Posted on 10/04/2004 12:03:24 PM PDT by MississippiMan
The issue of what Kerry brought with him to the podium is not a petty one. A candidate who had simply a list of talking points on paper would be at a huge advantage vs. the other participant who played by the rules.
Based on the most recent reports here, it sounds as if even Fox News is about to forget and drop the issue, since they've declared that they're 99% certain the object in question is a pen.
It's hard to fathom what's going on here, unless they're viewing an incomplete clip of what took place. For even the low-resolution copies of the event that are posted online make it blatantly clear that, yes, he had a PEN (OBJECT 1) in his RIGHT hand, but he also removed a LIGHT-COLORED RECTANGULAR OBJECT (OBJECT 2) from inside his jacket with his LEFT hand. He then handles the object in a fashion that suggests UNFOLDING, and places it on the deck of the podium.
As mentioned already, I am a digital forensics examiner. I have a state-of-the-art forensic video system. I have briefly examined the low-resolution clips of the event, and at first impression, OBJECT 2 appears to be a folded sheet or sheets of light-colored paper. It is DEFINITELY rectangular. It is DEFINITELY light-colored. And it is DEFINITELY distinct and separate from OBJECT 1.
I would very much like to examine a high-resolution version of the clip; ideally this will be an uncompressed digital video file digitized from a digital broadcast master. If anyone has any connections or access to one of the networks or C-SPAN or whatever, and can obtain said file, it would be immensely helpful.
This is about playing by the rules, folks. I for one am sick and tired of sitting back and watching the rules broken without consequence. It is high time to hold people accountable. That applies to the candidates and the media, whether the media member in question is CBS or Fox News Channel. If it's wrong, it's wrong. And if they're reporting that Kerry brought nothing but a pen to the podium, THEY'RE WRONG.
MM
I personally don't care about "Fox"
I care what happens in the communities on the net. Just like the Rather story, the net drove it.
I'm surprised more experts like you haven't jumped on board. Whatever it is, it sure doesn't look like a pen.
And as I noted elsewhere, did anyone notice how smooth Kerry's move was? Like a pro.
Watch your chips with him around.
I agree with you that we should demand an investigation into this. We've already seen how FReepers and grass roots examiners can make a difference as witnessed in the Rather deal. As far as I am concerned, based on the footage, Kerry is guilty unless he proves he is innocent and that's how firm we must be with these lyin', cheatin', stealin' democrats.
My goodness....not one mainstream news organization is willing to press kerry on his failure to release his full military history (they know, like we do, it is not pretty, those parts kerry has kept hidden)....
Nor has the mainstream media told America about a BOOK, yeah, an actual BOOK authored by kerry that has an upside down AMERICAN FLAG on it, called 'The New Soldier', which was published and sold in stores and then pulled from print when kerry decided to run for congress.
I guess we are not supposed to debate an ACTUAL BOOK THAT KERRY WROTE.
Isn't it simply astounding to see up close and personal the horrendous bias of CBS, NBC and ABC?
These news organizations are so unbalanced it is simply amazing. No wonder they are falling by the wayside...bout time!
Nahh - he was filling out his Form 180 in between questions...
That's no pen. We gotta keep this story going.
I bet the next time, Kerry will be scrutinized like nobody's business though.
Exactly. But only IF the story about the first debate gets spread.
It's an SF-180 that he was going to sign.
It's O.K. Rather just sneaked him copies of Bush's National Guard Frauds, to go with his other frauds.
Wasn't he taking notes during the debate? If he only had a pen, then he was writing directly on the podium. Since I doubt that was the case, I would deduce he was writing on paper.
We gotta pick battles there is at least a chance of winning. This ain't one.
"with NO chance of any positive result"
? The Kerry Campaign has already painted itself into the corner that there was only a pen.
Thanks for posting this and I hope you can get a hold of that high resolution video. I may have tinfoil on my head, but I think this is worth investigating. IF it's nothing, it's nothing. But, if Kerry has cheated, he must be held accountable. Pres. Bush looked & acted downright angry at times during the debate. That isn't normal behavior for him I don't think.......lying and cheating is NORMAL behavior for Kerry. I believe the Swiftboat Veterans & John Kerry is a known liar. So we have a right to be suspicious.
I think they provided the candidates with paper at the podium, because Bush was writing during the debate too.
That's a good question, Bush needs to ask him if he stills preffers US flag upside down like he did in his book.
Detailed analysis of the footage is not necessary. The whole world could see that he was writing on something on the podium during the debate. What was he writing on? Something that was not there before he took the stage and something that did not belong there.
We gotta pick battles there is at least a chance of winning. This ain't one.
Amen and dittos!
Materials provided by the debaters was supposed to be placed on the podium by the debate committee. That's the rule that appears to have been ignored by sKerry.
Section 5, pages 4-5 of the binding "Memorandum of Understanding" that was negotiated and agreed upon by both political campaigns states:
"No props, notes, charts, diagrams, or other writings or other tangible things may be brought into the debate by either candidate.... Each candidate must submit to the staff of the Commission prior to the debate all such paper and any pens or pencils with which a candidate may wish to take notes during the debate, and the staff or commission will place such paper, pens and pencils on the podium..."
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