Tough interview? The tough walk away - POLITICAL

[Flybrick]

Why no outcry and national scoffing at Sen Biden's performance over this interview along the lines of Gov Palin's infamous (and highly edited) CBS interview with Couric?

Oh, right, Biden's a supporting player in the Messiah Play.

WFTV-Channel 9's Barbara West conducted a satellite interview with Sen. Joe Biden on Thursday. She asked about ACORN's controversial voter registration and Sen. Barack Obama's comment about spreading the wealth.

Biden, Obama's running mate, evidently disliked West's line of questioning. The Obama campaign canceled an interview with Jill Biden, the candidate's wife.

"This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election," wrote Laura K. McGinnis, Central Florida communications director for the Obama campaign.

McGinnis said the Biden cancellation was "a result of her husband's experience yesterday during the satellite interview with Barbara West."

Here's a link to the interview: http://www.wftv.com/video/17790025/index.html.

WFTV news director Bob Jordan said, "When you get a shot to ask these candidates, you want to make the most of it. They usually give you five minutes."

Jordan said political campaigns in general pick and choose the stations they like. And stations often pose softball questions during the satellite interviews.

"Mr. Biden didn't like the questions," Jordan said. "We choose not to ask softball questions."

Jordan added, "I'm crying foul on this one."

[danielh41]

Why no outcry and national scoffing at Sen Biden's performance over this interview along the lines of Gov Palin's infamous (and highly edited) CBS interview with Couric?

Oh, right, Biden's a supporting player in the Messiah Play.

WFTV-Channel 9's Barbara West conducted a satellite interview with Sen. Joe Biden on Thursday. She asked about ACORN's controversial voter registration and Sen. Barack Obama's comment about spreading the wealth.

Biden, Obama's running mate, evidently disliked West's line of questioning. The Obama campaign canceled an interview with Jill Biden, the candidate's wife.

"This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election," wrote Laura K. McGinnis, Central Florida communications director for the Obama campaign.

McGinnis said the Biden cancellation was "a result of her husband's experience yesterday during the satellite interview with Barbara West."

Here's a link to the interview: http://www.wftv.com/video/17790025/index.html.

WFTV news director Bob Jordan said, "When you get a shot to ask these candidates, you want to make the most of it. They usually give you five minutes."

Jordan said political campaigns in general pick and choose the stations they like. And stations often pose softball questions during the satellite interviews.

"Mr. Biden didn't like the questions," Jordan said. "We choose not to ask softball questions."

Jordan added, "I'm crying foul on this one."

What a bunch of wimps. If McCain walked away from every station or network that asked him tough questions, he wouldn't be anywhere but talk radio. Do we really want Obama-Biden in power? This is just one reporter; what happens when Iran and Russia challenge the "Messiah?"

[Jeemie]

Asking Biden a question about the ramifications of Obama's tax policy is a "tough question".

Insinuating that Obama is a Marxist is being deliberately inflammatory.

Something similar would have been if Katie Couric had followed up Sarah Palin's ridiculous stream-of-consciousness talking-points answer to a question about the economic bailout with "Um..Sarah. Do you realize that nothing you said there made any sense? The bailout is about health care? Are you really that stupid?"

[Bob78164]

Why no outcry and national scoffing at Sen Biden's performance over this interview along the lines of Gov Palin's infamous (and highly edited) CBS interview with Couric?

Oh, right, Biden's a supporting player in the Messiah Play.

WFTV-Channel 9's Barbara West conducted a satellite interview with Sen. Joe Biden on Thursday. She asked about ACORN's controversial voter registration and Sen. Barack Obama's comment about spreading the wealth.

Biden, Obama's running mate, evidently disliked West's line of questioning. The Obama campaign canceled an interview with Jill Biden, the candidate's wife.

"This cancellation is non-negotiable, and further opportunities for your station to interview with this campaign are unlikely, at best for the duration of the remaining days until the election," wrote Laura K. McGinnis, Central Florida communications director for the Obama campaign.

McGinnis said the Biden cancellation was "a result of her husband's experience yesterday during the satellite interview with Barbara West."

Here's a link to the interview: http://www.wftv.com/video/17790025/index.html.

WFTV news director Bob Jordan said, "When you get a shot to ask these candidates, you want to make the most of it. They usually give you five minutes."

Jordan said political campaigns in general pick and choose the stations they like. And stations often pose softball questions during the satellite interviews.

"Mr. Biden didn't like the questions," Jordan said. "We choose not to ask softball questions."

Jordan added, "I'm crying foul on this one."

Because the interview was unprofessional. I've listened to it. The reporter starts by claiming, as fact, that Obama was "tied to" ACORN. That's simply not true. She continues reciting Republican talking points regarding the supposed link between Obama and ACORN, and Biden refuses to accept her characterization, pointing out that, by virtue of his attendance at a rally co-sponsored by ACORN, McCain was at least as much of a "benefactor" of ACORN as was Obama.

Her question regarding the "spread the wealth" remark suggested that it was a "potentially crushing political blunder." It's been a week or two since the remark, and there's been no evidence in the polls of any movement at all in McCain's direction, and certainly no evidence of the kind of movement that would allow the remark to be fairly characterized as a "potentially crushing political blunder." But I think the crowning blow was when the "reporter" explicitly suggested that Obama is a Marxist (quoting the famous "From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs" line) and that he wants to turn America into a "socialist country like Sweden."

This wasn't an interview. It was a clumsy attempt at a political hatchet job. I don't blame them at all for cutting off the station's access to the campaign. --Bob

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

SNL skit on Murtha and Biden

[themanintheseersuckersuit]

I've listened to it. The reporter starts by claiming, as fact, that Obama was "tied to" ACORN. That's simply not true.

This wasn't an interview. It was a clumsy attempt at a political hatchet job. I don't blame them at all for cutting off the station's access to the campaign. --Bob

As they say Biden's denial of a connection to ACORN is highly nuanced.

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign paid more than $800,000 to an offshoot of the liberal Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now for services the Democrat's campaign says it mistakenly misrepresented in federal reports.

An Obama spokesman said Federal Election Commission reports would be amended to show Citizens Services Inc. -- a subsidiary of ACORN -- worked in "get-out-the-vote" projects, instead of activities such as polling, advance work and staging major events as stated in FEC finance reports filed during the primary.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsbu ... 84284.html

[silverscreenselect]

Asking Biden a question about the ramifications of Obama's tax policy is a "tough question".

Insinuating that Obama is a Marxist is being deliberately inflammatory.

Before his stage managed trip to Hawaii, Obama did an interview with CBS' Harry Smith and the subject of whether his campaign was as negative as McCain's came up. Obama replied that his people never said anything like he was a socialist or that he palled around with terrorists.

Now, at this point, any real interviewer, as opposed to someone having consumed copious amounts of Kool-aid, would have asked Obama about his spread the wealth statement and whether that wasn't the cornerstone of socialism. Instead, Smith, as they all do, gave him a pass on the issue.

It should be relevant to ask Obama and anyone in his campaign whether statements about spreading the wealth or socialist or even Marxist.

[Flybrick]

jeemie, I dig the signature line.

However, for both you and Bob (whichever one), the inflammatory stuff comes with the territory. I didn't see any outrage regarding the CNN reporter (Griffin?) taking a National Review piece, "Governor, how do you respond when even conservatives have called you stupid, out of touch, etc, etc" when in fact the National Review piece said the media had branded Palin with those words.

His phrasing of his question was inflammatory and downright insulting. That's ok?

Seems the ol' good for the goose, good for the gander theorem should come into play.

But not if it attempts to slow down the Obama Express apparently.

[SportsFan68]

Asking Biden a question about the ramifications of Obama's tax policy is a "tough question".

Insinuating that Obama is a Marxist is being deliberately inflammatory.

Before his stage managed trip to Hawaii, Obama did an interview with CBS' Harry Smith and the subject of whether his campaign was as negative as McCain's came up. Obama replied that his people never said anything like he was a socialist or that he palled around with terrorists.

Now, at this point, any real interviewer, as opposed to someone having consumed copious amounts of Kool-aid, would have asked Obama about his spread the wealth statement and whether that wasn't the cornerstone of socialism. Instead, Smith, as they all do, gave him a pass on the issue.

It should be relevant to ask Obama and anyone in his campaign whether statements about spreading the wealth or socialist or even Marxist.

Behavior like that is standard. It's one of the first things you learn at training sessions in how to be a candidate: Stay on message. I'm afraid I've never seen anyone as bad at it as Sarah Palin, even locally, so maybe how good at it Obama is makes it look like the interviewers have been drinking the Kook-Aid.

[Jeemie]

jeemie, I dig the signature line.

However, for both you and Bob (whichever one), the inflammatory stuff comes with the territory. I didn't see any outrage regarding the CNN reporter (Griffin?) taking a National Review piece, "Governor, how do you respond when even conservatives have called you stupid, out of touch, etc, etc" when in fact the National Review piece said the media had branded Palin with those words.

His phrasing of his question was inflammatory and downright insulting. That's ok?

Seems the ol' good for the goose, good for the gander theorem should come into play.

But not if it attempts to slow down the Obama Express apparently.

Not at all- the CNN reporter was being ridiculous as well. I'm an equal opportunity basher. And I didn't blame the McCain campaign from not granting many more interviews with Palin after that...she was being unfairly vetted while Obama was being given passes.

[Jeemie]

Asking Biden a question about the ramifications of Obama's tax policy is a "tough question".

Insinuating that Obama is a Marxist is being deliberately inflammatory.

Before his stage managed trip to Hawaii, Obama did an interview with CBS' Harry Smith and the subject of whether his campaign was as negative as McCain's came up. Obama replied that his people never said anything like he was a socialist or that he palled around with terrorists.

Now, at this point, any real interviewer, as opposed to someone having consumed copious amounts of Kool-aid, would have asked Obama about his spread the wealth statement and whether that wasn't the cornerstone of socialism. Instead, Smith, as they all do, gave him a pass on the issue.

It should be relevant to ask Obama and anyone in his campaign whether statements about spreading the wealth or socialist or even Marxist.

As Eyegor pointed out, that quote was taken out of context- Fox edited the video to make it look as if Obama's "spread the wealth" comment followed directly on the first part of the interview.

It did not- Obama was merely reiterating support for the progressive tax system.

Now- I don't like Obama any more than you do. His plan to double the capital gains tax when we are facing a dearth of investment capital and a recession is insane.

His ideas of what constitute "tax breaks for the lower- and middle classes" are actually quite REGRESSIVE when you look at the effect on people's marginal rates.

If he is supportive of the recent Dem proposals to remove the tax benefit from 401(k)'s and create a new government-managed retirement account for which people can get a credit if they invest up to 5% of their income into them is a loser of a retirement package for lower-income people and will likely be as poorly managed as Social Security is, then he's an even bigger moron than I originally thought.

But to equate what he was saying with Marxism goes beyond the pale. Have you ever heard what TRUE Marxists in this country think of Obama?

I have- and you'd be truly surprised.

[mellytu74]

Here's Barbara West's bio from the station's website.

http://www.wftv.com/station/1874549/detail.html

Her husband, Wade West, is a GOP media consultant.

I've listened to both her interview with Biden and her interview with McCain. I seriously doubt there was a lot of effort at balance on her part.

[Flybrick]

Does she have to be balanced? (Ok, she's a reporter so she should).

Again, it's not about the interlocutor. It's about the candidate and the campaign.

McCain/Palin (especially the latter) have had to endure some absolute over the top questions and insults yet if the Messiah's leading man is so questioned, he's outraged.

Ideally, there would be hard, but respectful, questioning put to both campaigns.

You don't have to call someone a marxist or even a socialist in the intro to your question.

Similiarly, you don't have to say "Others have called you stupid, how do you feel about that?" is out of line.

[mellytu74]

IMHO, some of the best political questions this year -- to both sides -- have come from Campbell Brown of CNN.

Heretofore, I thought of her as a little bit of the lightweight but her grilling of Tucker Bounds and Robert Gibbs several days apart was tough and fair.

It's not really Obama's fault that Gibbs had coherent answers and actually answered her questions, while Bounds just funbled around.

It goes to the point made by Jeemie and others in the other thread about how scattered and unorganized McCain's campaign has been.

Campbell Brown is married to Dan Senor, who was a policy wonk (and a good one) for Republican Senator Spencer Abraham of Michigan and a Bush administration official.

It can be done.

[5LD]

SSS wrote:

Before his stage managed trip to Hawaii

Bitter much?

You seriously think the press (less than two weeks before the election) is going to leave him alone to go visit his dying Grandmother?

[silverscreenselect]

But to equate what he was saying with Marxism goes beyond the pale. Have you ever heard what TRUE Marxists in this country think of Obama?

I have- and you'd be truly surprised.

I'm not surprised because I don't think he believes 90% of what he says. He spouts the "standard" Democratic line most of the time, until it actually comes time to take a stand and then he backtracks, equivocates, or votes present.

What has struck me most about Obama is his lack of understanding about the subjects presidents should know about: economic affairs, foreign policy and the like. He disguises it most of the time because all we hear are the stump speeches and the softball interviews that allow him to regurgitate his talking points. But when you get him off subject, as in the debate about capital gains taxes or here, he says stupid things.

No matter how you slice it, saying "spread the wealth around" in regard to a taxation program is stupid. It shows a basic lack of understanding about how the progressive tax system works and, in connection with his efforts to "reform" the system, a lack of knowledge about what he's actually supposed to be proposing. But he won't be called on it.

If you cut through the rhetoric, the Obama plan (and I don't give him credit for anything other than being its mouthpiece) is a variant on the Bush plan: cut taxes and increase spending massively to get us through tough times. Even Barney Frank has admitted that the tax raises Obama proposes will probably be tabled until things get better. My own prediction is that whatever tax raises Obama eventually tries to implement will be more cosmetic than anything else and won't do anything to reduce the deficit. The difference between the Obama plan and the Bush plan is the type of people who will be getting the benefits of the tax cuts and spending raises and the degree of severity of the economic mess we're in. Obama, like Bush, apparently has no concern about the deficit which will skyrocket if his plan is implemented.

[silverscreenselect]

But to equate what he was saying with Marxism goes beyond the pale. Have you ever heard what TRUE Marxists in this country think of Obama?

I have- and you'd be truly surprised.

I'm not surprised because I don't think he believes (and in a number of cases, fully understands) 90% of what he says. He spouts the "standard" Democratic line most of the time, until it actually comes time to take a stand and then he backtracks, equivocates, or votes present.

What has struck me most about Obama is his lack of understanding about the subjects presidents should know about: economic affairs, foreign policy and the like. He disguises it most of the time because all we hear are the stump speeches and the softball interviews that allow him to regurgitate his talking points. But when you get him off subject, as in the debate about capital gains taxes or here, he says stupid things.

No matter how you slice it, saying "spread the wealth around" in regard to a taxation program is stupid. It shows a basic lack of understanding about how the progressive tax system works and, in connection with his efforts to "reform" the system, a lack of knowledge about what he's actually supposed to be proposing. But he won't be called on it.

If you cut through the rhetoric, the Obama plan (and I don't give him credit for anything other than being its mouthpiece) is a variant on the Bush plan: cut taxes and increase spending massively to get us through tough times. Even Barney Frank has admitted that the tax raises Obama proposes will probably be tabled until things get better. My own prediction is that whatever tax raises Obama eventually tries to implement will be more cosmetic than anything else and won't do anything to reduce the deficit. The difference between the Obama plan and the Bush plan is the type of people who will be getting the benefits of the tax cuts and spending raises and the degree of severity of the economic mess we're in. Obama, like Bush, apparently has no concern about the deficit which will skyrocket if his plan is implemented.

[silverscreenselect]

I've listened to both her interview with Biden and her interview with McCain. I seriously doubt there was a lot of effort at balance on her part.

Which means she's no different from about 90% of the mainstream media; the only difference being the direction of her bias.

[silverscreenselect]

SSS wrote:

Before his stage managed trip to Hawaii

Bitter much?

You seriously think the press (less than two weeks before the election) is going to leave him alone to go visit his dying Grandmother?

The timing of this trip, and the nature of his "remorse" about his grandmother are somewhat suspect. Obama's grandmother to me seems to be an extraordinary woman who made a success of herself as a businesswoman at a time when it wasn't that easy for a woman to do and then agreed to take in and raise a mixed race grandchild under emotionally trying circumstances. She doesn't deserve the treatment she's repeatedly received at Obama's hands, being reduced to a talking point straw woman example of racism and now being used as a campaign prop by Obama to demonstrate his "concern" over her.