After reviewing the transcript from last night’s debate I compiled a quick summary of the questions asked and by Charles Gibson and George Stephanapoulus. While some might nitpick about how I summarized the basic topics of the questions Mr. G and Mr. S asked, I don’t think I’m too off base on any of them. Here’s my summary:
1. Will you offer loser the VP – Gibson (G)
2. Obama’s “bitter” comment – G
3. Can Obama beat McCain (to Clinton) – Stephanopoulus (S)
4. Can Clinton win (to Obama) – S
5. Wright question (to Obama) – G
6. Wright question (to Clinton) – G
7. Several Wright questions (to Obama) – S
8. Why don’t people trust you/ Tuzla question (to Clinton) – S
9. Has Clinton been truthful (to Obama) – S
10. Flag question/patriotism (to Obama) – G
11. Flag question/patriotism/Ayers (to Obama) – S
12. Questions on Plan to get out of Iraq (to both) – G
13. Iran questions re attack on Israel (to both) – S
14. Economy questions (Will you raise taxes?) (to both) – S
15. Raise Capital Gains Tax questions (to both) – G
16. Soc. Sec. Taxes (to Obama) – G
17. Guns/2nd Amend. Questions (to both) – G
18. Affirmative Action question (to both) –S
19. Gas Prices/Energy policy questions (to both) – G
20. How would you use Dubya as advisor/other role (to both) – G
21. Undecided Superdelegate question (to both) – G
By my count, the vast majority of the questions were about “horse race” issues (Tuzla, Wright, flag pins, poll numbers, electability, etc.). When the economy came up it was either along the lines of tax questions and/or gas prices. There was only a few questions about Iraq and Iran, one about gun rights, one about affirmative action (hardly a burning issue in this election), and one really stupid question about how they would use George W. Bush’s experience as president if they won the election in November.
Here’s a few topics that neither Gibson or Stephanopoulus covered with their questions to Clinton and Obama last night (though the candidates did occasionally sneak in some discussion of them in answer to some of the other questions). This is not an exhaustive list, and the topics for which no questions were asked is set forth in no particular order:
Global Warming, New Orleans Reconstruction, Health Care, Veterans Benefits (New GI Bill or Health Benefits), Defense Spending, National Debt, Trade Issues, Environmental issues (not about global warming), Regulatory Agency scandals and problems, Financial markets, Worldwide Food Crisis, Darfur, Pakistan, Somalia, North Korea, NATO, Russia, China, Nigeria, Venezuela, Drugs, Unemployment, Mortgage crisis, Bush administration Crimes and Scandals, Torture, Guantanamo Bay and other detention facilities, Loss of Civil Rights (Electronic surveillance, FISA, Habeas Corpus), Infrastructure issues, Gay Rights, Race (except as it came up re: Reverend Wright), Immigration
So it wasn’t just that the questions asked were framed in the same manner that FOX News moderators would have done, nor was it the adversarial tone of the questions and the attempts to gin up fake controversies. What really made this debate shameful and a complete waste of any potential voter’s time was that there was simply little if any debate on the substantive issues of this campaign. This was the real travesty of last night’s debate: that it was concerned primarily with trivial matters that have little if any bearing on the important issues affecting most Americans. I can just imagine how awful the debates this Fall with McCain will become, if this is the template for future televised political debates in our country.
Frankly, we’d have been better off without any moderators – just let the candidates go at it in the fashion of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Because it seems to me we’d get a better debate eliminating these “gotcha style” media types from any future participation in choosing the questions whatsoever. Certainly it couldn’t be any worse without them.
that was no debate, It was the “ABC News Freak Show” hosted by Two Blind Mice, that’s become a scandal.
Proved that we really should have hooked up Dance,Dance Revolution and let the candidates go at it. Hell, it would have been more helpful if they both came over and played our Wii with my toddlers. But thank you for “stealing” my post. I was just about to list all the questions asked on my own blog and you beat me to it…which means that I can just steal your list, HA!
you know, it is disturbing that even the substantive questions were distorted into a right-wing frame.
Yes it was — it put the candidates on the defensive by suggesting that you’ll fail the country if you leave Iraq or don’t bomb Iran or cut taxes.
when is the last time Iran/Persia waged an a war of aggression to expand their territory?
How does it compare to Sweden in that regard?
not playing well: The Fall Out
The dumbest debate in America – The Guardian, UK
“Silly in Philly”-American Journalism Review
“Dreadful, Stephanopoulos- Newsbusters
An Open Letter to Charlie Gibson and George Stephanapoulos-Will Bunch, Philly.com
In Pa debate, The clear Loser Is ABC-Wapo
The question: Whose side are you on?
Look, the corporate media, and last night was ABC’s chance to shine, is lockstep with the rest of the oligarchy. Bill Clinton’s machinations of all the media merger stuff back in the nineties assured this. Just like his pushing of trade agreements led to so much of our manufacturing moving overseas.
When Clinton supporters whine about Hillary’s bad coverage they had better remember what happened when Bill handed over everything to media corporations. This.
I don’t know how this will play out in Pennsylvania, if I lived there I’d be pissed at ABC too.
I will write Steph and ask why he cares that a black man wears a flag pin, but not the white women, or man.
You know, looking at that list of questions, I really wish Obama had replied to the stupid one about Bush with: “Well, Mr. Gibson, from a careful examination of George W. Bush’s record and accomplishments as President, I think I have the perfect use for his experience. I’d have him down in Texas, clearing brush. And after this abominable trash-can of a debate, I’d have you and Stephanapoulus down there right next to him. Better hope Dubya’s got better aim with that brush-cutter than he does with our armed forces!”
Well, that beats my response, which would have been: “Everyone has a function to perform, even if it’s only to serve as a bad example.”
You know, you can probably throw out most of the questions you propose as well. Not that they’re not good questions, and couldn’t be substantive questions or real issues, but the primary reason for this debate was ostensibly to show the voters of Pennsylvania who would be their best choice for President. Now toward that end there should have been questions about the Pennsylvania economy, what they would do to bring jobs to the region, how Pennsylvania can take part in the upcoming shift toward green energy, agricultural policies, things like that. The foreign part of the debate would have focused on issues like when Pennsylvanians could come home from Iraq and Afghanistan, foreign trade opportunities that wouldn’t bankrupt the state or its citizens, that sort of thing. I doubt the average Pennsylvanian is more worried about the possibility of being attacked by Iran than they are about whether their job is going to be shipped off to the Philippines.
because some folks have implied Obama is the affirmative-action candidate and I’m sure those DC elitists believe that to be true.
The never ending “debates” that are not. In my view, the election campaigns should be GETTING UNDERWAY about now. Then the conventions in the summer, followed by two months of national campaigning from the Tuesday after Labor Day till the election. As it is, I tuned out on the latest talking points being highlighted by the Corporate media a long, long time ago. As for the behavior of the Dem candidates in this sorry season, let’s just say that they seem to be using all that saved dry powder on each other. If McCain wins in November (not nearly as far fetched as it was, say five months ago), we will only have to look in the mirror to see who is at fault.
We need to stop “debating” each other, and attack the opposition party. They are after all the ones who have created this national nightmare, aren’t they??
I have a breakdown of the topic areas along with the number of words spoken. It agrees in general with Steven D’s observations.
here