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Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Anderson Cooper and David Bohrman on Picking YouTube Questions
Posted by: Mary Katharine Ham at 11:20 AM
That's what my column's on today.

I had a chance to talk with both debate moderator Anderson Cooper and CNN D.C. Bureau Chief David Bohrman for a few minutes about their methods. Given the recent question-planting in Hillary’s campaign and CNN’s failure to disclose the affiliations of some of its “undecided voters” in the Democrat debate in Las Vegas, I had some concerns.

Read their answers, watch the debate, and decide if they delivered:

Q: There’s been a bit of scandal about the screening that CNN did on its “undecided voters” for the last Democratic debate. The diamonds-and-pearls question was attacked by the questioner herself. There were some allegations that several of the voters were in fact liberal activists on quite a few issues (and one Democratic Party operative). What’s the process for checking these YouTube questioners and their affiliations?

AC:
“Well, campaign operatives are people, too. We don’t investigate the background of people asking questions…that’s not our job. Last time around (in the Democrat CNN/YouTube debate), there were questions from Joe Biden’s campaign…and we had some fun with that (disclosing who they were posed by). Things like that are generally pretty obvious. In watching these videos after a while, you can kind of tell, who’s really serious about an issue and who’s just parroting a press release or a talking point.”

DB: “If it’s a loaded question, we’ll click back and check…some need vetting, and we’ll do that.”

“We’re doing the best we can…but if a question is interesting on its face, it almost doesn’t matter.”

Q: One of the criticisms the Right faces is it’s not active enough on the web, and to some extent, it’s true that websites like YouTube are populated by liberals. What provisions were made to make sure you get questions from the YouTube audience that conservatives care about?

AC:
“We got more than 4,000, so we certainly have a wide variety.”

DB: “I want it to be a Republican debate, focusing on issues that are important to Republican voters.”

“We’re looking for that. We are eliminating the obvious Democratic gotchas…the stink-bomb grenades…”

“There are plenty of conservative questions.”





View in ascending order View in descending order
Jack M. writes: Tuesday, November, 27, 2007 5:22 PM
I'm just breaking the ice...
This column has been up all day, and I thought it was lonely without any comments to play with.
redlion05 writes: Tuesday, November, 27, 2007 6:43 PM
AC-No Pre-Screened Audiences???
If AC's comments weren't so sad they would be funny. I wonder how "fair and balanced" CNN will be during the Republican debate? Do you think they will get some Republican Operatives (read-undecided voters) to ask pre-arranged questions of the candidates like they did for the Democratic candidates in Las Vegas? Nah, that would be fair and balanced-CNN couldn't tarnish is liberally biased 'drive by' media reputation by doing that.

Even more funny-AC's comment that 'democratic operatives are people too.' I wonder if he thinks the same of republican operatives? Doubt it.

The real shame is that the Republican candidates lower themselves to debating on the left wing media's turf and by their rules. Why do we (conservatives) continually submit ourselves to the left wing medias facile rules and agenda. Why can't we do our own debate hosted by Hannity, Limbaugh, Hume, Barnes, Ingrham or Coulter to name a few.

I am sick of playing by the left wing media's obviously biased rules.
Red-y for 2008 writes: Wednesday, November, 28, 2007 1:41 PM
I agreed, Redlion
Republican Candidates should have refused to attend CNN's debate - especially after CNN's manipulation of the Democratic Debate.

Candidates should expect to get tough questions from constituents. Candidates shouldn't be fending off a network's liberal bias like CNN. My prediction about tonight's debate - the attacking will come from CNN. CNN must attempt restore their tarnished reputation. How better than to appeal to their liberal audience by bashing Republican Candidates?
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