What idiot let Fox host these debates?

[MercutioATC]

I know this is hardly LBN, but I just saw the replay on Fox (and the following commentary).

They're talking about the next round on 10/26/03??? Are they REALLY running the show again?

What freaking idiot let this happen? I thought Dean, Sharpton and Kerry sounded great, but Fox obviously has a different view.

Are we REALLY resigned to getting our news form Faux News?

[Isome]

1. I think...

Faux pushed to get them on their station, only so they could then turn around and trash the candidates. With all the doodoos who rely on Faux as their primary news source, they had a prime opportunity to deride and distort the collective message of the Democratic party.

I watched it while I was at the gym and it wasn't a debate, IMO, as much as it was a chance for each candidate to relay their message to the public. I thought everyone performed well, though some did better than others. It kept my energy up for the entire 45 minute run on the treadmill! Afterwards however, I felt nothing but negative energy, as the empty-headed pundits Faux had on proceeded to make vacuous comments about everyone and everything that was said.

[DIKB]

2. WE don't have much of a choice

I'm sure it goes something like this:

the CBC wanted vast exposure, FOX is willing to feed the conservative propaganda that all media is liberal by hosting the Democratic debate, or somehow desperately try and salvage a semblance of their "fair & balanced" claim (which they of course fail at miserably by tearing into the candidates immediately afterwards)

Repuke: "See the media IS liberal, FOX hosted a democratic debate!!"

Sway Voter: "Maybe I can trust FOX, they seem to show BOTH sides of arguments."

SEE, it serves their ultimate interest.

[Egnever]

3. I would like to thank whoever made that decision

Think of all the people that have been getting forcefed Bushit by fox tuning in tonight and being forcefed the truth :)

I grin every time I think about it. My bet is theres a lot of really uncomfortable fox fans out there tonight. If even one percent of thier regular viewers go hmmmmmmmm maybe bush does suck. It was a masterstroke by the dems :)

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. Agree.

Faux viewers had to hear "No WMD found" and "No link between Iraq/Al-Qaeda" all night. Possibly for the first time ever.

[DrFunkenstein]

5. Wait...Saddam Didn't Fly Both Planes Into The WTC?

Next you're going to be telling me that Saddam didn't pull the plugs on those babies in the incubators!

[renie408]

12. NO!! Get it straight

Saddam did NOT fly both those planes into the WTC towers!!




It was him and a look-alike. Haven't you been listening to the White House??

[Pavlovs DiOgie]

7. That alleviates some of my anxiety

for having to watch Faux. I had to take a dramamine before changing the station to that evil network. Thanks to you, I feel better! :toast:

[renie408]

11. They aren't uncomfortable

Because just like in Oz, they have the Fox talking heads to say, "Ignore the nine men behind the curtain. They aren't there. And if they were, they don't know what they are saying." after the debates.

[genius]

6. Sharpton and Kucinich came across best.

They were both clear on their positions. Dennis kept getting interrupted by applause while he spoke.

I thought that Dean was ridiculous when he seemed to be trying to explain that he wasn't a racist while sounding just like one.

[MercutioATC]

8. I disagree about Dean

Saying that whites need to talk about racial issues with other whites isn't a racist statement, it's a truth. As long as racial issues "only matter to racial minorities", we'll never move closer to true racial equality. I don't see how stating this makes anybody sound like a racist.

Sharpton did sound good, as usual.

[mbali]

9. Talking the talk vs. walking the walk

The problem is not that Dean said whites need to talk about race. He said he is the ONLY white politician doing it; the clear implication is that the other candidates are not. That was irresponsible and demonstrated a willingness to do and say anything - regardless how untrue, demagogic or just plain stupid - to make his point.

If Howard Dean wants to try to convince minority voters that he is so good on race, he should simply talk about himself and what he is doing. Minority voters aren't stupid - they don't need to be told "I'M the best white person for you!" They are quite capable of comparing and contrasting the candidates without Howard Dean's help.

Perhaps Dean worries that he won't get very far that way. He may be talking a good game on race, but what is he doing about it? Other candidates have much stronger records of accomplishment on this issue, so perhaps he's trying to shift attention away from that fact. For example, while Howard Dean was tossing into his speeches an occasional criticism of Bush for his position on affirmative action, John Edwards got directly involved in the University of Michigan case, signing a Supreme Court brief urging the justices to uphold the University's Affirmative Action program. Howard Dean may be telling white folks that they should be more open-minded about race, but John Edwards is successfully blocking Bush's anti-civil rights judges. Howard Dean is talking about equal opportunity. John Edwards is sponsoring and pushing through legislation that will help make that a reality.

Howard Dean is often accompanied by black volunteers and staff at campaign events. But are there African Americans in positions of power in his campaign? Are any of his top advisers black? Who is in the room when important strategic and policy decisions are made? THOSE are the kinds of things that people care about.

So, it's all well and good that Howard Dean is saying the right things on race. Perhaps it's time for him to show voters what he has actually been DOING to advance the cause.

[renie408]

13. That is not what he said.

He said that he is the ONLY candidate talking about race to his white audiences. It was a verbal blunder from which there is no graceful retreat.

[MercutioATC]

14. I was replying to the comment that Dean "sounded like a racist"

He doesn't, in my estimation.

[renie408]

15. Oh

I didn't really think the comment was racist either. I can see where the trigger words might set some people off in that direction, though. I just think he F'd up and said something off the top of his head that he shouldn't have.

[renie408]

10. Here is something we can agree on

The majority of the national news makes my head want to explode. Where in the hell is all that liberal bias the Repukes like to bitch about? A couple of weeks ago, Paula Zahn was talking about Iraq in an interview with someone in the White House. They were referring to a bombing or something and she said, "Now, I know that some people are going to start screaming 'Quagmire this, quagmire that', so I want to get your inside take on the subject." THAT is unbiased reporting??