Was ABC's George Stephanopoulos [file photo] moderating a presidential debate in Iowa today [transcript here], or running an internal Dem strategy session over how to most propitiously handle U.S. surrender in Iraq?
Imagine that instead of being a former Clinton operative, you're a bona fide journalist dedicated to challenging candidates about their assumptions. When talk turned to Iraq, wouldn't the first questions out of your mouth have been along these lines?:
- Some of your Democratic colleagues, members of the House and Senate, who recently visited Iraq, have acknowledged that the surge is working. Rep. Brian Baird of Washington, a previously anti-war Democrat, said just Friday that "we're making real progress. I think the consequences of pulling back precipitously would be potentially catastrophic for the Iraqi people themselves, to whom we have a tremendous responsibility … and in the long run chaotic for the region as a whole and for our own security." Doesn't this give you pause about your unconditional plans to withdraw?
Story Continues Below Ad ↓- Even the anti-war New York Times recently editorialized that "the United States cannot walk away from the new international terrorist front it created in Iraq. It will need to keep sufficient forces and staging points in the region to strike effectively against terrorist sanctuaries there or a Qaeda bid to hijack control of a strife-torn Iraq." Don't your plans to withdraw fly in the face of these realities?
- How can you unconditionally advocate withdrawal until you give General Petraeus, who was unanimously confirmed by the Senate, an opportunity to report to you next month about progress in Iraq?
But Stephanopoulos asked none of those challenging questions. Instead, all his inquiries were predicated on the assumption that surrender is the right strategy. Here are the questions on Iraq Stephanopoulos posed:
- More voters wrote in questions for us on the issue of Iraq than any other single issue. They all wanted to know what your plans were to get out of Iraq, and to get out safely from Iraq.
- So does that mean that Governor Richardson just is wrong when he says that all troops, all troops, except for protection of the embassy, can be out by the end of the year?
- I want to get everybody in on this question. First let me just find out if anybody agrees with Governor Richardson on this question.
- So you would pull out, Senator Edwards?
- By December. By Governor Richardson's plan?
- Senator Biden, I think everyone agrees, everyone is afraid of the things you just outlined right there. But this is a fundamental difference with respect, Senator Edwards. Governor Richardson says that every troop except for protection of the embassy can be out by December, and if they're not, then the conflict is going to continue.
- Senator Obama, you've invoked the idea of conventional thinking a few times here, yet when I listen to what you're saying about what you would do in Iraq, now it sounds very similar to what Senator Clinton would do.Is there any difference between you and Senator Clinton on what you would do right now? Senator Obama, where do you come down on this question? How many troops are going to have to stay for how long?
Stephanopoulos didn't pose one question challenging the Dems' assumption that surrender is the way to go. Not one. Stephanopoulos was not moderating a debate. He was ring leader of a Dem surrender-as-soon-as-possible bull session.
Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net
—Mark Finkelstein is a NewsBusters contributing editor and host of Right Angle. Contact him at mark@gunhill.net.





















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I'm shocked that he would
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 17:53 ET by Clear thinkerI'm shocked that he would shill for the Dems, absolutely shocked.
NOT!
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So blind and stupid
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 20:23 ET by ThisnThatThese Dim candidates are so blind, and so stupid, that after we win the war in Iraq, they will still want to surrender.
The first thing a Dim candidate will do if elected, is pull the troops.
The second thing will be a reduction in overall military forces so that the Dims can feed their "social justice" platform.
Then the third thing that will happen is another attack on the U.S.
This will be followed by the election of a Republican,
And the rebuilding of our forces,
Which, unfortunately, will be opposed again by the Dims,
with full support by the MSM and left-turd loonies.
The cycle continues. History is never learned -- only repeated.
___________________________________
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If it is in English, thank a Soldier. - My barber
Good analysis... accurate
Mon, 08/20/2007 - 03:07 ET by Andrew H.Good analysis... accurate and on point. The dems never learn, they only try to control.
Liberalism is a convenient lie.
Who needs hard hitting questions when their is George
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 17:55 ET by republican_brotherGeorge Stephanopoulos is a Clinton flunky and democrat hack. Him not asking hard hitting questions to democrat candidates is to be expected.
Fluffanopolis Host (ess)
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 19:13 ET by shades2It seems Fluffanopolis and Chrissy Softball should host a debate together...that way there would be no chance of Dims getting tongue tied and therefore possibly looking inept.
I still would like to see Shillary actually answer a question directly....even a softball question.
Would anyone expect
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 18:05 ET by BlazerWould anyone expect anything different from an ex-Clinton strategist but to keep carrying water, and shilling for the Dems?
This guy is a card carrying Democrat, and was a politician before he was an MSM hack.
Also any one else notice not one question on immigration?
Once again the MSM sets up a softball pitching machine in front of the camera during a debate, instead of a journalist with any shred of credibility or integrity.
Stephie is nothing but a fluff man for the Democrats before they appear on camera.
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
No I wouldn't. I never
Mon, 08/20/2007 - 03:08 ET by Andrew H.No I wouldn't. I never bother to watch his show.
Liberalism is a convenient lie.
Wow...Just my luck....I
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 18:12 ET by bigtimerWow...
Just my luck....I must of been posting about this debate on the OT same time this blog was posted according to the time....lol.
I watched the Dim-Wits 90
August 19, 2007 - 18:51 ET — bigtimer
I watched the Dim-Wits 90 minute debate this morning on Georgie S.'s show ...
As usual not one single question about illegal immigration or being self-dependent on our own oil in this country....
They can ignore, avoid, cover their eyes only so long about this...it will come up before long, especially when the primaries are over...
Cannot wait...
Illegal Immigration is and will be a deciding factor for the next Prez...our own oil dependency should be too.
Now to add on to the blog from Mark about the follow up about the surge....I expected nothing less there either, I think he did try to ask Hillary if Pres. Bush fooled her into her vote for the war as a follow up after she answered a bunch of lying BS about the war and her not knowing this and not knowing that.....but unfortunately that not so bright Richardson interrupted with his nonsense that absolutely nobody cares about or listened to....
I was wishing that Georgie would of interrupted him immediately and say 'wait until Hillary answers the question'....it was one of the few good ones I wanted to hear an answer to.
The whole thing was pathetic, just like all the candidates that are running on the leftist side.
I got the immigration
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 18:25 ET by BlazerI got the immigration bit from Lonewacko bt, and linked from Malkins site. I didn't watch the debate fortunately. From what I heard it was just another warm fuzzy love-in.
http://lonewacko.com/blog/archives/006955.html
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
Yep Blaze that is a good
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 18:37 ET by bigtimerYep Blaze that is a good link...
...exactly the way I feel as I guess you already know by my post...
It is not just Georgie either, the dems talking heads on all the debates have skirted the issue completely...
Whether it is Hillary or Obama they had better be prepared for the real debates when the time comes to debate Thompson, Giuliani or Romney on this...
Hillary is going to have real problems with her record as past Pres. with what all she made sure to do to ensure illegals to come across and get them registered...real problems.
Be Very Careful
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 19:28 ET by Junk Science SkepticBT Said "Illegal Immigration is and will be a deciding factor for the next Prez."
Realistically, nothing is going to be accomplished on immigration any time in the next few administrations. This is largely because the issue is a lose-lose for both sides of the aisle. Any action on immigration will cost BOTH the Dems and the GOP dearly with a major portion of their respective bases. On the Dem side, you're either going to tick-off the unions or the bleeding hearts, on the GOP side, your either going to tick off business or the law & order crowd. This guarantees that there will be plenty of talk and posturing, but no meaningful action in any direction.
The danger, however, is that too many Republicans, Conservatives and Capatalists won't realize that the all too convenient timing of bringing this decades-old issue into the forefront is nothing more than a media stunt that may well succeed in factionalizing the Right, which would be a major benefit for the left. (Think of the robber who throws a steak to the guard dogs, and then sneaks past while the dogs fight over the steak.)
Sure, current immigration policy is screwed up, but it has been that way for 40 years, and until people get realistic and actually get a clue about immigration issues, it's not an issue that's likely to get fixed any time in the next 10-20 years.
There are many bigger problems at hand. Getting control on entitlements, restoring domestic resource production (oil, coal, minerals), saving our infrastructure from total collapse, and stepping up our efforts in the global war on terror until we have taken the will to fight away from the enemy.
Thompson/Giuliani 2008
JSS...We will just have
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 19:39 ET by bigtimerJSS...
We will just have to agree to disagree...
Sealing the borders and illegal immigration is a huge issue with all voters anymore...just look at the majority of polls...from both sides of the aisle.
I totally agree that the Religious war with the radical muslim jihadists is of utmost importance...but some are coming through our porous borders too...
I already stated about being self-dependent on oil here so we agree on that.
SC Judges are of the utmost of importance to me ...that is on the top of my list also.
Junk Science Skeptic: You
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 20:32 ET by alamojbJunk Science Skeptic: You said
"There are many bigger problems at hand. Getting control on entitlements, restoring domestic resource production (oil, coal, minerals), saving our infrastructure from total collapse, ..."
All three of those are tied in a way to immigration. 12-20 million illegals with their first generation of babies equals something like 30-40 million more people.
Ever heard of anchor babies? Or California Proposition 187 which was designed to deny benifits to illegals but was shot down by a judge? We are headed to 400 million in this country by mid century at this rate. All those illegals and their descendents will be a significant part of the strain on the infrastructure, not to mention the additional demands on energy. Here in Texas we have gone from about 17 million to 23 million people since the late 80's to early nineties, much of it from south of the border.(Personally, I also meet a number of Californians and people from Colorado who seem to be moving to Texas in droves) Between 2000 and 2006 Dallas and Houston gained 600,000 and 800,000 people in SIX YEARS! (I may have the numbers reversed on the two cities.) We have been warned our electric supply will become unstable in two years in Texas with this growth rate , but the Dems allies are busy fighting new coal power plants here.
JSS... I'm one of those
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 20:51 ET by Clear thinkerJSS...
I'm one of those people that don't care if it's a losing proposition for both sides of the aisle. Illegal invasion must be stopped, and if means the people of this country have to go against their own representatives then so be it. The illegals issue is a huge problem and has to be dealt with asap!
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In all fairness to Steffi,
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 18:29 ET by Del DolemonteIn all fairness to Steffi, he couldn't bring up Baird's Iraq quote, first because he probably hadn't read it or heard about it. That's because his party's media gatekeepers have mandated that this story be buried. Gee, I wonder why?
I just did another Google news search 3 days after the story broke, and the national media still hasn't even mentioned it, because it doesn't fit their anti-war, and more importantly, their pro-Hillary template. As was the case when I checked on Friday, only a handful of "news outlets" in Baird's part of the country have even mentioned it.
Yet if this same guy had been a Repub saying that he had just been to Iraq and he thought the surge was a failure, it would be Page One news in the NY Times, Washington Post, and LA Times, along with all the major broadcast networks and CNN.
Goebbels would be proud of these guys. And they call Bush a "Nazi"? Too funny.
Surrender Monkeys
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 18:31 ET by BlondeWe on the right (including our erstwhile Presidential candidates) ought to start labelling this ludicrous twaddle the Dem's keep spouting off.
SURRENDER MONKEYS
And we need to do it loud, and often....so often that the term "Surrender Monkeys" becomes synonomous for BOTH the dems and their idiot cut-and-run race.
So far, they've been able to get away with it as though it's perfectly hunky dory. And why not, they've had all of the media shills to do their work for them.
But, oh how I would love to make "Surrender Monkeys" a more spoken set of words than the pathetic "Global Warming".
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
Please Blonde, thats
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 18:36 ET by BlazerPlease Blonde, thats cheese eating surrender-monkeys if you will.
http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/H/R/french_surrendermonkey.jpg
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
Blazer
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 18:47 ET by BlondeI stand corrected.
Cheese eating surrender monkeys it is.
And of course we all understand that it's brie cheese they're eating, n'est ce pas?
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
Oui oui , mademoiselle.
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 18:58 ET by BlazerOui oui , mademoiselle. I like this one even more.
http://www.thecampaignstore.com/images/products/Photo357.SurrenderMonkeyPostcardSide1.jpg
"You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious. "
- Ben Kenobi on Liberals, and the MSM.
That's Great, Blazer
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 19:02 ET by BlondeI wish I knew how to imbed a picture like Noel does. That would be perfect!
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
Stephanopolous, a liberal among liberals
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 18:47 ET by regimeofterrorStephanopolous was nearly orgasmic hosting his fellow liberal Democrats in that debate. It was really pathetic to watch. Though I don't agree with his views I actually thought Obama had some guts to be a hell of a lot more honest than the others about a number of issues.
Saddam Hussein and terrorism. The rest of the story...
http://www.regimeofterror.com
Imagine how Steffi will
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 21:06 ET by Del DolemonteImagine how Steffi will swoon if Hilly wins?
Be afraid, be VERY afraid.
Blonde I kind of favor
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 21:06 ET by ahusserBlonde
I kind of favor "wimpocrats" and/or "runocrats"
Allah akboom
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 19:22 ET by acumenWatch this video courtesy of patdollard.com and it becomes apparent why the dems don't want to talk about the surge. Keep in mind these are the maroons the dems are rooting for.
acumen, Excellent. I
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 19:28 ET by Blondeacumen,
Excellent. I have a similar vid someone sent me of a terr practicing firing a big rifle at an indoor range. The recoil sends his sorry butt right through the glass door, where he picks himself up and after lots of "Allah u Akbooms" (as you so humorously put it)....says "Where's the Bossman?.
I've not visited Pat Dollard's site in a while. So a second thanks is is in order for that.
David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive
acumen... ROFLMAO!!!!!!
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 19:31 ET by bigtimeracumen...
ROFLMAO!!!!!!
Took me two times to understand what just happened...then I played it a few more while cracking up laughing just for the helluva it...let alone the pleasure.
You got that right about the looney leftists and their votes...
...thanks friend...it was great..going to be smiling about this all evening.
acumen, another funny as hell LiveLeak vid.
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 19:53 ET by Dave RThis is a real flying Imam.
Dave... ROFL... Wonder
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 20:31 ET by bigtimerDave...
ROFL...
Wonder if he saw one of his 72 virgins on the way up there....
-
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 20:51 ET by Blazer-
bt,
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 21:02 ET by Dave RI don't know, but if he did, I hope they all looked like this.
Dave... ROFL... Me
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 21:17 ET by bigtimerDave...
ROFL...
Me too!
Stephanopoulos, George
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 19:40 ET by third eyeWait..wasnt Stephanopoulos the love child of Sam Donaldson and Helen Thomas, or wait.. was that somebody else?
No Surprise
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 19:41 ET by Repeal 16-17The D's can not tolerate dissent. So they not only want people who toe the Party line to be involved in any Party activities. Did Georgie bow before Her Thighness?
Great Post Mark. I
Sun, 08/19/2007 - 20:56 ET by DontTreadOnMeGreat Post Mark.
I remember when Murtha came out against the war, even though he was already on record as being opposed to it I believe, and every news station led with it and every host wanted to book every republican on their show to ask them, "What about this x-military democrat John Murtha who now opposes the War?" and now that there is evidence the surge is working and someone who opposed the war actually does flip sides, there is silence on all fronts.
You couldnt illustrate a more perfect example of bias in today's media.
Steph never asked it
Mon, 08/20/2007 - 00:05 ET by wiwfSteph never asked it because it didn't come from a video with a snowman in it, this year's tome of knowledge to the democrats. Kinda shows you how intelligent the left is, don't it? ;)
"Congressmen who willfully take actions during wartime that damage
morale and undermine the military are saboteurs and should be arrested,
exiled, or hanged." -Abraham Lincoln
Electorate choices becoming irrelevant
Mon, 08/20/2007 - 08:40 ET by ThalpyAs is the case in Europe, our electorate's choices are becoming irrelevant. In a socialist system the electorate is incidental in the scheme of things; they must all vote, but they must vote for the intended. George Stephanopoulos and his mentor, George Sorros, will see to it that Mrs. Clinton is the nominee.
George Stephanopoulos is not a newsman. He is not a journalist. He is a political operative.
thalpy -- In a
Mon, 08/20/2007 - 08:58 ET by Jack Bauerthalpy --
I don't think that's totally true in the Euro-socialism which cloaks itself in the fake veneer of "democracy."
Here's what happens -- and this is what even "conservatives" have gone along with since the end of WW2.
The state expands massively so that more and more people become reliant on the state for their jobs or for their handouts, the dole et al.
This means that ever decreasing numbers of citizens pay ever increasing amounts of their income in tax.
Eventually a critical mass is reached where those voters who have a vested intersest in welfare stateism outnumber those who do not.
At that point, a built in permanent majority of voters who can never be moved comes into existence. And at that point, even nominally "conservative" parties become dependent in offering a never ending litany of state handouts.
What happens then is that the inherent internal conradictions and base flaws of "socialism" play out as they did in the UK during the 1970s.
Then a real conservative called Margaret Thatcher came along, and a landslide as people stared at the abyss of a welfare state addled culture, huge union power, constant strikers, massive inflation, and all the other goodies that inevitably come from BIG GOVERNMENT.
Jack, you've described my state
Mon, 08/20/2007 - 09:03 ET by RJLast time I checked (within the past year), Connecticut had the highest ratio of government workers to citizens in the country.
Of course, that also means the Socialist Democrats control both houses with a veto-proof majority.
Naturally they have imposed the highest overall taxes in the country.
We were so over-taxed, last year our small state had a BILLION dollar surplus. Not only did the Democrats manage to spend it on new programs, but they raised our taxes again.
Highest gas taxes, highest utility rates (thanks to political meddling a couple of years ago), the list goes on and on....
RJ -- Connecticut today, the
Mon, 08/20/2007 - 09:13 ET by Jack BauerRJ -- Connecticut today, the country tomorrow... especially if the well known Socialist Hillary Clinton gets her way.
Not just Hillary
Mon, 08/20/2007 - 09:25 ET by RJALL of the Democrats (and some Republicans) have Socialist policys in mind.
Check out Edwards' plans for a "Workers Utopia"....the Communist Party would absolutely approve.....
But you're right, unless we get the right people in Washington, The Socialist Republic of Connecticut is exactly what the country is building to.