WWTBAM Bored

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."

Flybrick wrote: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."

Flybrick wrote: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."

Bob78164 wrote: 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

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.

Jeemie wrote: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.

silverscreenselect wrote:

Jeemie wrote: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 wrote: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.

silverscreenselect wrote:

Jeemie wrote: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.

Before his stage managed trip to Hawaii

Jeemie wrote: 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.

silverscreenselect wrote:

Jeemie wrote: 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.

mellytu74 wrote: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.

5LD wrote: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?