New York Mayor, ABC News Invite Obama, McCain to Historic Town Hall

[cal04]

Source: ABC News

Network Offers Primetime Coverage of Unprecedented Event
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and ABC News have invited Sens. Barack Obama and John McCain to participate in a 90-minute, primetime town hall meeting to be broadcast live from Federal Hall in New York City.

Both Obama, D-Ill., and McCain, R-Ariz., have indicated a willingness to participate in such a forum -- unprecedented in the history of modern presidential campaigns.

"We are thrilled to see you both embrace the idea of joint town hall meetings where voters can an have unfiltered opportunity to hear how each candidate would address the great issues facing our country," read a letter sent to both campaigns today from Bloomberg, I-New York City, and ABC News president David Westin.

"On behalf of the City of New York and ABC News we respectfully offer to host and broadcast the first of these town halls on a date that can be agreed upon by all parties."


Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=5021604&page=1

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Diane Sawyer would moderate the event.

[TwilightGardener]

1. ABC news, huh? Yeah, Obama should trust them to be fair, right?

[Meshuga]

2. So they can do the same bullshit as the last ABC debate?

That was the worst debate ever!

[jjr5]

9. Yeah,

Honestly, after all the junk ABC news has done against Obama - the last debate and that dumb Nightline segment, Obama should be the one calling the shots in terms of debates and not giving in to ABC news. I am especially wary b/c if things don't go well at that debate, that is the country's first view of the candidates for the General Election. It may stack the odds against Barack's favor. BARACK, BE CAREFUL!! You want NBC news - not a trap like this, and no you are not strong enough to bellie the bs questions of ABC news. - Even if you try to answer the questions in the nicest and most presidential way possible, it may end up being like the last debate- a complete and utter mess.

[Diane R]

3. Moderated by Stephanopoulos and Gibson? No thanks.

[glowing]

4. Town Hall would mean the questions come from the audience..

that town hall better have equal access of supporters and independents... because I could see ABC packing it with a bunch of meatheads that go after Obama and make McCain look like a freaking saint. I would def. make sure I knew who was going to be in that audience of town hall members.

[Middle finga]

5. No thanks ABC, We know who side you are on.

[gristy]

6. I will not be able to stomach watching it

10-second questions with with 2-minute preambles. Plants with hit job questions. Regular guys with asinine questions. Answers that have nothing to do with the question.

It.will.be.so.awful.

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

7. uh, the network that gave us path to 911, the "debates" and this....

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=144003&mesg_id=144003

I hate to say it, but if the Obama camp agrees to this, and when (not if, when) ABC news and company takes a snippet and completely uses it out of context to smear Obama or Michelle, they will have gotten what they asked for. What is the saying about expecting a different outcome using the same criteria?

ABC WILL smear the Dem and Obama any chance they get, but I would strongly ask the Obama camp not to give them the ratings and income a debate will bring, and to reward another network (PBS) that has the integrity to present the truth and be fair.

[crickets]

8. Thank goodness they turned it down

http://www.bostonherald.com/news/national/politics/2008/view.bg?articleid=1099476&srvc=rss

"But the campaigns said no to a formal offer outlined in a letter from Bloomberg and ABC on Sunday envisioning a 90-minute primetime broadcast moderated by Diane Sawyer to kick off the town hall series in New York City. The campaigns said the candidates intend to make the town hall meetings open for broadcast on all television networks or on the internet, rather than sponsored by a single network or news organization."

[jjr5]

10. well I hope that's true

phew. . .

[Robb]

11. Good answer

"It wouldn't be fair to the other networks" is better than "Your hopelessly slanted ass will be first against the wall when the revolution comes."

THIS is why I am not a politician. :D

[crickets]

12. Heh, I know what you mean. Same here. -nt

:7

[ohio2007]

13. Why no confidence in him ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZxBX8sz3tO8

Looks like CNN and ABC are "no go" zones .

[fujiyama]

14. Gee, I can't imagine why Obama might be skeptical to have a debate moderated

by a hack like Gibson, or a washed up hack like Stephanopolous.

I'd tell the ABC network to go fuck themselves to high heaven. I wouldn't participate with them for anything.