Damn Russert & Williams hate Hillary; they made Jack Welch so proud Tuesday night! Dem Debate’s Questions 1, 2, and 3 are all Hillary Gotchas. For Questions 4, 5, and 6, the hosts switch to another of their important jobs, forcing Iran paranoia down America’s throat. Then, it’s back to Hillary Gotchas for Questions 7, 8, and 9. 6 of the first 9. No, make that 7 of the first 9! Question 6 is also a Hillary Gotcha: it is ‘impossible to answer directly’ as phrased and Clinton is the first one Russert springs it on.
But hey, y’ gotta also note the priceless details! For example, for both Question 7 and 9, Obama and Edwards are asked to evaluate the quality of Clinton’s answer to each (bullshit) gotcha question. Or, look at the biasboggling contrast between the way Question 8 is asked Hillary and how it’s asked Obama. And, note the follow-up badgering/questioning of Hillary in Questions 4 and 6. No follows ups were asked of any other candidate, although many others’ answers were nuanced/convoluted like Hillary’s (or was her ‘problem’ not her answers but instead her refusal to fall into the trap of directly answering ‘gotcha’ questions that if answered directly make the answerer say something foolish?).
The chummy hosts asked no follow ups of any candidate at the October 21 Republican debate, by the way. I’ve copied the first ten questions of that debate below the Democrats’ first ten, for the instructive contrast. No gotchas, very clubby. This is what we’re up against, Democrats, read and learn.
FIRST TEN QUESTIONS at the MSNBC Democrats’ Debate. Philadelphia, PA, October 30, 2007.
QUESTION 1.
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Senator Obama, we’ll begin with you.
You gave an interview to The New York Times over the weekend pledging in it to be more aggressive, to be tougher in your campaign against your chief rival for the nomination, the leader among Democrats so far, Senator Clinton, who is here next to you tonight.
To that end, Senator, you said that Senator Clinton was trying to sound Republican, trying to vote Republican on national security issues, and that was, quote, “bad for the country and ultimately bad for the Democrats.” That is a strong charge, as you’re aware.
Specifically, what are the issues where you, Senator Obama, and Senator Clinton have differed, where you think she has sounded or voted like a Republican?
[rebuttal for Clinton]
WILLIAMS: Senator Clinton, rebuttal?
QUESTION 2.
TIM RUSSERT: Senator Edwards, you issued a press release, your campaign, and the headline is “Edwards to Clinton: American People Deserve the Truth, Not More Double-Talk on Iran.” What double-talk are you suggesting that Senator Clinton’s been engaging in on Iran?
QUESTION 3.
RUSSERT: We’re going to get to Social Security in a little bit, but I want to stay on Iran, Senator Clinton.
As you know, you voted for the Kyl-Lieberman amendment, the only member on the stage here who did that. Senator, Jim Webb of Virginia said it is for all practical purposes mandating the military option, that it is a clearly worded sense of Congress that could be interpreted as a declaration of war.
Why did you vote for that amendment, which would — calls upon the president to structure our military forces in Iraq with regard to the capability of Iran?
[Question 3 to Dodd]
RUSSERT: Senator Dodd, you said that vote was a justification for war in Iran.
[Question 3 to Biden]
RUSSERT: Senator Biden, do you agree with Senator Webb it was de facto a declaration of war?
QUESTION 4.
MR. WILLIAMS: Senator Obama, let’s get at this another way. Red line is the current expression of the moment where Iran is concerned in Washington. What would your red line be concerning when to, if to attack Iran? What would make it crystal clear in your mind that the United States should attack Iran?
[Question 4 to Clinton]
WILLIAMS: Same question to Senator Clinton. What would be your red line?
[Question 4 repeated to Clinton]
WILLIAMS: Respectfully, Senator, same question, though: Do you have a threshold, a red line beyond which?
[Question 4 to Edwards]
WILLIAMS: I’ve noted all of our candidates want in on this. Senator Edwards, you next.
QUESTION 5.
RUSSERT: Governor Richardson, would you negotiate with Iran without any conditions?
[Question 3 to Kucinich]
RUSSERT: Congressman Kucinich, your opinion of this resolution?
QUESTION 6.
RUSSERT: I want to ask each of you the same question.
Senator Clinton, would you pledge to the American people that Iran will not develop a nuclear bomb while you are president?
[Question 6 follow-up to Clinton]
RUSSERT: But you won’t pledge?
[Question 6 follow-up to Clinton]
RUSSERT: But they may.
[Question 6 to Edwards]
RUSSERT: Senator Edwards.
[Question 6 to Obama]
RUSSERT: Senator Obama.
[Question 6 to Biden]
RUSSERT: Senator Biden, would you pledge to the American people that Iran would not build a nuclear bomb on your watch?
[Question 6 to Dodd]
RUSSERT: Senator Dodd.
[Question 6 to Richardson]
WILLIAMS: Governor Richardson.
[Question 6 to Kucinich]
WILLIAMS: Congressman Kucinich, same question.
QUESTION 7.
WILLIAMS: Senator Clinton, elsewhere in the region, let’s talk about Iraq. One of your military advisers, retired Lieutenant General Claudia Kennedy, while campaigning for you in New Hampshire, was recently quoted saying, quote, “I don’t oppose the war. I have never heard Senator Clinton say, I oppose the war,” closed quote.
Senator Clinton, do you oppose the war in Iraq?
[Obama asked to evaluate Clinton‘s response to Question 7]
WILLIAMS: Senator Obama, was Senator Clinton’s answer to the opposition of the Iraq war question consistent, in your view?
[Edwards asked to evaluate Clinton‘s response to Question 7]
WILLIAMS: Senator Edwards, same question.
[Rebuttal for Clinton]
WILLIAMS: Senator Clinton, 30-second rebuttal.
[Intermission]
QUESTION 8.
WILLIAMS: . . . And we’re going to start with another subject at the top of this segment. Senator Clinton, it will go to you. It speaks to electability.
Earlier this month, Republican presidential front-runner Rudolph Giuliani said this about you, quote, “I don’t know Hillary’s experience. She’s never run a city. She’s never run a state. She’s never run a business. She’s never met a payroll. She’s never been responsible for the safety and security of millions of people, much less even hundreds of people. So I’m trying to figure out where the experience is here.” End of quote.
Senator, how do you respond to the former mayor of New York?
QUESTION 9.
RUSSERT: Senator Clinton, I’d like to follow up because, in terms of your experience as first lady, in order to give the American people an opportunity to make a judgment about your experience, would you allow the National Archives to release the documents about your communications with the president, the advice you gave, because, as you well know, President Clinton has asked the National Archives not to do anything until 2012?
[Russert follows up Question 9 to Clinton]
RUSSERT: But there was a letter written by President Clinton specifically asking that any communication between you and the president not be made available to the public until 2012. Would you lift that ban?
[Obama allowed to comment on Question 9 and Clinton‘s response]
RUSSERT: Senator Obama, your hand’s up?
[Edwards allowed to comment on Question 9 and Clinton’s response]
RUSSERT: Senator Edwards had his hand up. Then I want to give Senator Clinton the chance to respond.
[Clinton rebuttal]
MR. RUSSERT: Senator Clinton, please.
[Question 8 to Obama]
WILLIAMS: Senator Obama, to you let’s apply the — what we’ll call the Giuliani question about having run a city, a state, a payroll.
What specifically is your relevant experience for being president?
QUESTION 10.
WILLIAMS: Governor Richardson, though there was broad disagreement on this panel about you having the only negotiation experience, you did raise your qualifications earlier. Is your contention that, say, the top three front-runners in this race are less qualified than you are to be president?
FIRST TEN QUESTIONS at the The FoxNews Republicans’ Debate. Orlando, Florida, October 21, 2007.
QUESTION 1. CHRIS WALLACE: Mayor Giuliani, Senator Thompson says that you’re soft on abortion, that you’re soft on gun control, and that you’ve never claimed to be a conservative.
Who is more conservative: you or Fred Thompson?
[Question 1 to Romney]
WALLACE: Governor Romney, Senator Thompson says that you run to the left of Teddy Kennedy in 1994, that you were proudly pro-choice, as recently as 2005, and that his philosophy doesn’t depend on geography.
Who is more conservative: you or Fred Thompson?
[Question 1 to Thompson]
WALLACE: Senator — Senator Thompson, have these two guys convinced you that you’re wrong and that, in fact, they are both consistent conservatives?
[Question 1 rebuttal to Giuliani]
WALLACE: Mayor Giuliani . . .why don’t you respond to Senator Thompson?
[Question 1 rebuttal to Thompson]
WALLACE: Mayor, if I may — Senator, you can have a minute to respond to Mayor Giuliani and also tell us what your beef is with Governor Romney.
[Question 1 rebuttal to Giuliani]
WALLACE: Mr. Mayor, you want to respond, 30 seconds on the sanctuary city issue?
[Question 1 to McCain]
WALLACE: Senator McCain, if I may — Senator McCain, you didn’t like it much when Governor Romney said recently that he spoke for the Republican wing of the Republican party.
Who’s more conservative: you or Mitt Romney?
[Question 1 rebuttal to Romney]
WALLACE: Governor Romney, Senator McCain suggests that you’re conning people — he has used that phrase — with your conversions on a number of issues during this campaign.
Why is Senator McCain wrong?
QUESTION 2. WALLACE: Senator McCain, you didn’t think much of the answer of Governor Romney in the last debate, when he said that he would ask his lawyers whether he needed congressional authorization to use military force against Iran. Why not?
[Question 2 rebuttal to Romney]
WALLACE: Senator Romney — Governor Romney?
QUESTION 3. CARL CAMERON: Congressman Paul, to you, on the subject of one of the core debates in the party, over social issues: gay marriage.
You’ve been quoted as saying, Any association that’s voluntary should be permissible in a free society. And you’ve expressed your opposition to a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
Many of your rivals on that stage disagree. Why are they wrong?
[Question 3 to Romney]
HUME: Governor Romney, among the so-called top tier candidates, you support the ban on gay marriage. What does it say that Fred Thompson, Rudy Giuliani, John McCain and Ron Paul all don’t?
QUESTION 4. CAMERON: Mayor Giuliani, your opposition to the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage has been fairly well known. I had an opportunity to talk to Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council this afternoon who said that in a discussion with you just in the last couple of days you informed him that if, in fact, the Defense of Marriage Act were to fail, or states began — or states began to legalize gay marriage, you would oppose a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.
QUESTION 5. CAMERON: Governor Huckabee, Mayor Giuliani has argued that he is, in his private life, opposed to abortion. But as a matter of public policy, would do nothing to change the laws that keep it legal right now.
What are your views on that type of a position and as it relates both to public policy and the future of the Republican Party?
QUESTION 6. CAMERON: Senator Thompson, earlier this week, you were asked about your lobbying, years ago, for Planned Parenthood, the nation’s largest abortion provider. And you were quoted as saying, That was private life, as if to dismiss the question. Can you explain to us what you meant by that and why . . . it would make a difference?
QUESTION 7. CAMERON: Senator McCain, in recent months and years, you’ve described as trying to reach out and mend fences with the evangelical right (ph) and religious conservatives across the country, having criticized them in years past, particularly their leaders. And there’s some skepticism. Many want to know today whether or not you are now reaching out and truly trying to mend those fences, or if you remain the maverick, and which is the straight talk they should believe.
QUESTION 8. CAMERON: Congressman Tancredo, recently you complained that the party had become hyphenated, that where were neo-conservatives, paleo- conservatives, compassionate-conservatives, common-sense conservatives.
Is that just a good line meant to say that a lot of the folks on this stage aren’t the type of complete conservatives you think the party needs?[Question 8 (and other earlier questions) to Hunter]
CAMERON: Congressman Hunter?
Some pretty sensitive issues: gay marriage, abortion. And Tom Tancredo with the highest rankings. Is he the right conservative? And are these issues that are — the Republican Party is in danger of not being conservative enough and losing track and losing connection with its principles?
QUESTION 9. WENDELL GOLER: Gentlemen, I want to ask you some questions about health care and education, which are always important issues in every presidential election.
I want to ask you to be specific and, in deference to Governor Huckabee, you don’t have to beat up on each other.
Senator McCain, your plan for lowering health care costs involves switching people from employer-provided health care to policies they buy on their own. There’s concern that could lead insurance companies to cherry-pick their clients.
You also want to limit the amount doctors can charge for chronic diseases, which skeptics worry could make it difficult for people with diabetes, for example, to find doctors to take care of them.
How would you deal with these two problems?
QUESTION 10. GOLER: Congressman Paul, you say that insurance companies and government programs have made health care simply unafforable. You objected so strongly to Medicaid that, as a doctor, I’m told, you simply treated patients on your own, at your own expense.
Is charity the way we should provide health care for the poor right now?
And how are you going to encourage doctors to do that — primary care doctors to do that, when their salaries have been declining for more than a decade?
