Getting the appropriate soundbite

[Nanjeanne]

After thinking about what happened last night during the Town Hall - this morning I realized why I felt so disillusioned by the format. I didn't care that Bernie went first. I didn't even care that Cuomo was on stage with him all the time. I thought Bernie handled himself and the tough questions asked by Cuomo just fine . . . for thinking people who were actually listening for substance.

What hit me this morning after reading the nonsense headlines about "I will raise taxes. Yes I will" - was that this was the WHOLE POINT of the forum. No, I'm not a conspiracy theorist. I am a relatively observant, half-way intelligent person. And bam! I replayed that whole thing in my head.

The question Bernie got was about his healthcare plan. He explained it in a way the questioner could understand. Cuomo interrupted with "but you will raise taxes". This wasn't a question from the audience. It was Cuomo's question. Bernie responded again, in a detailed way about how a family would actually save money. None of those answers worked well in a headline to scare people. So Cuomo then did something that he didn't do to any other person and was, based on this format, completely wrong. He insisted "give me a yes or no. You will raise taxes" at which point Bernie, being the honest candidate looked him in the eye and said "yes I will raise taxes. Yes I will". BINGO! Cuomo served his Clinton overlords - and got them the headline they were seeking. Not for fairness. Not for educating the audience. Not for providing Iowa voters real information. Not for anything except the corporate media to have a headline to run and for Clinton to remind people over and over that Bernie said "yes I will raise taxes".

It's not that I have a problem with Bernie's plan and I feel like Biden - "it's patriotic to pay taxes". It's the fact that this was such a set up that is dismaying. But maybe it's just that I'm tired of the bull.

And that, my friends, is corporate democracy at it worst.

[Awknid]

1. You are probably right but

I doubt it will cause any harm. People are not that stupid and most will have the complete info.

[HereSince1628]

2. The invisible hand of Grover Norquist

Americans love to hate taxes.

And so it is quite pragmatic to bring up taxes when opposing a plan that eliminates the much greater cost of profits as a component of the revenue stream of healthcare financing.

[winter is coming]

3. And if he hadn't answered, the meme would be that he'd dodged the question. n/t

[Nanjeanne]

5. But he did answer

He just didn't say it in the way they needed him to. Something they can run with.

If Cuomo pressed everyone in the same way it wouldn't be so apparent.

But I do agree that most people are not going to be fooled by this - they tried it so many times before after he came out with his tax plan.

I guess I'm just irritated and dismayed. Not that I expected anything less from the Clinton campaign.

This press were the ones that drummed up the Iraq War and gave us the second term of Bush as president. They beat that drum every single day over and over. I'm going to try to remain hopeful that the country (and Iowa) is smarter than they were - and keep working for Bernie. But there's a somberness to this morning and a bad taste in my mouth.

Unfortunately, that taste is making it harder and harder for me to actually vote for Hillary should she win. I didn't want to feel like that. But I live in a Blue state - so maybe it won't matter.

[Odin2005]

4. I was saying the town hall was a trap since it was first announced.

DINO Debbie sucks!

[MineralMan]

6. That question will be asked many times,

especially if Sanders somehow gets the nomination. Taxes are always a hot-button issue for presidential candidates. It's a question that must be answered by any candidate who is asked. Hedging won't work.

A single-payer universal health plan is going to be tax-supported. That's obvious. Yes, taxes will go up. The key is how much money will be saved by implementing it. We're already paying for healthcare coverage. If we'll pay less and will no longer be paying outrageous health insurance premiums, then it won't matter.

[KingCharlemagne]

7. Cuomo is a 1%er. You don't think he knows who greases his skids? Let's

get real.

But I understand why you're disillusioned. I trust the people of Iowa will see through this transparent bullshit and caucus for the person who will best represent their interests.