Philadelphia Inquirer: ABC gets an earful after debate

[usregimechange]

It used to be that the important parties in a debate were the debaters. Lincoln and Douglas. Kennedy and Nixon. Carter and Ford. Reagan and Carter.

But the morning after Wednesday night's presidential campaign debate in Philadelphia, the names on the nation's lips were . . . Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos.

Gibson, the avuncular ABC news anchor, and Stephanopoulos, the network's mop-top political analyst, found themselves at the center of a cloudburst of criticism for their interrogation of Democratic presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

"Shoddy, despicable performances," grumbled Washington Post television critic Tom Shales, who thought ABC's coverage of the event "seemed slanted against Obama."

With thousands of angry comments pouring into ABC, the network addressed the "debate over the debate" in last night's telecast of ABC World News, immediately after the lead story of Pope Benedict XVI's meeting with victims of clergy sexual abuse.

http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20080418_ABC_gets_an_earful_after_debate.html

[Zachstar]

1. ABC news deserves every last scrap of bad PR until they denouce the sham of a debate.

[City Lights]

6. Agreed. They obviously haven't gotten the message yet. George is still

digging. He's gunna need a bigger shovel.

[DemVet]

2. I thought ABC did a great job.

They asked BOTH candidates the questions they didn't want to hear...the ones about character.

We've been drilled to death on what they would do about Iraq, healthcare, NAFTA, etc. etc.

It was refreshing to hear some different questions.

Questions about Rev. Wright, Ayer the terrorist, and Hillary's lying are relevant on today's political stage, whether people like those questions or not.

Character counts.

[Hepburn]

3. Oh, please....

...this kind of total bullshit crap is more important than the war in Iraq, the economy, the price of gas, medical care...???

If you think so, then IMO you are terminally stupid.

JMHO

[KittyWampus]

9. crappy journalism helped CAUSE the war in Iraq, the economy, price of gas etc

[stillcool]

12. Bullshit crap is indeed the problem..

It almost sounds like you believe that ABC would actually be covering "The war in Iraq, the economy, the price of gas, medical care...???" if it were not for their bogus debate. Complain about the media, but don't complain to the media?

[noel711]

4. Character counts.. that's what was said in 2000 and 2004...

so the election went on, 'characters' got elected.
How's that working for us?

Remember, not everything the media tells us is true.
Not everything the media claims as 'important' is truly important.

[CanonRay]

5. And what the %@#$ does wearing a lapel pin have to do with character.

That was a total hit job. McCain should count it as an in-kind donation.

[0007]

8. Refreshing?

Character counts.

[Zachstar]

10. Ayer is not a terrorist you are posting defamatory statements.

[susankh4]

11. Great job!

I sent my letter thanking George for his hard work and detailed research. Told him I hope to see him back in the White House come 2009!

That man is a genius and, if the Dem party doesn't see what a gift he just gave them they deserve to lose this election.

Bravo to Mr. Gibson as well.

[futureliveshere]

7. Mop-Top analyst..ROFL!!!

:rofl: