Michelle Malkin » The CNN/YouTube debate

The CNN/YouTube debate

By Michelle Malkin • July 23, 2007 06:40 PM

Update 9:05pm Eastern. The candidates are asked to say something they like or don’t like about the candidate next to them.

John Edwards doesn’t like Hillary’s jacket. Way to look presidential, Johnny.

Joe Biden likes Dennis Kucinich’s wife. And I don’t think he’s joking.

Dennis notes that there was no one put to the left of him. Anderson cracks that that isn’t possible.

Ho, ho, ho. The circus draws to a close. For now.

Update 9:02pm Eastern. Joe Biden disses gun owners by mocking a question from a gun owner, whom he says “needs help” and is mentally deficient.

Here’s the vid:

Update 8:53pm Eastern. Finally, a question related to immigration. A woman asks whether the Dems’ health care plans will cover “undocumented workers.”

Dodd – Yes.
Richardson – He says yes and that “Every American deserves coverage.”

“Undocumented workers = Americans.” Where have we heard that before? Oh, yeah.

Update 8:45pm Eastern. Here’s the “Are you a liberal” question:

The Club for Growth is laughing:

Pigs were flying in South Carolina tonight during the Democratic presidential debate as Hillary Clinton announced that she is not a big-government liberal but a “modern progressive” that “believes strongly in individual rights and freedoms.” Perhaps Hillary Clinton hasn’t been reading her own press releases and campaign speeches because her entire presidential campaign has been a series of proposals for new government programs. In fact, Senator Clinton’s entire political career reeks of big-government liberalism, from her disastrous attempt at Hillary Care to her recent proposal for universal kindergarten. At every turn, Hillary Clinton has embraced the far-left, liberal agenda, including her support for tax hikes, increased government spending, and restrictions on political free speech and her opposition to school choice and free trade.

“I am hard-pressed to imagine something more absurd than Hillary Clinton defending individual rights and eschewing the big-government label on national television,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey. “Kudos to CNN host Anderson Cooper for keeping a straight face.”

Update 8:20pm Eastern. The circus plays on. CNN just played this “question:”

Also: A “snowman” asked about global warming:

Anderson Cooper asked which candidates took private jets. All rose their hands except Mike Gravel…he took the train and bus.

Second serious question from a YouTuber who asks whether the Dems support nuclear power. Silky says no. Obama says “explore it.” Hillary chirps: “We can solve these problems!…I’m agnostic about nuclear power…”

Update 7:15pm Eastern. Which Republican would you pick as VP? Biden says Hagel or Lugar.

Update 7:12pm Eastern. A smug YouTube questioner asks Hillary whether she considers herself a “liberal.” She avoids “liberal,” calling herself a “modern progressive.”

Mike Gravel takes on Hillary’s “agent of change” rhetoric and takes on Barack Obama’s lobbyist funding, Robert Wolf.

Obama says he doesn’t take lobbying money. Obama gets applause. Gravel gets cut off.

6:53pm Eastern update. CNN.com is running a pre-debate special. Senior citizen William Schneider is on right now explaining what issues matter to The Yoots. He pronounces “INNN-ter-net” like it has ghost quotes around it.

“Internet reporter” Jacki Schechner adds that “I think this is about the coolest thing ever!” The CNN.com anchor is wearing a hideous, red polyurethane jacket circa 1982. I think they think it looks Yoot-ful.

Update: Here’s a multimedia, interactive idea…Play some of Glenn and Helen’s new podcast with Michael Yon reporting from Iraq. Ask the candidates to respond to his on-the-ground assessment. Would they smear the messenger? Ignore the message? That would be worth watching.

Bumped…Update: The “freak show” begins in 20 minutes. Cue the Barney & Bailey theme song…

***

Yeah, it’s tonight at 7pm Eastern. The “historic” night on which presidential candidates will attempt to prove their hipness and Yoot Vote appeal by making contrived references to LonelyGirl15, Ask a Ninja, and these techno-fancy things on the Internets called “blogs.”

Those screens look really wizbang cool, but I hope CNN can resolve all those crappy, 20th century audio problems they’ve been having.

Bryan Preston sifted through the dreck of YouTube citizen questions.

Matthew Felling says CNN’s hype has gone “overboard.”

Hotline previews the pre-debate game show.

Don Ward thinks “[t]he whole affair sounds as gimmicky as a Cal Worthington commercial.”

Which you can, of course, find on YouTube:

Posted in: 2008 campaign

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#101

On July 24th, 2007 at 7:54 pm, general company said:

CCsaid: I have a feeling what we’re seeing in these few responses are a few stealth liberals and some VERY lazy conservatives, the former saying “Oh God No!

If you are referring to me, this is exactly what I am talking about. You sound like Al Gore with your sky is falling analogy. I give up, some folks would rather cry like babies. Not me!!! You stayed up all night crying wolf and got all bent when others had a positive position. Calling me a liberal, yea great. If you expect me to pout like you it isn’t going to happen. We have worked very hard it my state to change it to a conservative state after decades of Democrat leadership, and you call me a liberal. Know wonder you fear this election so much, you obviously haven’t met anyone conservative enough for you. I wont be wasting any more of my time on the likes of you!!! Mr O is going to save your world? Good grief?
#102

On July 24th, 2007 at 9:13 pm, Mr_Conservative_Cat said:

Gayle,

That’s awful and smacks of on Orwellian nightmare world, but it certainly isn’t surprising. But that’s exactly – in a general sense – what I’m talking about. There used to be rules to this game, but the left has learned that they will protect their own, and so anyone can do anything in terms of cutting off the voice of opposition. Needless to say, the Fox debate issue is as strong an example as one can imagine – which is why it needs to be dealt with. If nothing else it sets the kind of precident that turns democracies on their heads.

OlBlueEyes,

(I wasn’t a fan – wrong generation – but still love your rendition of New York, New York

“you know if a democrat appeared on Fox News they would get asked these questions. you know and they know it. appearing on Fox News and facing their viewers, who they already perceive as being mostly “right wing” will not help them win the primary. that’s all they care about right now and no amount of harping, bitching, complaining or any grass roots action by conservatives is going to change that.

It’ll come as no surprise that I disagree strongly. With all due respect this is the kind of self-defeatism certain to become a self-fulfilling prophecy if left to stand. If we follow that thinking, we might as well give up on anything to which people outside our party might object, and that includes who becomes President. Can it be that the conservative mindset is so bludgeoned by 40 years of the MSM browbeating us that we really do believe we cannot fight the MSM and those who foster its one-sidedness?

General,

I love your post. Truly. You win the prize for most defensive post I’ve ever read on this board. Maybe anywhere.

” You sound like Al Gore with your sky is falling analogy.

The analogy to chicken little is yours. For the record I made no such analogy, but keep hangin’ in there and pitching.

“some folks would rather cry like babies. Not me!!!”

That’s some aggrandizing self-hero-worship you have going on there, but nobody said we should cry like babies. I said you should get off your lazy butt and be pro-active in defending the American right to a level political playing field and it’s apparent you don’t wanna.

“Know wonder you fear this election so much, you obviously haven’t met anyone conservative enough for you.

Ah, the well-known veiled liberal defense of accusing the other side of right wing extremism. Yes, wanting the Democrats to debate on Fox News to level the playing field certainly is an outrageously extremist concept. I guess we all need to conciede that one – not.

“I wont be wasting any more of my time on the likes of you!!!

And in so doing, you’ll be wasting alot less of my time, also. Thank you for that.

“Mr O is going to save your world? “

The accusatory “your”, liberal code for “conservative”. If I thought that I wouldn’t try to rally people to get off their asses, I’d just e-mail O’Reilly himself and whine how things aren’t going very well. Isn’t that what do-nothing conservatives always do? Write into the wind or call Rush and complain and take little substantial action while the left mobilizes their troops and takes major action to steer the country to the left. Didn’t it ever occur to you (editorial you for everyone else, no point in trying to get get through to the General) that this is exactly why the media and halls of academia are 90% liberal. It didn’t happen by accident. They were doing while we were talking. We were being “gentlemen” while they were getting the job done. And now so many suggest we continue to repeat the same historically apparent mistakes, thjis time by doing anything other than deal with this situation. File that under “D” for “Duh”. “Or maybe “D” for “Don’t bother me right now, I can’t take the trouble to actively be involved in helping my country.”

Funny how a call to arms continually gets called “bitching” and “whining” and “crying” by people who don’t give a damn enough to get off their asses and do anything (total projection, to be sure). Funny, but, I suppose not surprising. And tragic. This country is in the shape it’s in, with Pelosi and Reid calling the shots in congress for exactly that reason. Of course, what Newt did with the contract with America was supposed to be impossible, too, except that when the time came, he didn’t cry bitterly to those who demanded action and whine that they leave him alone – he got off his ass and he did it. So many examples, really, of doing the thing as compared to whining about impossibilities or inappropriate times for action. And that’s why the right is so badly on the defensive now. Something else to file under “D” for “duh”.

So far not a single person has offered an intellectually honest rebuttal on why we shouldn’t become active in this situation. A few good posts on why we should, but not a decent arguement against. Our Founding Fathers would be proud.

Anyone else?

If you’re following this, Michelle, any comment? I know I might take a beating for mixing it up so voraciously on your board, but the true conservative isn’t afraid of that when he feels there’s a job to be done – and there’s very definately a job to be done, but no one person can do this kind of thing alone.
#104

On July 25th, 2007 at 12:35 am, Mr_Conservative_Cat said:

Suddenly my last post is back – at least once I log on it’s back – it doesn’t appear to be when I’m not logged in. testing, 1 2 3…
#106

On July 25th, 2007 at 1:23 am, Mr_Conservative_Cat said:

This is cute. I cut and paste the last message I previously posted – the one that disappeared if I wasn’t logged in but shows up when I am – then logged off, checked it once logged of and there it was. BUT, I closed down the site, came back and it was gone again – both versions, this time. Once I officially log in, however, it shows up again, giving one the impression that someone with the keys to the house wants me to think the post is there, but wants to keep it hidden from everyone else.

Now there’s the fairness doctorine in action if ever I saw it.

Could someone please log in officially (as if to post) and tell me if they can read the long post I wrote that starts with a response to Gayle? I have heard nothing from administration, so if there’s a hacker here, they should know about it.

To whoever is blocking the post if not administration: I copied and saved it, so I can post it back here at any time. And will.

To the rest of you, check back here often for this continuing saga…
#107

On July 25th, 2007 at 8:02 pm, general company said:

And in so doing, you’ll be wasting alot less of my time, also. Thank you for that.

10 pharagrags to say that? You are dumb as dirt arnt you? I bet you write 10 more to proove it!!
#108

On July 26th, 2007 at 1:33 am, Mr_Conservative_Cat said:

As usual, you didn’t understand that which you didn’t want to hear. And still no sensible rebuttal, but that’s fine. Pathetic.