Man Snoozes During John Edwards's ABC Town Hall...Then Vanishes

Did "Good Morning America" physically remove a man who appeared to be dozing off during Democratic Senator John Edwards's town hall meeting on Monday? Early in the 7am hour, the man (pictured at right) appeared to be sleeping, or at least dozing, while Edwards discussed his plan for Iraq.

Around 7:11, the individual, who was seated to the back and right of Edwards, mysteriously disappeared (see video below). Diane Sawyer even remarked how audience members for the New Orleans-based event had "gotten up early" to join him. Perhaps the network found it unacceptable that someone might perceive the former trial lawyer to be less than enthralling?

Video (0:50): Real (1.34 MB) or Windows (1.53 MB).

See below for a picture of Edwards when the camera cut back to him. The mysterious individual is now gone, though the shot is clearly the same. For more information on Monday’s town hall meeting, click here.

To read an account of Hillary Clinton’s March 26 special on GMA, click here. In total, "Good Morning America" has devoted 64 minutes worth of air time to the two Democratic candidates and zero, so far, for the Republicans.

Finally, for a look at the disparity between Senator Clinton’s town hall and the tougher questioning that Edwards endured, go here.

[Special thanks to MRC intern Michael Lanza for transcribing parts of the Edwards special.]