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
You are right about that sadly
I saw the digital still that seemed to clearly show a squared off object in Kerry's hand. I wondered if there were any door or window at that location which might have let in light; but that didn't seem likely they would allow a door or window light to be showing at that point in the debates. - I tried to look objectively, but it sure did look a lot like either a notecard or a pack of notecards, or some such thing. - In addition, did Kerry put anything back in his pocket after, or during the debates; or if he left something on the podium, there would have had to have been a confederate to pick it up after the debate. - -
On the channel I watched, it seemed to me that the stage lighting over Bush was a yellowish tinged one, while the one over Kerry was a full spectrum light. Did anyone else notice this? It would be so easy for a Bush hater in the setup crew to do little things that added up to make Kerry look better. (A yellow light would make a person's coloring look jaundiced or washed out. I kept thinking Bush looked remarkably well, for there to be a yellowish light over him. Maybe I'm just being paranoid or imagining things.)
Twinkie, I hadn't even thought about the lighting, even though I did look at Bush several times and think he looked exhausted, spent. Can someone with a good recording take a look at this issue?
MM
I guess it's just ok for them to break rules as laws.
If it was Bush all hell would break loose.
UPDATE: LGF has posted another video that shows even more clearly that the object in question is DEFINITELY not a pen. I can only assume that those who are proclaiming it to be a pen are either ignorant of the fact that they're discussing two separate and distinct moments in time, or they don't care, or a combination of the two.
I continue to try to obtain a high-end copy of the footage. As clear as the issue is in the limited-resolution videos posted on LGF, it will be IRREVOCABLY clear if I can get high-end footage to work with. Once I get the footage, I'm planning to also put together a multi-camera synced shot that demonstrates clearly that the OBJECT 1 (pen) and OBJECT 2 (paper/index cards/device) sequences are two entirely different moments.
MM
"UPDATE: LGF has posted another video that shows even more clearly that the object in question is DEFINITELY not a pen. I can only assume that those who are proclaiming it to be a pen are either ignorant of the fact that they're discussing two separate and distinct moments in time, or they don't care, or a combination of the two."
Anything new to report?
Nothing new to report; still trying to get high-res footage. I'll have a deadline off my back tomorrow and will be able to chase it with a bit more tenacity.
MM
Thanks, would you ping me when and if you find anything?
Yup, will do.
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