"Schieffer's statements raise questions about objectivity"

Bob Schieffer, CBS chief Washington correspondent and host of Face the Nation, is scheduled to moderate the third and final presidential debate on October 13. As moderator, Schieffer will be responsible for formulating the debate questions and following up after the candidates respond. However, Schieffer has described in the past his "golfing friendship" with President George W. Bush "during the 1990s" and has said, "It's always difficult to cover someone you know personally." These and other past statements by Schieffer raise the very question that Schieffer himself suggested: Can he perform the role of objective moderator given the "difficult" of "cover someone you know personally"?

Schieffer may find it "difficult" due to Bush friendship. According to an August 20 Mother Jones article, Schieffer "struck up a golfing friendship with George W. Bush during the 1990s." In 2003, Schieffer told Washington Post staff writer and CNN host Howard Kurtz: "It's always difficult to cover someone you know personally."
Schieffer on Kerry: "efore the first debate, I think John Kerry was about to go off a cliff." On the October 11 edition of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, Schieffer stated: "I'm not an expert on polling, but I think this is a race that could go either way. I think, frankly, before the first debate, I think John Kerry was about to go off a cliff. I think he got himself back in the game."
Schieffer opined in favor of Bush after he debated Gore in 2000. As Media Matters for America previously documented, Schieffer joined the chorus of pundits that lowered the bar for Bush and raised it for former Vice President Al Gore in 2000. During CBS News presidential debate coverage on October 3, 2000, Schieffer stated: "Well, I think, clearly tonight, if anyone gained from this debate, it was George Bush because he showed that people will argue back and forth over the positions they took, but, clearly, he seemed to have as much of a grasp of the issues as -- as Al Gore did tonight. So in that sense, I think Bush gained a lot."

More: http://mediamatters.org/items/200410120011

Reason and experience should tell us that there are not any news people who we would choose to do this. The RNC wanted Shieffer out of the debates in re the CBS SB story.

Couldn't they have someone from academia? These <cough> reporters, journalists aren't the brightest bulbs in the box. Just asking :hi:

That's the ticket.

"supporter" questions his greatness. Let it be his golfing buddy that asks him questions. He has no answers.

shill.

He is a staunch Republican. He has also said in a recent interview (I think Charlie Rose) that he intends to ask "Foreign Policy" questions during the debate. He will soft ball Bush and hard ball Kerry.

that man's a whore, a traitor a sellout and a pos.....he's been a repuke shill for years hiding behind his fake 'journalistic integrity'.....plus he was old 20 years ago......if kerry can't lance that boil, then fukkit... why worry about it then?

None whatsoever.

his fricking BROTHER is the ambassador to Australia, a VERY important post

he also was partners with Bush in the Rangers

just ask yourself if Kerry's brother was in a similar position; would you want him to have anything to do with moderating a debate?

Schieffer is a smug old boy, who THINKS he's nonpartisan, but the excellent header reveals his prejudice

they should have used somebody from the PRINT media for at least one of these debates

look for dumbo to step all over himself tomorrow, anyway: he's not going to be able to follow his programming....will he be VERY intense, very combative, or try to appear presidential

this I DO know: all he can do is attack....watch how many times he uses "liberal" as a pejorative, and note how many times he LIES about his Orwellian "accomplishments"

Kerry should slaughter him this time, but he's done such a pisspoor job of counteracting the sludge dumbo has put out that I can only hold my breath and hope for the best

PLEASE, senator Kerry, GET IT STRAIGHT about the NONRELATION between malpractice settlements and liability premiums!!!!

could you at LEAST do THAT? or use the case of Jim Baker's grandson, and ask Bush if he'd object to the use of a trial lawyer in that case? OR, how about the car accident, when he used a lawyer in a non-injury case

I've just watched this guy cozy up to Republicans for years.

If Kerry gets especially tough questions and aces them all, he looks even better. If Bush gets softballs and whiffs, he looks even stupider. Win-win, as far as I'm concerned.

That's a ridiculous hurdle to have to face. Bush* gets all softballs and manages to muddle his way through them without further embarassing himself. Kerry does great on all but one tough question. On that one he slips up, maybe badly.

What will the press talk about after the debate? What will people remember? No one will mention Kerry got all the hard questions.

:kick: