Debate Host Harwood Tells the Tale of Rick Perry's 'Oops' Moment, and Keeping Perry on Spot
John Harwood, chief Washington correspondent for CNBC, co-hosted the GOP debate in Michigan last Wednesday, and had a hand in Perry’s infamous debate “oops” moment, when the Texas governor was unable to list all three of the federal agencies he planned to eliminate as president. On Monday Harwood revealed that a CNBC producer helped prod Perry’s long, awkward moment by shouting a directive into Harwood’s earpiece.
Harwood also writes a weekly “Caucus” column for the New York Times. On Monday he discussed his role in Gov. Rick Perry’s infamous debate "oops," as well as how the audience booed the hosts for bringing up Herman Cain's sexual harassment controversy.
I knew our CNBC presidential debate had broken through when my daughter called from college to shout: “Dad, you’re on my two favorite Web sites!”
She was talking about CollegeHumor.com and PerezHilton.com, two among the scores of outlets that replayed my exchange with Gov. Rick Perry of Texas that ended with “Oops.” It continued through “Saturday Night Live,” with Fred Armisen and Nasim Pedrad playing me and my moderating partner, Maria Bartiromo.
....
Indeed, most of the aggression inside Oakland University’s Athletics Center O’rena was directed at us. Audience members booed when we raised the Cain controversy.
We expected that, since Maria and I had received the same reaction at a breakfast of Michigan Republicans that morning. Nor was it surprising when former Speaker Newt Gingrich followed his pattern of attacking debate moderators rather than rival candidates.
What did surprise us was when Mr. Perry’s emphatic speech about budget cutting suddenly ran into a synaptic wall.
“It’s three agencies of government when I get there that are gone,” Mr. Perry declared. “Commerce, Education and the, uh, what’s the third one there, let’s see …”
As he scoured his memory, awkwardness drifted into levity. Mr. Perry smiled; I chuckled along with the audience. When Mr. Romney helpfully offered, “E.P.A.?” Mr. Perry repeated it with a joshing wave of his hand.
Since our tasks as moderators included keeping the conversation moving, Maria began asking a new question. But our senior producer, who communicated with us throughout the debate through our earpieces, recognized the moment faster than we did.
“DON’T STOP!” the producer, Sandy Cannold, called out.
So I asked whether the Environmental Protection Agency was in fact the third department on Mr. Perry’s list. He acknowledged that it wasn’t. When I offered him another chance, Mr. Perry glanced at notes but couldn’t find the answer (the Department of Energy).
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Comments
The idiot Harwood and my delayed response
Submitted by Unsane on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 11:23am.
When I see this blithering idiot on CNBC when i am trying to enjoy Squawk Box,I instantly hit the mute button. It's that or the TV is destroyed.
In a semi-related comment, I could not respond to the outrage over Maria Bartiromo's question for Newt G_______ last week, though I certainly read it. Those who blew up about Bartiromo aren't terribly familiar with her work. Yes, I agree, that was a dumb question she asked G_______, but I give her the benefit of the doubt, if only because I have seen her take it to Socialists on CNBC in the past. (Her going off on a union thug live on the air was quite an epic thing to view; I think that was back early in the regime.) I have never seen anyone put a series of tough questions to Hillary Clinton the way Bartiromo did back in 2008.
To go back to Harwood, I'll take Bartiromo's reporting over Harwood's any day. As soon as I saw that a**hole was on the moderating panel, I decided to stay away from that debate. Much better for CNBC to put forth, say, MMCC in Harwood's place.
"CONSUMED DEMOCRACY RETURNS A SOCIALIST REGIME" - Slayer, "Fictional Reality", from Divine Intervention (1994)
Lion's Den
Submitted by vrwc13 on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 11:56am.
...what doesn't kill you may strengthen you. These GOP folks ought to know going on MSM debates is like going into the lion's den. Be aware of moderator's real agenda to weaken and embarrass.
v
The burden of life is from ourselves, its lightness from the grace of Christ and the love of God. - William Bernard Ullanthorne
The plan ..
Submitted by Fredy on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 11:52am.
“DON’T STOP!” the producer, Sandy Cannold, called out.
While Perry did have a momentary unpolished delay in a response, there was no reason for the questioner to start badgering him. This is exactly the kind of tactic that people watching these debates expect from the propagandists running them.
Harwood
Submitted by HudsonRiverGirl on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 1:09pm.
The msm knows that Perry is the biggest threat to their messiah. Sadly enough FNC has joined the rest of the leftists in ridiculing Perry.
What will they all do now that it's becoming clear that Romney is not the voters' favorite candidate.
"Nor was it surprising when
Submitted by Immortal Fish on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 1:23pm.
"Nor was it surprising when former Speaker Newt Gingrich followed his pattern of attacking debate moderators rather than rival candidates."
Dammit, they aren't following the script. They aren't following the script!!
SOMEONE MAKE THEM FOLLOW THE SCRIPT!!
Harwood is no Steffy
Submitted by mom_rox on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 1:53pm.
Remember how Stephanopoulos helpfully 'corrected' Pres. Obama's mention of "his Muslim faith"?
"...I knew our CNBC
Submitted by helomech on Tue, 11/15/2011 - 2:12pm.
"...I knew our CNBC presidential debate had broken through when my daughter called from college to shout: “Dad, you’re on my two favorite Web sites!”
She was talking about CollegeHumor.com and PerezHilton.com..."
Oh yeah, that's really breaking through,huh? What a dumba$$....
Complaing about Newt attacking the moderators? I wouldn't call it attacking-I'd call it correcting your misinformative statments. Just because you can't control the candidates and what they say, doesn't mean they're attacking you. It means they're not going to take your bullsh1t. They and the public at large has had it with all of you yellow journalists and the sensationalism you call news, that you constantly attempt to ram down our throats...