And, If You Happened To Have Missed Any Part Of Last Night's Clinton-Obama Pennsylvania Debate...

(screen shots: ABC - taped delayed on the West Coast)

Comments

[Shane]

The Dulcolax stool softener ad placement must have been a welcome relief for all those seeking to bring out some 'substance' during this 'debate'.

[jonst]

The 'debate' was truly Felliniesque. The game is over. And I don't mean this election. I mean the political system. I have no idea what will replace it. Something better? Something worse? But the present system is finished.

[Megalomania]

For almost a year ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, Fox, etc. have been giving America pole number at a rate I can not accept any more. This is ridiculous. Then ask questions based on those pole numbers rather then ask questions based on issues that are real. America it is time to hold Mainstream Media accountable while not to be biased towards any candidate.

Total admission must be brought forward as how pole questions are constructed? Who are those guy's who make the questions. How many questions are asked? I want to see the maps of the areas; I want to see the phone numbers. Exactly what are names of the person's who ask the questions for I would like to interview them personally. In our age it would be like talking directly to Pontius Pilot and getting an Ideal of what the crowd is and what connections the pole companies have with the media. This whole thing is out of control and likely corrupt as the rest of the government. Gibson and Stefano polis displayed such obvious procurator actions to direct opinion rather then establish opinion.

It is widely known that Pontius Pilot had his solders mingle in the crowds to suppress and direct the ideals at the time which resulted in the execution of Jesus. Here, I am not implying that Obama or Hillary is a descendent of Jesus, but for these corporations, they have enjoyed a free wheeling enterprise of admission in a daily dazzling array of suggestion that labels the liked and hated or not trusted far beyond anytime in the history of politics. It is out of control. This debate is an excellent example of the extremism of elitism.

Blogs lets Bring forth the ideal America's Mainstream Media has gone too far in the total secrecy and or collaboration to construct and stir popular opinion. It is bannered on big screen across America with direct intent to deceive the electorate. It is more obvious using the shield of free speech using selective biased questions that uses rhetorical treachery motivating the public and distorting the fundamentals the electorate's has in the rights of the Constitution.

Oath and affirmation have been totally violated with the direct intent to deceive the public. So we the people do here by issue this directive to the Congress of the United States of America issue Warrants for the arrest of all first line Journalist in these violations to appear before an open court.

[Stuart]

This is by far the most succinct summary of last night's debacle of a debate/TV show hosted/produced by ABC News/Disney Entertainment. You've synthesized the essence of what is, "the postmodern condition" of US politics.

...but David Brooks (not surprisingly) writes in his indefensible defense of the Media, "No Whining About the Media";

Final grades: ABC: A, Clinton: B, Obama: D+.

[martin]

making some efforts to stay away from the fray - for a while. Particularly as the MSM would have us sub-altern believe.

First frame looked like a close up for a relaunch of Superwoman series: sort of vulvic really. Lindsay Wagner in tight shorts; but as an appendage rather than an undergarment.

Great shots of the presenters: all that 'spectacle on the end of the nose businesss'. Geezer from early morning CNBC does that oh so well. Mark something I seem to remember. Wise owl meets disparagy: all in a neat 'to camera' shot. he ought to have sucked his cheeks in more.

You have got to look at some of this stuff positively though. havnt you? Bagpeople? Erroneous references to past events ought to have exposure now not later.

Got any shots of the footwear michael; tis the great leveller ya know

[PTate in MN]

Very droll! A useful reminder that the media election coverage is brought to us by our corporate sponsors. You heard that Clinton operative, George Stephanopoulos got was coached by Hannity? We should call them something other than debates. Lynching, perhaps?

[mdhatter]

I suppose those glances O and C are giving to the moderators are "elitist" and not simple "disgust".

40+ minutes before the first policy question!?

This is why my TV gets about 4 hours use in a month.

[Kathryn in MA]

Thank you for showing who we can boycott.

[black dog barking]

For some reason the stool softener shot jumped out for me too. Perfect metaphor for the role of the media infrastructure in birthing this masterpiece. I really think that for the debates this fall the networks should go full frontal testimonial with these ads. George Stephanopoulos should hold up a package of Dulcolax to introduce the sponsor. "Do you have any idea how much roughage a bull consumes? It's not easy passing bullshit." Maybe even pop a couple of tabs while flashing his winning smile: "Tastes great too!!"

The replacement, jonst, for the current system borrows heavily from the lessons of Nascar and its staging — simple plot lines like driving around in a circle all afternoon combined with killer graphic product logos plastered over every exposed surface. As Mr Shakespeare so aptly observed just four centuries ago: it is a tale Told by an idiot.

[Megan]

Wow, that sampling felt super aggressive to me, who watches no TV. The whole sequence felt pushed toward me, with those violent blues and reds. The combination of those with the ads was an even stronger effect, because it felt like the other thing being sold to me was an American Dream-style house and pastoral lawn. So much lawn in those pictures (more if you count the all green screen behind the dog). That and a bed were the relief themes from the intense focus of the debate frames. Are Americans so desperate for green and sleep? Because they're overstimulated and intense the rest of the time?

[Sage]

It is time to get the so called news commentators out of the debate moderator role. They just aren't up to it. The performance by last night's moderators was shameful. I yearn for the standards
offered when the League of Women Voters organized the debates.

[catfood]

I've been watching televised political debates since the mid 1970s and for all it's wretchedness, last night's example didn't strike me as anything new. Substantive questions related to topics of actual importance have always been the rare exceptions, not the rule.

Imagine how significant it would have been if one or both of the candidates had actually called out the moderators for their inane echoing of right-wing talking points...

[Iceman]

I did...and thanks for hilariously for catching me pictorial up. Awesome post.

[Sam]

I want to fucking cry.

[Cactus]

I heard that one of the commercials during the debate was a McCain campaign commercial. Maybe this was only on the east coast, because, really, isn't that the only part of the country that matters???

If I were advisor to Obama, I would tell him to do no more debates, NONE, unless it is conducted by the League of Women Voters and only on c-span or PBS. If Obama is going to be our next president, it's time he started setting some limits!

Stephy is a grub worm and should be confined to a cage with Matty. His posturings and self-congratulatory grins have made him persona non grata in my house. He had to ask Hannity what questions to ask. HANNITY, FGS!!! That alone is proof he shouldn't have that (or any) job on TV. But Gibson did disappoint. I had given him more credit as a real reporter, even though he worked for the Disney channel. Maybe all those years at GMA turned his brain to mush.

Note to The Bag: I'm impressed you stuck around for the entire debacle. I cut out after less than an hour.

And to my friend, bdd: "As Mr Shakespeare so aptly observed just four centuries ago: it is a tale Told by an idiot." It ends, "full of sound and fury, signifying nothing." And there you have it. The debate 'en toto.'

[Books Alive]

I skipped this as a protest because the candidates didn't agree to the Science 2008 Debate that had been proposed for tonight at the Franklin Institute. The Kimmel Theater at the National Constitution Center puts on a very dramatic light and sound show. Too bad this event didn't measure up.

[Cactus]

Addendum: The woman who asked the flag pin question, incidentally, was identified by the NYT in an earlier article as a Clinton supporter. ABC did seek her out to ask the question. No bias there!! Apparently, her husband has been ill for some time and she just lost her job, but the most important issue for her is the flag pin. No, she's not bitter, she's in heavy denial.