Who's uncomfortable with Gibson getting so much control over the debate.

[AP]

He gets to pick the questions? He gets to decide when a follow-up is allowed?

Come on.

What has he done to earn that much control?

[durablend]

1. What control?

* jumped all over Gibson (just did on the replay with the "let me say my piece" thing about the coalition). Seems more like * was trying to control things.

[AP]

4. What kind of questions do you think he tossed in the can?

[KittyWampus]

7. Questions Were Pretty Wide Ranging. Many Were Probably Very Similar

don't you think?

[AP]

23. Who knows. Only Gibson knows. We're left with the impression that...

...these questions reflect what Americans are thinking. But Gibson could have picked 15% of the questions in a way that completely misrepresents what people were thinking.

[barb162]

2. I'm not that wild about the set-up either

I would like to know how that audience got picked. Who picked that namby-pamby group?

[Bread and Circus]

3. I think he did a fine job and used his authority well....Bush yelling at..

him was the real embarrassment.

Yelling! Shouting him down! WTF? That's not Presidential behavior, that's a dictatorial attitude unmasked !

[NightOwwl]

8. Did you see Gibson's face when Bush lunged?

He was scared, no joke. DNC has got to put up a clip of that fast!

[Bread and Circus]

22. Bush nearly lost it. He was part psycho for a minute....

[KittyWampus]

5. I Thought The Questions Were Very Good. And The Two Freepers

towards the end... well... it could've been much worse.

[seabeyond]

6. he did a good job. he gave bush more zingers than kerry

though the ones that are zingers for kerry, arent really zingers just spin from bush so they didnt hurt, just gave chance to kerry to shine

[AP]

11. Finishes with two pro-life quesions. Didn't give Kerry a follow-up on the

opening question.

It could have been worse. What I'm really complaining about is why does Gibson get to chose. I'd rather have randomly selected questions. If there are a few awkward stupid questions, cool. It'd be interesting to see how they deal. It wouldn't be ideal, but it's better than letting Gibson have all the power.

[Radio-Active]

9. I thought it was pathetic how he started off the debate with a

question labeling Kerry as "wishy-washy".. great way to start, buddy.

[fujiyama]

17. I know some may disagree

but I actually am glad that that question was asked early on. Like it or not, the republicans have had some impact in labeling Kerry as a flip flopper.

Kerry had a chance to address. He did a decent job of doing so.

[Tatiana]

10. Actually, I think he did a pretty fair job as moderator. n/t

[AP]

12. Regardless of the job you think he did, why did he get so MUCH control?

[bobbieinok]

18. Jim and Gwen had control too

[AP]

21. This debate was supposed to be different. See my post below.

[AP]

13. ..

[SoCalDemocrat]

14. Gibson was clearly biased and here's why

Twice Kerry said how he would fund his programs. He gave amounts, he explained the tax cut he will roll back, he explained the tax loopholes he would close.

Bush meanwhile had no plans.

Gibson comes back and criticizes them BOTH saying they provided NO EXPLANATION of how they would fund their plans.

He's a moderator, he needs to moderate not inject his own B.S. half baked opinions. He needs to take his ass back to his cookie baking morning show because he is by no means qualified to play the role he just played tonight.

[AP]

16. Yes. He totally editorialized twice.

Also, check out the advertisers on Gibson's show. I wonder if he protected them from a few pointed questions.

What if 75% of the questions were about drug costs and Gibson let through mostly Iraq questions?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

25. I didn't see it but THAT is fucked up

Never ever seen that in any debate- especially the town hall fomat.

[flowomo]

15. He was fine by me.....

those were about the same rules as all the debates.

[AP]

20. It gave him too much control. This was supposed to be the debate where

the people got to ask the questions. But they invited enough people and chose such a small % of the questions they had available to ask that Gibson was still able to present a debate that matched what the media does in their more controled debates.

[gordianot]

19. The no tax question was a low blow.

[wysiwyg]

24. I think Gibson tried to add controversial subjects

I think Gibson tried to add controversial subjects but in a fairly balanced way. When an obviously non-undecided voter basically asked Kerry to justify killing embryos I figured Bush was in for it on the next question; i.e. "name 3 mistakes and what you did to correct them".

Of course, Bush never admitted a mistake and said he'd be given responsibility by history.

Someone would need to give him responsibility; he sure as hell isn't going to take responsibility for anything.

[0007]

26. I didn't care for the format - It appeared that every advantage

was given to junior on the questions.

I thought Kerry won.

[LTR]

27. I thought he did a very good job

He maintained control better than the other two moderators. And seemed pretty fair.

And he held his own when Bush almost went for his throat.

I always think of Gibson as a lightweight, but he did fairly well.

[AP]

28. see posts 20, 21, and 23