Posted on 10/04/2004 12:03:24 PM PDT by MississippiMan
The issue of what Kerry brought with him to the podium is not a petty one. A candidate who had simply a list of talking points on paper would be at a huge advantage vs. the other participant who played by the rules.
Based on the most recent reports here, it sounds as if even Fox News is about to forget and drop the issue, since they've declared that they're 99% certain the object in question is a pen.
It's hard to fathom what's going on here, unless they're viewing an incomplete clip of what took place. For even the low-resolution copies of the event that are posted online make it blatantly clear that, yes, he had a PEN (OBJECT 1) in his RIGHT hand, but he also removed a LIGHT-COLORED RECTANGULAR OBJECT (OBJECT 2) from inside his jacket with his LEFT hand. He then handles the object in a fashion that suggests UNFOLDING, and places it on the deck of the podium.
As mentioned already, I am a digital forensics examiner. I have a state-of-the-art forensic video system. I have briefly examined the low-resolution clips of the event, and at first impression, OBJECT 2 appears to be a folded sheet or sheets of light-colored paper. It is DEFINITELY rectangular. It is DEFINITELY light-colored. And it is DEFINITELY distinct and separate from OBJECT 1.
I would very much like to examine a high-resolution version of the clip; ideally this will be an uncompressed digital video file digitized from a digital broadcast master. If anyone has any connections or access to one of the networks or C-SPAN or whatever, and can obtain said file, it would be immensely helpful.
This is about playing by the rules, folks. I for one am sick and tired of sitting back and watching the rules broken without consequence. It is high time to hold people accountable. That applies to the candidates and the media, whether the media member in question is CBS or Fox News Channel. If it's wrong, it's wrong. And if they're reporting that Kerry brought nothing but a pen to the podium, THEY'RE WRONG.
MM
I think I must be dreaming because I can't find the post I found this morning with a link to a series of pictures and they show W unfolding a piece of paper. I know it could be 'edited' but I can't find it. I've looked in my history and everything.
Actually it appears that once Kerry reached the podium he actually had two pens. One the debate people put there for him and a white one he brought with him. There are photos which show he definately has something in his right hand as he comes around the podium as his left hand is reaching inside his jacket pocket. When his hand comes out of his jacket, it has something white and square or rectangular in shape, which he places down on the podium and appears to unfold of manipulate in some way.
Well, we can try:))
left hand PDA .......or PAD of paper
right hand pen......
does the media want us to hole protests similar to the POST RE RE COUNT ones to get to the bottom of this?
I
Hannity said they were going to play it on Hannity and Colmes tonight. Let's all take a look again. By the way Ann Coulter is supposed to be on tonight.
OK. Then what?
hmmmmm Ann Coulter ... smart and sexy...
I heard Rush and I agree from his prospective that we're not speaking about winning the debate. It is a matter of character. If you can't trust someone with little things, like debate rules, you can't trust them about anything.
If this is as good an image as is available, then it will be awefully hard to press the issue very much. If that is the case, the best that can be done is to leave another seed of doubt in sKerry's character, and move on.
bump
Mannnnnnnnnn......can you believe this???
Wrong angle, wrong picture, who do these people think we are?
You really don't want an answer to that do you? :))) It would not be pretty:(((
Okay, as MomwithHope suggested, I've gone straight to the commission, since they almost certainly own the rights to the footage anyway. Faxed a written request to purchase broadcast quality copies of the footage for research purposes. Will advise of response.
MM
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