Debate moderators overlook key questions

Debate moderators overlook key questions
Jamison Foser of Media Matters~

Through 17 debates this year, roughly 1,500 questions have been asked of the two parties' presidential candidates. But only a small handful of questions have touched on the candidates' views on executive power, the Constitution, torture, wiretapping, or other civil liberties concerns. (A description of those questions appears at the end of this column.)

Only one question about wiretapping. Not a single question about FISA.

There has, however, been a question about whether the Constitution should be changed to allow Arnold Schwarzenegger to be president.

Not one question about renditions. The words "habeas corpus" have not once been spoken by a debate moderator. Candidates have not been asked about telecom liability.

But there was this illuminating question, asked of a group of Republicans running for president: "Seriously, would it be good for America to have Bill Clinton back living in the White House?"

Though Republicans often claim that the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping of Americans is necessary to prevent "another 9-11," debate moderators have not once asked candidates about recent revelations that suggest the administration began its surveillance efforts long before the September 11, 2001, attacks, not in response to them.

But NBC's Brian Williams did ask the Democratic candidates what they would "go as" for Halloween.

No moderator has asked a single question of a single candidate about whether the president should be able to order the indefinite detention of an American citizen, without charging the prisoner with any crime.

But Tim Russert did ask Congressman Dennis Kucinich -- in what he felt compelled to insist was "a serious question" -- whether he has seen a UFO.

more...

http://www.opednews.com/maxwrite/linkframe.php?linkid=45797

freak-show of a media likes it just the way it is and doesn't want to bring up any embarr-ASSing unmentiontionables of the bushits desecretion of our Constitution.

DUers who don't read MM are missin' out.
Thanks B'sister!
:kick:

And you're welcome!

instead of trodding off to these various media assasinations posing as debates, our candidates should be out there lining up their own events with moderators who are not biased, who are not trying to start wars on the dias, who are not selling soap, cars, and other crap.

they should quit being lead around like docile lambs.

msongs

'event' at this point (because anything anyone does now is 'news') by finding a reputable person who'd agree to the parameters they'd insist on. That'd be one way to outfox the system gracefully and still garner attention.