Should CNN Be Allowed to Host Any More Debates?

Photo of Noel Sheppard.
By Noel Sheppard | November 29, 2007 - 13:07 ET

NewsBusters.org - Media Research CenterIn the greatest of ironies, after Democrats refused to participate in debates sponsored by Fox News due to its supposed partiality, CNN has now shown itself in back-to-back debates to be as biased as biased can be.

After either participating in or allowing the planting of campaign operatives at November 15's Democrat presidential debate in Las Vegas, it has now become apparent that similar stocking of audience questioners occurred in Wednesday's Republican debate.

As NewsBuster Matthew Balan reported Wednesday, "a member of Hillary Clinton's "LGBT Americans For Hillary Steering Committee" not only asked a question via YouTube, "but he was also present in the audience, and got to ask the candidates for a ‘straight answer.'"

On Thursday morning, Michelle Malkin identified two plants from the Obama and Edwards campaigns. As her website is having some problems at the moment, Inside Cable News reported that according to Malkin, one plant was David Cercone, a declared Obama supporter, who asked the following question:

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David Cercone: Hi, my name is David Cercone. I'd like to ask all the candidates if they accept the support of the Log Cabin Republicans, and why should the Log Cabin Republicans support their candidacy?

The third plant was LeeAnn Anderson, an activist that is part of a union which has already endorsed Edwards. She asked this:

LeeAnn Anderson: My name is LeeAnn Anderson and I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and these are my kids Evan and May. Maya is from China and we adopted him to give her a better life. We never dreamed that she would that she'd be exposed to lead after leaving China, and now we find trains like this that are covered with lead in our home.

My question for the candidates are, what are you going to do to make sure that these kind of toys don't make their way into our homes and that we have safe toys that are made in America again and we keep jobs in America?

As such, it hasn't even been 24 hours since this debate concluded, and three plants - all with connections to Democrat candidates - have been identified.

Regardless of whether or not CNN is specifically involved, as this is now the second consecutive incident of such behavior at a debate sponsored by this network, has it now abused the public trust enough to not be allowed to sponsor any more debates in this election cycle?

—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters.

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Republicans were fools to think they would be treated fairly

Allow CNN to once again Frame a Republican debate from a Democrat perspective?

Only if they're gluttons for punishment.

BTW, Noel, a local radio talker identified SIX Democrat plants

....and he laid out the specific Democrat connection for each one.

In fact, I think I just heard Rush say there were FIVE plants.

MSM will ignore this story also

Hear the crickets chirping? I'll bet the MSM doesn't even touch this story......

 

No RINOs in '08 - Mike Huckabee is the best choice 

CNN is just being

CNN is just being balanced.  After only allowing Hilary to make plants at the democrat debate, they decided to allow ALL democrat candidates to make plants at the Republican debate. 

When asked if he went to war with Iraq  to derail the impeachment vote:  “I don’t think any serious person would believe that any President would do such a thing." - President Clinton (Dec 1998).

Old Proverb....

Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.

motherbelt

No, I believe it's as Bush quoted....

"Fool me once, shame on.... shame on you.... um, you feel me... can't get fooled again."

:p

 

"MY end justifies THAT mean." - Shakespeare (not really)

Ya Got What You DESERVED!!!

HAHAHAHAHA. I think it's GREAT the way they OWNED your dumb butts! Republicans are such stupid TARDS that they regularly let their opponents give 'em the ol' impromptu PROSTATE EXAM! How many times will they straight PWN your dumb butts before you realize that they HATE you? They owe you no COMITY, no RESPECT and certainly no FAIRNESS! In their minds, even presenting your side of the argument is "OFFENSIVE" and is often presented with "disclaimers"! They even think that the world would be better off without YOU. But still you keep sticking your stupid chin out. Only an idiotic bunch of morally misguided morons, would agree to an anal exam by the same group that just stuck a FIRE HYDRANT up your BUTTS a couple of weeks ago!  If you want to know why I quit this USELESS, MORALLY COMPROMISED party, just look at the debate and subsequent SHOCK at the way you were OWNED, last night. I don't know which is worse, a bunch of TARDS answering liberal questions without ONCE pointing out that these questions seem to come from the democrat "PLAY BOOK",  or their stupid incredulous REACTIONS to their predictable sodomizing.  You'll notice that Shrillary had no trouble leveling just such a charge against HER opponents! I wish our guys were HALF THE MAN that she is! Now you dummies are all trying to convince each other that SODOMITE LOVING BABY KILLER GUILIANI, is somehow better than Sodomite loving baby killer, Clinton! ROFLMAO.  The pro-life movement DIES the moment we elect a Republican baby killer. We could fight Hellary, we could fight the fake Christian and probable Muslim, we could even take on the Breck Girl with the shiny hair, but from whence would this feckless bunch of morons muster the strength to fight one of their "own"? Jane Chastain makes some points which need to be passed on so here they are....

"Yes, I fear President Rudy Giuliani far more than I fear President Hillary Rodham Clinton, and here's why: There isn't a dime's worth of difference, politically, between the two, and a liberal Republican will do far more damage to the country in four years than a liberal Democrat. Republicans will fight the liberal policies of a Democrat president. However, most will roll over and play dead before they will stand up to one of their own.

When Rudy Giuliani begins "cooperating" with liberal Democrats to advance his agenda, who will sound the alarm to alert the American people?

The warning will not come from the mainstream media, and it likely will not come from conservative groups in Washington. If a liberal Republican is elected, most will be tempted to hold their fire – lest they lose what influence they think they have – until it is too late." 

As if us leftists don't

As if us leftists don't have enough trouble maintaining credibility on this site, Keith comes along and makes us all look crazy.

Look, I'm to the left of the modern Democratic party, and even I think this post is absurd. Is there a notary public around so I can officially dissociate myself from this strain of 'liberalism'?

"He was, and is yet, most likely, the wearisomest, self-righteous
pharisee that ever ransacked a Bible to rake the promises to himself
and fling the curses on his neighbors."
-Emily Bronte

Sorry

"Look, I'm to the left of the modern Democratic party, and even I think this post is absurd."

Sorry you dont fit the Left wing mode.You have been kicked out of the LW union.You are open to debate...Left wingers arent allowed to.Your union dues will not be returned.

Back OT.Actually CNN should be allowed to continue.They show the bias in the media.Also since it is on video it is easy to point it out.

JasonC, Don't feel too

JasonC,

Don't feel too bad - we have Lame Cherry doing the same for us.

Yeah I'm pretty sure LC is

Yeah I'm pretty sure LC is sportpolitics. Anyway, maybe him and Keith just sort of cancel each other out.

"He was, and is yet, most likely, the wearisomest, self-righteous
pharisee that ever ransacked a Bible to rake the promises to himself
and fling the curses on his neighbors."
-Emily Bronte

Just goes to show you that NB is an equal-opportunity blog.

Just goes to show you that NB is an equal-opportunity blog.  All is welcomed, and all are tolerated...to a point.   Go off the deep-end, any deep-end, liberal or conservative and you are gone. 

v

JasonC, by no means is Keith

JasonC, by no means is Keith a leftist. On many issues, he is further to the right than most. Except for his choice of colorful words, I agree with most of what he said.

I hate to say this, but

I hate to say this, but Keith is right, at least in the first half of his post.  This debate on CNN was a waste of time, our guys should have walked out when the guitar player video started.  This was a disgrace that actually mocked the office of President, and we had no business going into the belly of the beast and subjecting ourselves to such a farce. 

A friend of mine, who is not very interested in politics, said it looked like Hee Haw.

Forget 911, I dial 10MM.

A waste of time is right,

A waste of time is right, fossten. That's why I didn't watch this or many previous debates. In my opinion, Fox hosts the only partially- worthwhile debates. By the way, my Alan Keyes is better than your Ron Paul.

I wish they'd let him in the debate, too.

And I've not been convinced by those who say, as if they know, that "Alan Keyes has no chance!!!" -- I'm afraid I know what you're feeling about it, IOW, all too well from literally 2 decades ago, when I first voted for Dr. Paul. Hopefully, with a 'nym like yours, the irony of that isn't lost on you.

And I'm outraged by CNN's now-unintentionally-funny assertion that viewers voting on what videos should be "asked" would be any worse than the baseball crapola etc. their "professionals" produced either this time in "The Democrat-Plant Republican Debate" or back with the Democrats.
JMR

Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.

At this point sarcasmo, I'm

At this point sarcasmo, I'm a realist. Alan Keyes, in my opinion is the best of the lot. His chances of winning are less than slim. For now. I only have one problem with Ron Paul, and you probably have a good guess what that is. That problem is major to me, but I would vote for him if he get's the Republican nomination.

ok, understood. And thanks!

But I'm still allowed to resent someone or some group (no name(s), either...Hmmm) deciding "officially" for everyone else that Alan Keyes -- a famous guy among Republicans and a great speaker -- "has no chance," even if his odds in overseas markets are long.

Do what what you do to Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo, and Ron Paul; CNN! Just put Alan off on the side & never-in-hell let him actually speak, for fear he'll say something interesting to America. But his ideas deserve to be heard.

Obviously, I have a politically-fatal weakness for underdogs, as I like Tom Tancredo, too. And I even love Fred's sense of humor even if I have issues with the whole package (and a few of his followers). It's all good at this point. Our intellectual diversity should make us at least as interesting to America as the Democrats.
JMR

Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.

There is a kernel of truth

There is a kernel of truth to your statements Sarc.  But I think your anger is misdirected at the Repub Party at least that's my impression, your anger should be directed at the MSM for deselecting candidates like Duncan Hunter and others by refusing or vastly limiting their coverage of them.  Why Duncan Hunter or Alan Keyes don't seem to get traction with the Repub voters mystifies me because their message and stance is pretty much core Conservatism.  I believe we need to dissasociate the Repub primaries from the MSM entirely as they should not be allowed to determine who is and who is not "celeb status" or of "public interest".  The CNN sponsored debate made very clear that if the MSM is involved in the political process they are going to do everything they can to position their most favored candidate, issues and agenda.  They are supposed to be neutral observers of the process not some Macheavellian manipulators moving chess pieces of the political process.

Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. dscott's corollary: The line between malice and stupidity is called depraved indifference.

I'm an equal opportunity slammer in this case

And do we know if the excluders I should be angry with are obese-government-loving Republican party officials or obese-government-loving MSM insiders? I honestly don't. Who made the decision? Are you SURE it's the MSM and not Republican officials? I wish I could say I was, but from experience it seems like about a 50-50 bet, to me. Can anyone educate me on the Keyes-exclusion decision this time? If so, thanks in advance.
JMR

Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.

dscott

I believe your theory is specious.  Yeah, it sounds good, but look, Huck wasn't getting any real MSM press and he's leading in the polls.  Fred, OTOH, was getting plenty of attention and he's middle of the pack.  Same with Rudy and Mitt - they've fallen off a bit despite plenty of press. 

Obama was being slobbered on by virtually the entire press and he was getting creamed by Mrs. Rodham until she blew it in the debate.  So what they say in the debates matters more, according to that evidence.

Let's see what happens now that Rush has virtually endorsed Fred by calling him the only real conservative in the group.

BTW, I like Keyes.  He'd be a great President. 

Forget 911, I dial 10MM.

I'm not so sure, I believe

I'm not so sure, I believe Huckabee to be an MSM distraction due to his social stances.  They gave him extra press because of his views.  IMO, the MSM is using candidates like Huckabee or McCann to sew dessention or give the appearance of division within the conservative ranks.  Given the manner that so called "polls" are conducted you can make anyone seem to be popular at any given moment, even Hillary.  Who is commissioning the polls and who is trumpting them to influence public opinion??? The MSM. 

You can call me a conspiratorial kook, but IMO there is some sinister manipulation going on in which the Dems and MSM are in collusion behind it.  When one considers how George Allen and Mark Foley were essentially taken out of consideration, that smacks of pure manipulation.  Is it my imagination or has NB repeatedly reported on the missing (D) behind every politician who got in trouble with the Law and yet any time a politcian who happens to be Repub gets the (R) reported behind their name????  You tell me if my theory is specious...

Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity. dscott's corollary: The line between malice and stupidity is called depraved indifference.

dscott

I would not call you a conspiratorial kook.  I do believe what you just said is accurate.  There is no doubt that the MSM can destroy anybody they want.  I'm just not sure it works as well the other way when it comes to Republican Primaries.  I believe that the new media has had the effect of blunting much of the MSM's ability to influence the minds of Republicans. 

In the case of the primary, I do not believe they can get us to buy so easily into a candidate they select.  IMHO guys like Glenn Beck are more dangerous.  For example, he had Huck on there for an hour and he really likes him.  He didn't ask him any real tough questions about his record.  It was a virtual love fest.  I almost fell for it but thanks to the new media and the internet, I was able to find out more about the truth of his record.  But I think Beck is one of the reasons that Huck has gained so much, not the MSM.  I haven't seen Huck paraded by them.

Forget 911, I dial 10MM.

Don't include ME in any US.

Don't include ME in any US. I HATE liberal scum. I am more conservative than Bush and most of the people on this sight being a REAL HOLY GHOST FILLED CHRISTIAN. I resent any attempt to liken me to your filthy ideology JasonC.

Yeah JC, Keith's our lone

Yeah JC, Keith's our lone raving-lunatic conservative (a trait normally reserved for you fellas and fellettes.) He's in a category all his own...

:p

 

"MY end justifies THAT mean." - Shakespeare (not really)

Makes me actually miss the

Makes me actually miss the bizarre ranting of SP. 

Come on now, our posts look

Come on now, our posts look nowhere near that unhinged and berserk.

"He was, and is yet, most likely, the wearisomest, self-righteous
pharisee that ever ransacked a Bible to rake the promises to himself
and fling the curses on his neighbors."
-Emily Bronte

Hell ya,  let CNN host 'em

Hell ya,  let CNN host 'em all!  I don't give a rodents red posterior if they do,  I know who I'm voting for,  so those Neo-Stalinist will have to play their gotcha game on someone else. 

As far as I'm concerned,  CNN is the DNC mouthpiece any way.  So no credibility there. Use it for what it's worth,  kind of like a SNL skit,  with real people. 

Who didn't know the questions on CNN were going to be skewed to the left?  Where CNN is concerned it like big time wrestling,  you know it's fake,  but you want to see how they do it. 

I don't get it...

All questions should be disclosed before any debate. Every important issue is already known to all candidates. Dumb questions shouldn't be asked anyway. What do toys from China have to do with the President of the United States?Also, people in the audience should never get to ask a question unless it's disclosed beforehand.

All important topics of the day should be discussed by candidates on both sides. So far, the Republicans are the only ones answering real questions unless you count the question about jewelry ask of Clinton. Of course, that will likely change after the primaries, but we can't even be sure of that.

It is not the fact that

It is not the fact that these people are allowed to ask questions.  It is the fact they are not what they claim to be. 

Personally, I would like to see a debate where "the other side" is allowed to ask the majority of the questions.  However, the entire idea of the YouTube debate is idiotic in my opinion. 

 

http://thelazytriathlete.blogspot.com/

lemme see if I got this right

Fox Business lets one guy with a hidden agenda remark on the economy - and that network is "done" for being dishonest.

CNN hijacks GOP debates with enemy operatives, presents them as "random undecided Republican voters," lies about it when Bill Bennett confronts them, waits for Michelle Malkin to bust them, and forces Cooper to give a half-hearted apology. And libs say they're brilliant for pulling it off.

No, this will not hurt CNN among their faithful viewers. Lefties think Republicans deserve whatever they get and will not care how many times CNN lies.

card holding member of the vast right-wing conspiracy

Undecided Democrats?

Did you see the first 'random undecided Republican voter' they went to who said she was voting for John Edwards and the second 'random undecided Republican voter' couldn't name all of the candidates.

 

"Giuliano"

She called Rudy "Giuliano."

Forget 911, I dial 10MM.

Hey fossten... I cracked

Hey fossten...

I cracked up laughing when she said that...I swear I think I heard the same gal this morning calling in on C-Span's Washington journal...she said Giuliano again, sounded the same too voice wise...she is hard working Soros/Clintoon/Edwards troll alright!!!

Real smart too....lol!

You're right, candance,

You're right, candance, nothing will happen. My guess is they don't even care about the temporary flak right now. Anderson Cooper said the situation will be dealt with. How, Mr. Cooper?

But I repeat, they don't care....the plants served their purpose and you can't unring the bell.

Anderson Cooper

 

dance & belt

Yeah, CNN is getting away w/ whatever they want.... well, cuz...... they have the entire MSM landscape on their side!

Scaaarrrrrrrry!

Oh, and Candance, I looooove UNC :)

 

"MY end justifies THAT mean." - Shakespeare (not really)

So, how do you really feel

So, how do you really feel about Duke? I couldn't tell! LOL.  Brilliant Candace, simply brilliant. Man that guy completely PWNED Paulos, jumping right over his freakin' head! And the Rap song? I'm STILL chuckling and I hate rap! 

I love Christian

I love Christian Lattner.

 

"MY end justifies THAT mean." - Shakespeare (not really)

Eek. Really? I mean, the guy

Eek. Really? I mean, the guy was The Man in college (no one's ever been that clutch), but now? 

He's a homo. Can I say

He's a homo.

Can I say that?

Forget 911, I dial 10MM.

Apparently.

You just did. 

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

Rumors. But if he is, he's

Rumors. But if he is, he's the most clutch homo college basketball has ever seen.  

"ClutchHomo"

That's gotta be someone's new alias.... Leon? Professor T?.... how about one of you change your name to this?

Okay, NB is really sinking low... we all are. Quick, hide this thread from Noel!

 

"MY end justifies THAT mean." - Shakespeare (not really)

lol

Nice shot.

well99

YOU SHUT UP.

UK fan here.  ;)

Forget 911, I dial 10MM.

sweet

I was hoping someone would enjoy my little medley. 

 

card holding member of the vast right-wing conspiracy

Hey candance... I usually

Hey candance...

I usually despise RAP but I am still laughing out loud at this.

Thanks for the evening laughs.

candance

As you know, I'm a die hard Gator....but I had to laugh out loud at that....and I sent it to a couple of pals....just in case they missed it.

So how did you end up in the Land of 10,000 Johnsons? 

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

blonde

Hubby got a job up here so the company moved us. So far so good, though. It is a pretty state even if it's run by moonbats. 

 

card holding member of the vast right-wing conspiracy

candance....Minnesota

My ex was from the Cities.

I certainly don't miss going there for Christmas!  LOL.

It is a lovely state, but moonbats abound.  As do the socialists....the taxes there, IIRC, are second only to New Yawk or NJ.  (Jesse Ventura, the guv?)  Plus, as a native Floridian, I just couldn't quite cope with the cold. 

Hi to the Southdale mall, tho....if that's where you are....I worked close to there once upon a time....great job....great times.....great friends.

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

Minnesota

the taxes there, IIRC, are second only to New Yawk or NJ. 

 Jason Lewis is still upset about the bridge collapse because MN had the money but earmarked it for other things and spent it. Now they're trying to spin in into the federal government's job so they can blame it on Bush.

They're talking about raising taxes - and adding pork to the bill - for extra funding to secure bridges. Lewis is all "here's a wacky idea. Use tax money raised for the roads to actually pay for roads." But they no wanna hear that.

card holding member of the vast right-wing conspiracy

I feel for you, candance

As I said, I lived there for about ten months.

I've driven over that collapsed bridge a zillion times.

But the first reaction to everything in Minnesota is more taxes.

BTW....are you familiar with the term "Jack Pine Savage"?  And if you've moved there from elsewhere....you must positively watch "Fargo" with some native Minnesotans.   You'll die laughing.

I'd love to do my "Sven & Olie" jokes for you, but the accent just doesn't quite cut it on a blog.

Sven & Olie vent to de market, ja know.....

BTW....here's one to tuck into your arsenal, since you're in Minnesota.  "You can tell a Swede, but you can't tell him much". 

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

ROFL

Swede joke. Priceless.

Yeah my husband is all over watching Fargo again. We're gonna rent it one of these days. 

 

card holding member of the vast right-wing conspiracy

Ja gotta vatch it

With some natives.

Wear depends tho....

I watched it with the ex & his bro....OMG! 

The leg in the wood chipper.....

It's a great movie, but the ONLY way to watch it is with the Savages (Jack Pine variety).  LOL. 

And yeah, I can tell Swede jokes...I'm half Swede (& half German.....makes me kind of positive, and stubborn, all at the same time).

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

The part that kills me

is the Asian guy with the Swede accent. Them Coen boys ain't right.

But it makes me say "dere" and "ooo - yaah" for days afterward.

Ya Ya

That accent still cracks me up.

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

Blondedance

http://www.youtube.c...

and

http://www.youtube.c...

 

"MY end justifies THAT mean." - Shakespeare (not really)

Excellent, Shy

That was probably the best TV show ever...and I hadn't seen the intro's in eons.

Downtown Minneapolis....Lake Harriet (my wicked step lived there)....the inside of the IDS....wow, a trip down memory lane.

Thanks...nice. 

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

y.w. Blonde :)

I need to visit Minneapolis some day... never been.

My ex- sister-in-law's sister lives there (like that means anything, since my family doesn't talk to my bro's ex anymore :p)

And what's the IDS? so I take it you recognize some of the places? (the second, later MTM intro had more shots of the city than the original version...)

 

"MY end justifies THAT mean." - Shakespeare (not really)

Shy

The IDS is the Empire State Building of the Twin Cities....the shot in the vid is inside, when Mary is riding up the elevators.  (Second vid)   I guess each city has it's signature building...and the IDS is the one in Minneapolis.

Know what you mean....my "ex" family all live in the burbs of the Cities....but I doubt I'll ever go back. 

The "Mall of the Americas" is there....wow, wow, wow.  The one time I went, I never got out of the ladies department in Macy's, tho. 

David Gregory, do you know which damn network you lie for? ~ Uncle Jimbo, @Blackfive

 

It'll be, "Everyone will forget about it in a few days, cause n

It'll be, "Everyone will forget about it in a few days, cause no one, other than looney talk radio, will give it any air time or print!"  And, sadly, they're right! 

In light of this fraudulent

In light of this fraudulent activity, I think that these debates should be conducted by an independent organization. And this organization is intentionally and unquestionably balanced and only network cameras allowed to broadcast the debate. Also the networks or others covering the debate are not allowed to make commentary afterwards of before the debate. Let the American people make up their own minds from what the candidates answers. Their has been too much network manipulation and "I'll tell you what to think", commentary afterwards. I am sick of this network manipulation and corruption.

Good idea...

...but will probably never happen.

Do you realize how much it costs to run for office? More than any honest man could afford. -Montgomery Burns

In light of this fraudulent activity...

I think we should surrender in Iraq.

Forget 911, I dial 10MM.

How come C-Span doesn't

How come C-Span doesn't sponsor debates?

I am all for it

But who? FOTR

 

"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest". Mark Twain

Where can we find that!

In this political landscape, where can we find that?  The left has done so many things, you can not trust them, the right has let them or is so mad about it, so can't trust them either.  What the heck do we do except try and discern all & hope others do also!!

In the Past

In the good ole days, the League of Women Voters sponsored many of these debates. Wonder what happened to them?

No, they shouldn't

CNN should not be allowed to sponsor or host anymore debates. They claim that they didn't know that Brig. Gen. Kerr was a Hillary operative, but I'm not buying it. If bloggers could find out that this guy is in the bag for Clinton I can't believe that CNN couldn't have figured it out. These were "gotcha" questions designed to make Republicans look bad. There were several of them. Many may not have been plants (four fo them obviously were), but they were designed to pander to the negative stereotypes that Democrats and many independents have of the Republican party.

A perfect example is the Rebel flag question. It was clearly designed to make Republicans look like hayseed chomping racists. The candidates handled the question well by saying we have too many more important issues to deal with then to talk about this nonsense.

I will say though that plant or not, Republican candidates must be prepared to answer these types of questions. In a few months this will no longer be a primary fight. The eventual nominee will have to convince the entire country that he is the right choice at the right time.

Regards,

Jim C

Perhaps you didn't catch the

Perhaps you didn't catch the latest update but it turns out General Loose Booty had been on CNN before concerning the SAME ISSUE! Turns out killing "don't ask don't tell" is his bailiwick. 

No

CNN should no longer be called a news agency. I think they have given up their PRESS title.

Correct Noel. CNN and MSNBC

Correct Noel. CNN and MSNBC should not be allowed to host any Republican or Presidential debates. YouTube should never, ever be part of any debate. This system is rife with collusion and was nothing but attempted sabotage of political candidates on a televised debate. I have never witnessed such a spectacle in my life, as what I saw last night.
 

Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!

Republicans should boycott CNN....Tic for Tac....

The Republicans should "notice" the Bias along with the rest of the free world, and actually "React" to such plants and obvious slants, and tell CNN to F.O.. No more invites from CNN will be accepted by Republican Candidates.

Dems can Boycott Fox, lets draw a line in the Sand on the Republican side, and do to CNN (more deserving) what the Dems are doing to Fox....Ignore them as a News Organization worthy of your attendence.

Each time they are interviewed, they should talk about the CNN Bias ad nauseum.

Either that, or as Ann Coulter suggested, Ann wants to be the White house press Secretary the last 6 months of bush's Presidency.
Republicans should be "Mad as Hell" and "we're not gonna take this anymore" !!

What good is a Free Press, if it is a False Press ?   David Foote  GoE

I'd like to see Michael

I'd like to see Michael Savage host the debate on his terms only, for both R and D.. that would be interesting.

M. Savage would be my 2nd Choice....

Or hey, LETS GO BIASED beyond the Pale.....What the heck, put on host Rush, or Medved, or any other obviously Biased conservative and give them Equal time.  

What good is a Free Press, if it is a False Press ?   David Foote  GoE

that would be the greatest

that would be the greatest thing to see, Michael Savage hosting a debate

I'd trust the users of the internet (say one vote per IP)

To choose a few questions. But I guess folks would expect that from me. We couldn't do any worse than the stupid, boring baseball question, which was CNN's excuse to let their beloved RINOs yammer-on even-more.
JMR

Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul.

Were there any legitimate questioners at all?

I'm not sure why we should be surprised. I mean, the Press has been absolutely stacked with Democrat supporters for years now. This is just a natural extension of that...

I didn't see the "debate"

I didn't see the "debate" but did any of the candidates actually blast the "plant" questions? I would hope a GOP candidate would be aware of this phenomenon and be sharp enough to nuke it...it's been a standard Lib tactic for at least the last 7 or 8 presidential elections. Whichever candidate does the best job at pointing out the stupidity and irrelevance of some of the standard "plant" questions is the one I'll support.

Keep the plants in pots

The planted questioners were a disgrace to journalism, but the group of 24 'undecided Republican voters' bordered on criminal fraud. The first one questioned said she was going to vote for Edwards, the next one didn't know how to pronounce Guiliani's name and the third didn't know the names of any of the candidates. I would really like to know where they got this herd of morons from.

Captain... They got them

Captain...

They got them from the DNC! 

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Hillary Clinton starring as Richard III

I would like to address something which no one seems to be linking and that there is no way these people showed up FROM HILLARY CLINTON.
I will repeat that. Hillary Clinton is not that stupid nor is Bill Clinton this stupid to be spouting off about the Iraq war.
This all reminds me of Richard III which was Shakespeare's case study of a murderous egomaniac who in almost gaining the perpetual prize of rule.......all of a sudden meets his end as all betray him.
Here am I no fan of Hillary Clinton, but the case study in this is fascinating, because these plants are showing up along with Bill Clinton to sink her campaign. The only people who have this kind of power to engage the MSM to make these stories issues and plant people are the Rockefeller cartel who the Clinton's worked for.
I have alerted people here months ago now that a coup was underway to keep Hillary from the nomination, so a weakened ticket will emerge and Al Gore is supposed to come in at the convention and gobble up the super electors.
There is no way this could happen on it's own and there is no way that CNN just let this happen without checking sources when these people are so obvious a 5 year old doing a search could find them. These plants were obvious to be found and to bring more ruin on the Hillary campaign.
In knowing how these things work on the inside, it is a positive now that there are photos of Bill Clinton sexing up blondes and by Hillary taking these massive punches my guess is there are videos (plural) of her having lezbo encounters. If this was the cowboys doing this she would go on the attack, but this is the old regime of globalists she works for from the Rose Law Firm days when she was running money with Vince Foster and Webb Hubble using the PROMIS software for the CIA.
Bill has "agreed" to send Hillary down the drain for what has to be a "world leadership" position in the sort of what Tony Blair is dancing around in the Middle East now in exchange for his legacy.
Hillary has probably been told the cartel will make certain she is not in prison over her crimes if she shuts up.
I highly doubt when this is over that Hillary will continue in the Senate. She hates work and she hates being even 1 of 100. She will probably fade away in knowing the JFK and Nixon alternatives.
I almost feel sorry for Hillary as she is not even like Richard screaming, My kingdom for a horse. She has been a venomous dangerous creature and to watch her defanged and slapped around by the masters of the game......well it gives one pause.
To answer Mr. Sheppard's question if CNN should sponsor any more debates? Most certainly as if they don't some other shill will do it with the same results. CNN and the entire media are corrupt and managed by the cartel. If one stops figuring they are ever going to get a fair shake from them and starts watching it as the beautiful orchestrated theater it is........one soon enjoys the play and appreciates how very adept the Rockefeller cartel members are at destroying anyone who they choose.
Think of it, Hillary the blackmailer, she know where the murders occurred, she ruined people's lives, she is pure globalist CIA ilk, she was chosen to help bring down Nixon.........and in this act she has become Richard III receiving the very measure she implemented.
She has no friends as all view her as Lady MacBeth.........I told people this is going to be most enjoyable to watch and it is only going to be more interesting as 2008 goes into gear.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS

Great stuff

Oh I like it, not sure what to think of it, but I would watch the movie.

 

"Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest". Mark Twain

The only thing I find

The only thing I find shocking about this sordid mess is that CNN thinks we're so stupid we'd never find out about it.  It seems every day they forget that we have access to the Internet and blogs.

They either think we're stupid, or that they are above reproach.

You cannot buy back credibility.  Not that they ever had much with me, but I'm sure many Americans see CNN in a much different light today.