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CNN Regrets Role In Planting US Dem Presidential Debate Question
AP via Dow Jones | 11/11/03 | AP Staff

Posted on 11/11/2003 9:08:02 AM PST by BunnySlippers

CNN Regrets Role In Planting US Dem Pres Debate Question

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)--A Cable News Network producer went "too far" when the news organization told a student what question to ask during last week's Democratic presidential candidate debate in Boston, a spokeswoman for the news network said.

During the debate, co-sponsored by the nonprofit Rock the Vote organization, Brown University student Alexandra Trustman asked the candidates whether they preferred the PC or Mac format for their computers.

In an editorial she wrote for The Brown Daily Herald, the university's student newspaper, Trustman said CNN, a unit of TimeWarner (TWX), told her to ask the question.

In a statement Tuesday, a CNN spokeswoman said the cable network regrets the producer's actions.

"In an attempt to encourage a lighthearted moment in this debate, a CNN producer working with Ms. Trustman clearly went too far," said spokeswoman Christa Robinson.

A message left Tuesday for Trustman wasn't immediately returned and she didn't respond to an e-mail from The Associated Press. A woman who answered Trustman's phone said Trustman didn't want to comment.

In her editorial in the Daily Herald, Trustman wrote that she was called the morning of the debate and given the topic of the question the CNN producers wanted her to ask. Trustman said she was "confused by the question's relevance," and constructed what she thought was a more relevant question "about how, if elected, the candidates would use technology in their administrations."

But when she arrived in Boston for the debate, Trustman wrote, "I was handed a note card with the Macs and PCs version of Clinton's boxers or briefs question" and told she couldn't ask her question "because it wasn't lighthearted enough and they wanted to modulate the event with various types of questions."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; Unclassified
KEYWORDS: 2004; cablenewsnetwork; chickennoodlenews; cnn; cnnschadenfreude; electionpresident; rockthevote; schadenfreude
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To: BunnySlippers
Once again, RI's own local lefty rag doesn't carry this story.

Once again, I learn local news from FR before I learn it from any of our state-wide news outlets.
41 posted on 11/11/2003 9:44:49 AM PST by ItsOurTimeNow ("Forth now, and fear no darkness!")
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To: Consort
Awesome. Thank you. I learn something new every day!
42 posted on 11/11/2003 9:45:54 AM PST by Prov3456
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To: BunnySlippers; Doctor Raoul; Liz; LS; Howlin; Lazamataz; Sabertooth; William McKinley; remember; ...
But the obvious question isn't being asked of CNN by that AP reporter:

Did CNN give these staged questions to the candidates (or perhaps, just to *one* of the candidates) in advance?

43 posted on 11/11/2003 9:49:35 AM PST by Southack (Media bias means that Castro won't be punished for Cuban war crimes against Black Angolans in Africa)
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To: woofer
heck...it's just what I expected to hear
44 posted on 11/11/2003 9:51:37 AM PST by pointsal
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To: BunnySlippers
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/914941/posts

CNN Concedes, Sort of, Distorted "Assault Weapon" Demonstration (CNN Fraud Alert!!!)




Who would have guessed that CNN would (Gasp) LIE!!!!
45 posted on 11/11/2003 9:52:32 AM PST by OXENinFLA
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To: Southack
Correctomundo! How can we trust any debate those losers run? They could be handing questions to candidates, the audience, sabotaging certain candidates make-up, screwing up audio, etc. etc.

CNN lost all credibility from me a long time ago, but I am delighted to see further evidence of their corruption.

46 posted on 11/11/2003 9:56:58 AM PST by Miss Marple
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To: BunnySlippers
Call CNN's viewer response number:

The local number is 404-827-0234

You can chose to speak to a real person or leave a message.

CNN does NOT have a toll free viewer response number.
47 posted on 11/11/2003 9:57:09 AM PST by Republican Red (Karmic hugs welcomed!)
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Comment #48 Removed by Moderator

To: BunnySlippers
Regrets only because they were outed.
49 posted on 11/11/2003 9:59:56 AM PST by Joe Bfstplk
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To: Consort
GuruNet?
50 posted on 11/11/2003 10:09:07 AM PST by Humbug (i haven't the foggiest idea what to type here)
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To: BunnySlippers
Oh I get it, CNN thought that a debate about qualifications for what could be one of the next leaders of the free world, the most powerful country on the planet, should have lighthearted moments. F#$%ING GENIUS.

Was CNN also planning a little song and dance routine to lighten things up in between questions about National Security and the Economy?

Thank GOD none of those looney lefties will become our next President. Thank goodness for sources like FreeRepublic to keep us in the loop about stories that we wouldn't otherwise hear. CNN can enjoy it's continued decline in ratings and further damaged reputation.
51 posted on 11/11/2003 10:09:43 AM PST by Made In The USA (Where is the outrage?!)
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To: BunnySlippers
Who is CNN kidding? The questions in these major debates are always scripted to a large degree.
52 posted on 11/11/2003 10:12:43 AM PST by jpl
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To: BunnySlippers
When will they move to the "vast right wing pressured us" excuse? Didn't Amanpour already admit that CNN is "intimidated" by the Fox News Channel?

-PJ

53 posted on 11/11/2003 10:38:28 AM PST by Political Junkie Too (It's not safe yet to vote Democrat.)
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To: Diddle E. Squat
"The real question is: Did CNN plant other questions, and has this producer done this before in other debates?"

Do bears have hair and is the Pope Catholic?

54 posted on 11/11/2003 10:41:51 AM PST by SwinneySwitch (Freedom isn't Free - Support the Troops & Vets!!)
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To: BunnySlippers
I would have asked what the candidates thought about the RIAA and the downloading lawsuits. That would rock the vote.
55 posted on 11/11/2003 10:43:51 AM PST by js1138
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To: BunnySlippers
I thought all the questions were planted by TV execs. It seems that would be the only explanation of the stupidity of most of the questions, like , "who would you want to party with?"

Sheesh, these candidates are laughingstocks all on their own, they don't need to add levity to the lightweights. They can barely keep their feet on the floor as it is.

56 posted on 11/11/2003 10:45:49 AM PST by 1Old Pro (ESPN now has 4 little wimpy sissies left. I'm switching back to FOX.)
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To: martin_fierro
What they regret is getting caught.
57 posted on 11/11/2003 10:46:11 AM PST by Spok
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To: Consort
epicaricacy

Not in my dictionary.

58 posted on 11/11/2003 10:50:34 AM PST by Grit (No federal judicial nominee has been filibustered by a Senate minority in U.S.history)
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To: Diddle E. Squat
That's what I was thinking too - how many other questions were planted?
59 posted on 11/11/2003 11:27:32 AM PST by RippleFire
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To: BunnySlippers
Don't you mean the Communist News Network!!??
60 posted on 11/11/2003 11:30:11 AM PST by conservative golfer dude
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