234255/posts

[kattracks]

...it likely was just the light reflecting off the pen.

Light reflecting off the pen, making it look white and square?

[igoramus987]

Screen capture from http://homepage.mac.com/cfj/.Movies/JFKCheat.mov

I think he might have had something in his right hand

[NYCVirago]

There's no way that was a black pen. Besides, the article fails to note that Kerry was not supposed to bring anything to the podium, not even a pen.

[FesterUSMC]

but I've been wondering if anyone has reviewed the END of the debate to see what Kerry may have done with the object he brought to the podium.

I just reviewed the END of the debate Kerry had ample time to stick the documents down his pants like his buddy Sandy Berger while President Bush was giving his final remarks, OR while Laherer was giving the sign off, DURING BOTH the presidents final remarks and Leherer's remarks the camera never went to Kerry he had plenty of time and room to jock the contraband!

[Bush gal in LA]

its white and rectangular! How could it be a pen?

[ARCADIA]

I wonder why the post didn't bother to share a copy of their feed image? Does the black pen looks white and square?

[cyn]

fox and friends?

[pcgTheDestroyer]

To whoever removed post 8: please private reply me. TIA. To all others: apologies for the noise.

[FesterUSMC]

ITS NOT A PEN!

[OKIEDOC]

I did not see a pen either. What I saw was white and square.

[Names Ash Housewares]

the video we have seen so far it does not look like a black pen. You see the object twice. Once as it comes out, but not very well. Then later he is monkeying with it over the podium. We need to see this video that shows this. Arent there any pictures anywhere??? this is weird.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

How much light reflects off a "black" pen?

[Names Ash Housewares]

IT does look like something in his right hand. Maybe this was up his sleeve! It sure likes like what he was fidgeting with on the podium toward the end of the video.