Did the 'moderator' pass up Edwards twice last night?

[goodboy]

I seem to remember her passing over Edwards twice to ask Cheney another question. Was this fair?

[goodboy]

1. why does everyone ignore me?

[democratreformed]

2. I can't help you. I was in class and missed the debate. n/t

[leftofthedial]

12. I was helping my daughter with her homework

but it seemed to me she skipped at least two 30-second rebuttals.

Then she gave Edwards the extra "15-second" rebuttal by mistake.

I didn't really sense any intentional bias in favor of cheney, just incompetence.

[October]

3. I too felt that the moderator

gave Cheney more rebuttal opportunities. Seemed weighted in Cheney's favor time-wise -- though ironically, he needed less time to cough out his responses.

He was smarmy, chuckling -- using his time to be condescending instead of answering the questions. All of those "There's not enough time to answer....blah, blah, blah" introductions...never led anywhere.

JMHO

[spooky3]

4. They probably just don't know the answer to your question.

I was so stressed listening to it that I wasn't watching the clock or keeping track of her other behavior. But it wouldn't surprise me if you were right.

[goodboy]

7. I betcha Will Pitt would know....(nt)

[spooky3]

10. why not pm him?

maybe someone could use a stopwatch on the videotape or review a transcript

[goodboy]

14. I can't...it says he cannot receive them....(nt)

[spooky3]

19. oh...maybe someone else will volunteer to do this work. The findings

would be very interesting and useful to send to the media before the next debate.

[goodboy]

22. Is it true Ifill is tight with Condimima Rice?

[redqueen]

24. Yes

when Ifil was doing an interview with clueless Condi, I think the night before she had a private dinner with her (not positive of timeframe). I think she cooked for her palsy wal.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that when Condi admitted she hadn't even bothered to read the NEA before the Iraq invasion, that Condi just let it slide without comment.

Ifil makes me absolutely ILL.

:puke:

[goodboy]

26. makes me puke too. I just don't understand people like Ifill, powell,

Watts, Keyes, condi, who sell out their own people. I think they're trying to be white on the inside...

[redqueen]

27. I don't think it has anything to do with color at all.

It's all about power and money.

[goodboy]

29. I appreciate and understand your comment...

however, I certainly do think that they've had to kiss a lot of white ass to get where they are...just my Opinion.

[lasttrip]

42. i believe hes under the weather. he deserves a break. nt

[nyhuskyfan]

5. I thought that, too

There was once very early on that Cheney got a 1:30 rebuttal and then they jumped right into a 2:00 question for him -- so he got almost 4:00 uninterrupted. And there were things in that first 1:30 that warranted comebacks.

[goodboy]

8. Yes, that's it. Why isn't anyone else talking about this? (nt)

[liberal_in_GA]

6. I was wondering that myself...

DefibMan seemed to get about four or five minutes of mumbling time in a row, with no JE response. :shrug:

[goodboy]

9. I think a lot of people noticed it, but the media is not saying anything

[michigandem2]

11. seemed that way to me too

like he got a lot of time...then Edwards had to go back respond tot he first part and then answer the actual question but edwards handled that well

[goodboy]

13. it made it harder on Edwards to rebut Cheney's lies...(nt)

[JPace]

15. I remember at one point Edwards spoke out that

he thought Cheney was in line to talk,
then as he was talking sure enough the
moderator corrected her mistake and
gave it back to Cheney. I thought Edwards
was so graceful through that and at the
same time so attentive and smart to know
what was going on more than anyone in
spite of being under such pressure.
He can chew gum, tap dance AND keep up
with everyone else's assignments. That
is good WH material.

[Ready4Change]

16. Thought it was just me.

I thought maybe I wasn't paying enough attention, because I thought I noticed similar things.

One thing I thought I saw was Cheneys red light come on, then start blinking, but stop after a couple blinks, and he kept talking for maybe 15 more seconds.

It would be interesting to see who got more time, who got more 30 second extensions on their questions, and under what circumstances the extensions were given, etc...

[goodboy]

18. Edwards IMO did not get a chance to rebut dr. evil on at least 2 occasions

[Bandit]

17. You are not the only one to notice that

Edwards tried to respond to cheney a couple of times and was not allowed to do so. I noticed that Cheney was always allowed to reply. No matter how hard they try to weight it in their favor the truth manages to come out. The major truth I saw on display was Cheney is a LIAR. Several times he stated things that are blatantly false.

[goodboy]

20. Why doesn't someone call out Ifill on her obvious bias...?

[redqueen]

25. Oh she's been called out

Nobody cares. It's SOP.

[progressivebydesign]

21. THe moderator was really AWFUL with her extra 30 second things..

That's where Edwards got really screwed last night. In her rules, she stated that each candidate is asked a question and can reply for 2 minutes. The other candidate responds for 90 seconds. Now..on HER discretion alone, she can grant 30 rebuttals to the 90 second replies.. and then a 30 second rebuttal to the 30 second rebuttal is allowed.

HOWEVER... how many times did she REFUSE to give Edwards 30 seconds when it was so obvious he wanted one??? Several times he motioned as though he wanted to respond and she moved on. BUT.. she, in almost EVERY instance, not only GAVE 30 seconds to fucking CHeney.. but actually routinely ASKED him if he wanted to rebut for 30 seconds after Edwards rebutted him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to review the tape and count how many times she passed over Edwards for the discretionary 30 second rebuttals, and how many times she OFFERED them to Cheney! Complaints should be rolling in about her... Unlike Jim Lehrer, who was widely praised, she will not be.

[goodboy]

23. THANKS! Cali, you're right on the money. I can't say it better (eom)

[Free2BMe]

40. Does anyone know where complaints can be filed???

[goodboy]

41. unfortunately, I do not. maybe PBS has a feedback section? nt

[Free2BMe]

45. thank you, I watch GE on washington week on PBS....

and her bias is so obvious..I thought she might be able to put it in perspective -for her career-but I was sadly mistaken.

[liberal N proud]

28. Call it handicapping...

In the context that Edwards is smarter than Cheney?

[Junkdrawer]

30. Ifill editorialized in several of her questions to Edwards:

IFILL: New question to you, Senator Edwards, but I don't want to let go of the global test question first, because...

EDWARDS: Sure.

IFILL: ... I want people to understand exactly what it is, as you said, that Senator Kerry did say.

He said, "You've got to do" -- you know, he was asked about preemptive action at the last debate -- he said, "You've got to do it in a way that passes the test, that passes the global test where your countrymen, your people understand fully why you're doing what you're doing and can prove to the world that you did it for legitimate reasons." What is a global test if it's not a global veto?

......

IFILL: Senator Edwards, new question to you, and you have two minutes to respond.

Part of what you have said and Senator Kerry has said that you are going to do in order to get us out of the problems in Iraq is to internationalize the effort.

Yet French and German officials have both said they have no intention even if John Kerry is elected of sending any troops into Iraq for any peacekeeping effort. Does that make your effort or your plan to internationalize this effort seem kind of naive?

.....

IFILL: New question, but same subject.

As the vice president mentioned, John Kerry comes from the state of Massachusetts, which has taken as big a step as any state in the union to legalize gay marriage. Yet both you and Senator Kerry say you oppose it.

Are you trying to have it both ways?

[goodboy]

31. Right. She seemed to couch the questions more politely to Dr. Evil.

[Junkdrawer]

32. Her bias was totally transparent...

Which is too bad for her because the new breed of PBS/NPR whores "specialize" in subtle RW bias. She's of limited use if her bias is too obvious.

[goodboy]

33. I totally agree...although, Lehrer did do a good job IMO.

[Junkdrawer]

39. Lehrer (and Bob Schieffer on the 13th) are old school journalists...

After they're gone, it's blow dried whores as far as the eye can see... :(

BTW: Edwards did well considering. His best tactic was to ignore biased questions as much as possible and deliver his points over and above the moderator. Edwards was there to debate Cheney, not Ifill.

[goodboy]

43. right...If it is a draw, It's a win for K/E...nt

[Norquist Nemesis]

36. She was most likely peeing in her Depends

every time she had to look at him.

I've watched Ifill a couple on times on her Sunday show. Two was enough to convince me it is a waste of good air time.

[Name removed]

47. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Junkdrawer]

54. Damn. Flamed and I never got to see it...

;)

[Norquist Nemesis]

34. The moderator's performance last night

...sucked. And that's not an evaluation from my partisan peepers. It was hubby's.

Her questions were bad and the 'discretion' she used was poorly managed. She also screwed up in giving Edwards a second rebuttal, he asked "Are you sure?" before starting to answer. Then (maybe the look on her face or something), Edwards stopped mid-answer and said "You just realized you made a mistake." She made no apologies.

[goodboy]

35. Plus the way she framed her questions lent itself to being condescending

toward Edwards. "naive" please.

[Norquist Nemesis]

38. That was hubby's take also.

Like I said, I fully admit I view from a partisan standpoint. Hubby's voting for Kerry, but he is not partisan (and it pisses me off to no end sometimes LOL).

Shocked me that he thought this.

[Terran]

37. I only watched the first half hour, but

in that period of time I did see Edwards clearly signal the Mod for a 30-second rebuttal and she either ignored him or didn't see the request.

[goodboy]

44. AND, Ifill ASKED cheney if he wanted to rebut. pisses me off. (nt)

[Terran]

46. Yes, saw that too.

Makes you wonder about the discretionary nature of that aspect of the debate format. How does the Mod decide who needs a rebuttal and who doesn't? I'm not sure I would say she was partisan, but what otherwise is the explanation?

[goodboy]

48. There is really no good explanation. Nt

[Senator Lamb]

49. name

Why were they not allowed to mention their running mates name in one question. it was like a 2nd grade game and Edwards got interrupted twice because of it.

[goodboy]

50. who knows...it was childish at best....welcome to DU....

[newyawker99]

55. Hi Senator Lamb!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[genius]

53. She is a close friend of Condi's. There was an alert about her yesterday

[genius]

51. I also thought Cheney got more time (from more questions)

Did anyone count?

[sonicx]

52. Edwards was forced to use time in later questions to

address stuff he couldn't in skipped rebutals. She was aweful.