Didn't anyone else notice? Split screen had "close up" of Bush while the

[KoKo]

camera was panned back on Kerry, which made Bush appear "dominant?"

The split screen in the other debates showed them "equal." Did Fox control the cameras again last night? I checked all the channels and those who were using "split" all had the same split featuring Bush slightly "foreward."

They also had the same tie. Red with little dots. I was surprised no one else mentioned it last night in any of the threads I saw.

This to me seemed like definite bias to make Kerry look "smaller."

Didn't seem to change the outcome of the debate though. :D Just showed the Chimp red faced and challenging, rocking back and forth and snickering and in general acting like he was in a bar and had tossed a few down.

Still, I hope someone else noticed this out in the Blog world.

[Catfight]

1. There was a green cast on Kerry's face during the split screen as well.

The visual on Kerry was pathetic, the media has now done everything possible to make Kerry inferior to their money man, but it still didn't work. I will never forgive the media after this years election for ruining this country.

[Dogmudgeon]

2. The Spin Cycle has only just started

It's traditional to give debate coverage 72 hours to coalesce into Public Opinion.

Bush didn't look dominant at all. He looked like a jackass, trying to lob zingers at a man who radiated dignity and integrity. Kerry outclassed Bush at every turn -- and everybody knows it.

Kerry could have dressed up in a clown suit, and he still would have cut a better figure than Bush. Such is the nature of honesty and maturity.

--bkl

[soothsayer]

3. It was cuz Kerry is so much taller. They tried to make them the same

height without having too much podium showing for bushie. It just looked hilarious to me! That giant orange pumpkin head of his. He looked like a monster!

[Booster]

12. I agree. It didn't work for him cause he looked bloated next

to John. I don't think it was done with any other thought in mind by the director except to try and even up the picture.

[soothsayer]

14. agreed

[nostamj]

4. at the beginning, it was the same as the first debate

you could tell because chimpy's podium was much more visable.

they didn't like that image last time, made * look like he was so much shorter.

so, at some point they zoomed in so that the *podiums* AND their heads were lined up.

that said, I don't think it made * look any better. a CLOSE look at a grinning, giggling buffoon is not going to make it look "dominating"

[napi21]

5. I noticed both the ties and the enlarged image.

I have no idea who controlled the cameras, but there was a similar effort in the first debate.

Remember the misalignment of the podiums that made both candidates look the same height?

I also immediately noticed that both men were wearing red ties last night! I thought if was pretty funny! Reminds me of copycats you find in the corp. world. If the big boss wears suspenders, suddenly lots of middle managers are wearing them. Shrub's handlers must have thought the red power tie that Kerry wore in the 1st 2 debates had some impact, so he had to play copy the boss and wear one too!

[Philostopher]

6. It's pretty sad, when they have to deliberately handicap

the challenger against an incumbent president, isn't it? It's a wonder they didn't make Kerry debate with a mouth full of marbles because he's more articulate, too. And dosed with some brain-fogging drug, since he's more intelligent. What was it, a presidential debate or a freakin' ProAm golf tournament?

[charlie]

7. I'll give them a pass on that

When they framed from the podium upwards in the first debate, Dubya looked like a kid at the grownups table, so they moved in closer this time. If they'd done the same for Kerry, it would've clipped his hands.

[Alpharetta]

8. it was a technical challenge to frame them fairly

Frame them exactly the same and Kerry would appear much taller. The director of the first debate did that for about 10 minutes and decided it was too unfair.

Lock the bottom of the frame on the podium so the viewers can see the warning lights, then lock the top of the frame at a point so the top of each speaker's head is equal height on the frame, and you've ended up zooming closer on Bush than on Kerry because Bush is shorter.

I think it was obvious to most viewers that the camera operators were doing what the director wanted in an attempt to make them appear as equally sized as possible.

[kskiska]

9. This was the first thing Tweety said

right after the debate ended. I haven't heard it mentioned again.

[peacebuzzard]

10. the spitbooger on chimpy was well defined- lunatic on controlled meds

isn't a medical a requirement? and public information?

[minorl]

11. I think it had to do with how short Bush is.

Height differences force them to adjust camera angles. If you zoom in you get less of the podium while keeping the candidates head at the same point in the frame. If you just adjust the height of the camera then the podium takes over the bottom half of the shot.

Notice that they panned back to get the green-yellow-red time lights too.

[newyawker99]

15. Hi minorl!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[GinaMaria]

13. if there was a close up of chimpy mcspittle

it backfired because it magnified the goop of saliva in the corner of his mouth. It was so distracting.