Despite featuring the story on its "Political Radar" blog on Monday morning, the ABC network ignored for almost 24 hours the claim by Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden that Barack Obama will be tested by a major international crisis in the first (potential) six months of his presidency. Monday's "Good Morning America" skipped the story, as did that evening's "World News With Charles Gibson" and "Nightline."
In fact, "Nightline" co-anchor Cynthia McFadden actually conducted an interview with Senator Obama after a campaign rally in Florida. Despite the fact that she had nabbed the first joint interview with Obama and Clinton since the Illinois senator won the nomination, she didn't address the issue. Rather than ask what his running mate meant when he said, "Watch, we're gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy," McFadden chose to limit her questions to how the relationship between Obama and Clinton had changed.
The issue finally came up when reporter Jake Tapper mentioned it on Tuesday's GMA, a day later. Discussing Senator John McCain, he observed, "Meanwhile, John McCain has been on the attack, responding to Joe Biden's comment that the world would quickly test a President Obama." He then featured a clip of McCain during a campaign speech: "We don't want a president who invites testing from the world at a time when our economy is in crisis and Americans are already fighting in two wars."
Co-host Robin Roberts also raised the issue with Obama's communications director, Robert Gibbs. She wondered, "Robert, Senator Biden raised a lot of eyebrows with what he said yesterday about the possibility, if Barack Obama is elected, that he would be tested, possibly, in the first six months." The ABC host then asked, "Now, John McCain says, we don't want a president who invites testing. Is he right there?"
As NewsBuster Mark Finkelstein already noted, well known liberal Dan Rather made a very salient point on Tuesday's "Morning Joe." He explained, "...Certainly if Sarah Palin had said this, it would be above the fold in most newspapers today." A few seconds later, Rather reiterated his contention: "...If Sarah Palin had said this, the newspapers would have jumped all over it and so would have the major television outlets."
For more on this issue, see a statement by MRC president Brent Bozell.
A transcript of the two mentions on "Good Morning America," which occurred on October 21, follow:
7:04
JAKE TAPPER: Meanwhile, John McCain has been on the attack, responding to Joe Biden's comment that the world would quickly test a President Obama.
JOHN MCCAIN: We don't want a president who invites testing from the world at a time when our economy is in crisis and Americans are already fighting in two wars.
7:09am
ROBIN ROBERTS: And Senator McCain has stayed on message and talking a great deal about that. Robert, Senator Biden raised a lot of eyebrows with what he said yesterday about the possibility, if Barack Obama is elected, that he would be tested, possibly, in the first six months. And he urged supporters to stand with him because it may not be apparent right away, that they're right. Now, John McCain says, we don't want a president who invites testing. Is he right there?
ROBERT GIBBS: Well, look. Any president, whoever the next president of the United States is going to be tested [sic]. We have a global economic crisis that's affecting everybody in this country, not just on Wall Street, but on main street. Unlike Senator McCain, Senator Obama doesn't believe that the economy is fundamentally strong. We're going to be tested overseas in both Iraq and Afghanistan and throughout the world. You know, we've- over the last eight years, we've, this country has been pointed in the wrong direction. We're in a deep hole that we have to dig out of because of the Bush years and quite frankly, because of John McCain voted with George Bush 90 percent of the time over these eight years. So, there's no doubt we have challenges. We have to get Washington working for America again. I think that's what the key is. We have to bring people together. We have to take on the special interests. Unite as one country and move this country forward.
—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.
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Comments Policy
I love how Gibbs doesn't
October 21, 2008 - 12:25 ET by XJ.JonI love how Gibbs doesn't have a point, so he goes back to calling McCain just another Bush. That is their safety net. You know that every time they use that line, they don't have anything to say.
How stupid can they get?
October 21, 2008 - 12:52 ET by SickofLibsROBAMA ROBERTS: "Now, John McCain says, we don't want a president who invites testing. Is he right there?"
No, Robama, he is not right. Of course we all want a disaster or terror attack, cause it's been way too long.
No to ABC
October 21, 2008 - 12:53 ET by oilcanI don't expect much fairness from the All Barack Channel. Sit on it, a'la the LAT and it'll go away. It helps that other MSM are spinning it all in favor of Obama.
Do expect, if the dung hits the fan and we're attacked, either in the US or overseas, the dead horse Bush will not be too far away to flog to death.
On another point of Gibb's non-sequiter comment, If McCain voted with Bush [who I didn't know had a vote in the Senate] and was "wrong", what about Obama, who most likely voted 99-percent against Bush? Actually, he probably voted "present".
Hmm, future headlines after America suffers a far worse terrorist attack than 9/11, Obama can claim, "I was present".
Robin Roberts
October 21, 2008 - 12:54 ET by MillerTimeWarpWhy does Roberts asked "John McCain says, we don't want a president who invites testing. Is he right there?" Why didn't she ask: "Is Biden right?" She conveniently sways the whole thing to sound like McCain originated the issue.
I look forward to Roberts report on Nov 5th, when McCain wins, to stress how racist Americans are.
I would rather be a Conservative nut job, than a Liberal with no nuts and no job
Oh Joe, say it ain't so!!!
October 21, 2008 - 12:54 ET by PrairieSkyJoe Biden is truly the gift that keeps on giving, isn't he?? Whether the MSM covers his gaffes as thoroughly as they should (they don't), Old Joes' diarrhea of the mouth can't be missed.
I heard that he has been pulled off the campaign trail today (at least)...Care to guess why???
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
PS... I hear he's
October 21, 2008 - 12:57 ET by Clear thinkerPS...
I hear he's scheduled to have some surgery done to his big mouth!
Who would you want to live next to?
http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/2008/10/20/vote-for-joe/
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
Hello CT, Prairie
October 21, 2008 - 13:06 ET by cocodrieI don't remember the legislator's name , but on the floor of the Louisiana House of Rep. he told Gov. Earl K. Long " you have constipation of the brain and diahreah of the mouth". Kinda fits old Cockamamy Joe, don't it?
Indeed it does! Why Obama
October 21, 2008 - 13:07 ET by Clear thinkerIndeed it does!
Why Obama Scares The Crap Out Of Me
Making Fun of AGW http://giovanniworld.wordpress.com/
coco...Oh yeah...
October 21, 2008 - 14:21 ET by PrairieSkyYou bet it does!!
I remember hearing about that from my mom when I was a kid...
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
Ct...Yeah, like...
October 21, 2008 - 15:19 ET by PrairieSkyhaving it sewn shut! And Obama will be standing there with the sutures at the ready!!!!
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
Lets see,
October 22, 2008 - 09:28 ET by NorthCoasterCould it be for re-education? Hold on to your wallets because we'll all be re-educated soon.
ELECTION SIDE NOTES
October 21, 2008 - 13:11 ET by reelman46ELECTION SIDE NOTES
Obama voters are emotion-based… so facts/rational thought, economic or ethical… do not matter.
Polls usually are rigged on purpose by sampling 10-20% more democrats.
Do you know any of the mythical “undecided voters” at work or on your street?
Voter fraud is and will be at the highest level ever and still 100% democrat-based.
It would be wonderful if both parties went to a consumption tax and stopped using tax code changes to get votes.
Candidates that never mention government fraud-waste are dangerous to your wallet and your country.
The media are almost all biased angry “gotchas” with no ethics or sense of the real role of journalism.
There are way too many fossils in the media who think all events are about the media, not getting the truth out.
Having 2 senators run is about as low as it gets as far as insiders with zero management experience.
When Hollyweird goes ga-ga over a candidate…that tells you the person is a radical socialist.
The use of school kids or teens in any way is despicable in a national campaign…and don’t ask them a thing, they know nothing.
The more general “pie in the sky” a candidate is… the more wary you should be and the more cowardly the candidate.
The job of the modern lib-media is to cover for any democrat,
especially by ignoring or failing to pursue issues the voters should
know.
Socialism, under the disguise of fairness, is still forced taking of earnings from achievers to buy voters from others.
Taxing small business will hurt the little guy democrats are so fond of…he-she will be fired to offset the new taxes.
Any candidate that praises only government is simply a dangerous socialist…remember Jimmah Carter?
Any candidate given warm words by the thug dictators of the world is dangerous to America. That s common sense.
A new president (democrat) will say he “inherited” such and such…and thus go back on his word for tax cuts and much more.
If any candidate is judged one of the top liberal voters in congress…he-she is a secular socialist who is sure not to change.
A candidate’s alliances or friendships only count if that candidate is a Republican…the media will soft peddle all others.
Accusing the other party of what your party does year after year is a sure sign of Democrat tactics at work, its what they do.
Candidates that prefer to answer questions about their bad behavior
by pointing at other bad behavior are telling you nothing… on purpose.
Voting records matter most, not promises, not should haves, not
excuses, not voting “present”, not trashing others…they are paid to
vote.
Doug Schexnayder, Ph.D. (theconservativecrawfish)
News Media Vetting Candidates
October 21, 2008 - 13:12 ET by AtTheWaterCoolerI have added this post to http://www.jeremiahf...
BlogWatch: MSM Vetting Candidates?
Not a Big Deal
October 21, 2008 - 13:41 ET by Agrarian-DecentralistBack in June, Joe Lieberman, appearing on "Face the Nation," said, "our enemies will test the new president early." I don't recall NewsBusters making a big deal out of that. Recognizing and referring to the possibility of such testing seems pretty unremarkable coming from a senator who understands foreign policy.
»→ Yes, a big deal
October 21, 2008 - 13:52 ET by Cool ArrowIn March, 2008, Al Qaeda Ayman Al Zawahiri released a threatening tape against the United States.
But the last I checked, Ayman Al Zawahiri is not running for Vice President.
Underdog & Pitbull 08
Unlike Biden, he
October 21, 2008 - 14:30 ET by Chris NormanUnlike Biden, he didn't say "the new president" would be tested because he was 47 years old - with the implication that Obama is inexperienced .
McNotObama '08
Robert Gibbs has been a busy
October 21, 2008 - 13:46 ET by bigtimerRobert Gibbs has been a busy lttle spinning bee this morning...everywhere it seems with his same old, same old talking points.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
bt...Robert Gibbs...What an obnoxious...
October 21, 2008 - 14:45 ET by PrairieSkylittle toad he is...I can't stand that guy.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
I guess they did "let" Biden out on the trail, today...
October 21, 2008 - 14:40 ET by PrairieSkyFox just announced that Biden is about to speak at a rally...I suppose Obama decided to spring him from the doghouse...
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
Sky... Oh yeah....the
October 21, 2008 - 14:55 ET by bigtimerSky...
Oh yeah....the whole thing has just been a pathetic riot...I don't care how much he raises his voice like he is today...
Yes by golly he is coming out a swinging...tough guy now...something for the msm talking heads to give a big excited WOW about...I can just hear them now, the likes of Matthews/Olbie...whatta' guy...whatta' guy!
Plus at the end he said I know this wasn't about Bush, I know he isn't running again, when preceding this line he went on a big attack about Bush/McCain...just a lie right there.
"If it walks like a Bush, talks like a Bush...blah blah blah...really cute by half.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
bt...What a phony he is...
October 21, 2008 - 15:16 ET by PrairieSkyEverytime I see (or hear) Biden, he never fails to remind me of a used car salesman...From his whiter-than-white, capped teeth cheshire cat smile, "new" hairline, and his impassioned vocal delivery, he grates on me.
Well, the Biden gaffe clock is running, so let's see how long it'll be before we have a new slip-of-the-lip to laugh at.
"...peace is the highest aspiration of the American People. We will negotiate for it, sacrifice for it, we will never surrender for it, now or ever." President Ronald Reagan, January 20, 1981
Biden has always appeared to me as a guy
October 21, 2008 - 15:28 ET by jefflebowskiwho is not very bright. He tries to cover lack of intelligent thought with a steady flow of useless words. A true liberal!
Jeff Lebowski
www.angrywhitedude.c...
The gaffe machine is indeed
October 21, 2008 - 15:39 ET by semolina_filcherThe gaffe machine is indeed getting a pass from the old media. In CO today, Gaffin' Joe said first thing they'll do when they take over from the Bush administration is to allow the Bush tax cuts to expire, so they can implement, obviously, their tax hike for all. Don't believe the 5% tax hike only.
Spread the wealth, their new mantra.
Rush said in his show, Sen. Gaffe is looking for sympathy from the same Obiden supporters, to take it easy on the young president to be. As we all know by now, some in the inner circle is worried about a "generated foreign crisis" to test the mettle of the Steel-Spined Messiah. I repeat: everything the Kenyan-Indonesian administration will be doing will be BAD FOR AMERICA.
Toyota Headlight Eyes
October 21, 2008 - 15:41 ET by semolina_filcherA local talk show host mentioned that Gaffin' Joe's eyes look like square Toyota truck headlights.
Same old, same old...
October 21, 2008 - 17:51 ET by ConservativeMissourianFunny ... I didn't realize that Obama is running against Bush. Did Bush and his campaign incessantly refer to Clinton in 2000? Noooope.
Talk about change and tolerance. Geez.
Biden can't keep secrets
October 21, 2008 - 21:26 ET by RousseAmazing! Biden has a few security briefings and he turns it into campaign fodder. Great at keeping secrets isn't he. Then there's Obama, who if he applied for a government job, would not get a security clearance, because having a terrorist for a buddy tends to disqualify you for the most important jobs. But hey! any one can run for President (xref Bill Clinton who couldn't remember anything about his summer-long vacation in the USSR when he was a Rhodes student, and went arm-in-arm with his communist chums marching in Red Square, to protest against the US). Democrats---go figure.
Israel / Iran??
October 21, 2008 - 23:37 ET by 20hrswkBiden comes out after a weekend briefing on world affairs and makes his gaffe about Obama.
That meeting would of course include the latest information on Israel and Iran.
We all know Israel is waiting to see what the world will do with Iran and figuring out their last chance to take out Iran's nuclear site before its too late (if world leaders continue to do nothing to stop it).
It seems very plausible that Biden is talking about the aftermath of Israel bombing Iran's nuclear site.
The question is, who would be better to have as president WHEN, not IF, Israel bombs Iran?
Biden coontradicts the "CHANGE" argument...
October 22, 2008 - 08:58 ET by no_static"I know almost every one of these leaders in the world by first name... and we've been hanging around a long time".
So where's the "change" if he's been hanging around a long time?
"trying to live a Rockwellian life in an Orwellian world..." copyright (c) 2004 Chris Kling all rights reserved