Pin the Problem on ABC?
Day two and the Democratic debate fallout continues. Turns out the lady who asked Obama the question about the Flag Pin, in a prerecorded tape made by ABC, had already told the New York Times that she could not support Barack Obama--because of his sometimes aversion to wearing flag pins. So, it wasn't really a question from an undecided voter as much as a jibe from someone who had already declared publicly that she was against Obama. Or as Howard Kurtz puts it:
In other words, in staging a debate between Obama and Hillary Clinton, ABC deliberately gave a platform to a Pennsylvanian who had indicated in advance that she could not support one candidate. McCabe's question, which was expanded upon by moderator Charlie Gibson, forced Obama to defend his patriotism.
There is nothing that says undecided voters are the only ones whose opinions matter, or the only ones who get to ask questions, or that someone who has previously voiced an opinion is disqualified. But in this day and age, who at ABC thought they could pull something like this off without controversy? Why do such an elaborately pre-planned woman-on-the-street? Why didn't the moderators just ask the question themselves?
Add Your Comment:
Most Popular »
- Best of the Decade: Sci-Fi Movies
- CNN Poll: Man Made Global Warming Takes a Hit
- Why Wells Fargo isn't paying back TARP
- "How Will Dave Ever Make Fun of Sex Scandals Again?"
- Is Harry Reid Burning Out?
- How Will Obama Pay For Stimulus 2.1? (or 3.0, 3.1, whatever you want to call it)
- A Jobs Speech with Elbows
- War of the Supermen: Q&A With Matt Idelson
- The Health Reform Abortion Wars, Part Deux
- Economists Growing More Wary of the Senate Health Bill
- The Truth Behind the Leaked Climate-Change E-Mails
- Mexico Witness Protection: Corrupt Program, New Killings
- Tiger Woods Must Face His Fans' Moral Outrage
- Helicopter Parents: The Backlash Against Overparenting
- Taiwan: World's Lowest Birthrate Could Affect Society
- How Strong Is the Evidence Against Amanda Knox?
- Creating Jobs: Can Obama Government Boost Employment?
- U.S. Doesn't Know Where bin Laden Is; Time to Let Go
- That Viral Thing: Facebook's Secret Code
- Humanure: Goodbye, Toilets. Hello, Extreme Composting













RSS