Another Kerr article…
The Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz writes about the Kerr/YouTube controversy…
Moderator Anderson Cooper acknowledged the error involving Kerr after Bill Bennett, the conservative author and radio host who is a network contributor, raised it during a post-debate discussion. Bennett said yesterday that his radio producer e-mailed him information from a National Review blog.
“It shouldn’t have ever happened,” Bennett said. “You’ve got to vet that sort of thing.”
On CNN’s “American Morning,” Kerr said he has done nothing for the Clinton campaign and that the video was “a private initiative on my own.” He also said he has supported Republicans.
Bohrman said network staffers, struck by Kerr’s “very powerful” question, verified his military service and determined from federal records that he had made no campaign contributions. He said CNN never spoke to Kerr and had Google, which owns YouTube, bring the retired general and about a dozen other questioners to the debate because their videos were likely to be used, although no decision had been made.
Please stop lying and just tell the truth. CNN is making up stories to cover up for its lies. Shame!
Comment by RGL — November 30, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
So you think Kerr is lying also?
Comment by myview — November 30, 2007 @ 12:48 pm
IMO Bennett is the bad guy. It seems rather unprofessional for him to blurt that out on the air. I assume he is a paid Republican analyst for CNN and with that statement undermined his employer. Sounds like grounds for losing your job to me.
He would not be on my payroll.
Comment by Judy Stage — November 30, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
#3: I agree with you. Surely Bennett could have found the time or the right person to pass along this information to off air. It was unprofessional and I do wonder how long he actually sat on this information in the first place.
Comment by myview — November 30, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
Judy and my view, have you heard of a whistleblower? We need somebody with the integrity of Bennett to ferret out dirty practices CNN was caught doing with its pants down. Hallelujah, Bill Bennett! Some people don’t know the meaning of corruption.
Comment by RGL — November 30, 2007 @ 3:35 pm
I once served on a democratic Governors committee, I didn’t vote for her, but the cause was something I cared about…does that preclude me from asking a democratic candidate a question? I sure hope not.
If people ask intelligent and articulate questions I don’t care if they are purple aliens, the answer should be the litmis test nut the dran questions.
Comment by tinatracy — November 30, 2007 @ 3:47 pm
RGL, I did not put this incident in the context of a whistleblower, only unprofessionalism with colleagues, however, Using the word integrity in connection with Bill Bennett seems far out.
Comment by Judy Stage — November 30, 2007 @ 3:59 pm
“…nut the dran questions.”
tinatracy — November 30, 2007 @ 3:47 pm
Um, what?
Although, I mostly agree with what you’ve said, that I can understand. The candidates need to be able to answer all types of questions, no matter who asks it. However, this particular question was leading (”Why do you feel they’re not responsible enough…” is very similar to “When did you stop beating your wife?” No?) and CNN should have disclosed the credentials of the person asking it. If CNN had said this is so-and-so, a former general and strong gay-military-rights advocate, they would have been fine.
But I have another question about this incident. Wasn’t the whole purpose of the YouTube debate to be questions from the “average” American? How is a retired General, an “average” American? “Average” should be Tony, the guy at the deli… or Anne, the woman at the supermarket.
Comment by ImNotBlue — November 30, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
tinatracy:
I’ll grant you that there were intelligent questions asked, but that’s not the issue.
The problem is that is was a Republican debate before the Republican primary. And you had a bunch of Democrats asking about the things THEY care about. Not the things that Republican primary voters care about. CNN allowed Democrats to hijack a Republican debate.
Comment by William — November 30, 2007 @ 5:12 pm
William, there are many many undecided voters, do their issues not count because the candidates, or you the straight up republican viewer, don’t care?
And frankly I think these candidates care very much about Gays…just not in the way the gays want them too:O
Comment by tinatracy — November 30, 2007 @ 5:30 pm
“However, this particular question was leading (”Why do you feel they’re not responsible enough…” is very similar to “When did you stop beating your wife?” No?)”
yes, just like the demo yuoutube debate question that asked if they would raise taxes “like all democrats do”
“But I have another question about this incident. Wasn’t the whole purpose of the YouTube debate to be questions from the “average” American?”
Ah so if you are successful you can’t ask a question? What’s the litmus test? How much you earn? Your work title?
The Average American, at l;east in my mind, is successful, no?
and that was not the darn question ;)
Comment by tinatracy — November 30, 2007 @ 5:41 pm
Oh please, Judy. You know that if the situation were reversed and it was a Democrat debate… or a FOX News debate, you would be praising the employee who outed the plant.
Your hypocrisy knows no bounds.
Comment by bigred — November 30, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
When I think “Average,” I think your typical middle class family, 2.4 kids, etc… you know, whatever the census says is the “Average.”
A retired General is not average. How many Generals are there out there? And how many of them, have then worked for a political campaign? Puts him in the “not-that-average” group, at least for me.
Comment by ImNotBlue — November 30, 2007 @ 10:10 pm
ImNotBLlue: ““However, this particular question was leading (”Why do you feel they’re not responsible enough…” is very similar to “When did you stop beating your wife?” No?)”
tinatracy: “yes, just like the demo yuoutube debate question that asked if they would raise taxes “like all democrats do”
I agree with both of you. Both of these were questions which were leading. But all the candidates had to do was say that they disagree with how the question was framed, point out why they think the leading part of the question is inaccurate and answer the main jest of the question honestly. Should be an easy task for someone looking to have the voting public to make him or her our next President.
I was also expecting the questions to be from average American voters but I don’t think it’s too much to ask that the candidates from all parties be willing to answer any question directed to them…whether from an actual average American, a non-average Democratic general like Kerr or a non-average Republican insider like Grover Nordquist.
Comment by STP — December 1, 2007 @ 1:20 pm