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Posted on 09/27/2002 3:44:59 PM PDT by NautiNurse
Here we go!
How are we going to know when the war of the worlds is on?
Maybe for some in South Florida, it still is.
Seriously though, it's probably smart politics for McBride, since he looked lousy on TV. Remember, during the Nixon-Kennedy debates, those who heard it on radio thought that Nixon won, while those who saw it on TV thought that Kennedy won.
In my opinion, McBride was lousy aurally, too. He was a one-note pol (education) speaking in monotone.
-PJ
He was quite juvenile in his presentation whenever the topic wasn't education. "My mom and dad live here, I have kids and two dogs." So what? How'd this guy pass the bar exam? Wonders never cease.
-PJ
Michael Putney’s moderation of Friday’s gubernatorial debate was extremely biased. His performance marred what should have been an opportunity for Florida voters to contrast the party nominees.
Several times he gave extra time to Bush under some ‘fairness’ doctrine, apparently of his own making. In addition he attributed statements to McBride and either had Bush refute them or asked McBride to defend them. And half way thru the debate, he tried to tar McBride as a tax and spend ‘big government guy’ – even Putney couldn’t get out the liberal tag.
What Putney should have done was to introduce the questions which were pre-recorded and have the candidates respond to them, then move along to the next question. Instead this happened:
Question 1 was regarding how the candidates proposed to pay for education. After McBride’s response – which was a high level response due to the 90 second response time limit – Putney questioned whether McBride could really raise enough taxes thru an increase in the cigarette tax. It’s important to note that not once did Putney question any response from Bush – not even his bragging of increasing spending on education by $3 billion when most of that was money restored from previous cuts.
Question 2 concerned DCF. Bush responded first then McBride responded. At the end of McBride’s response, Putney said to Bush “Governor, in fairness I think you get at least 30 seconds to respond.” What is this all about?
Question 3 concerned healthcare for seniors. McBride was first to respond. At the end of his response, Putney said “Governor Bush, I think again, in fairness, you need a (sic) opportunity to respond.” He certainly gets to respond to the question but now Putney has mentioned ‘fairness’ twice in last 2 minutes.
The implication is that McBride’s responses to the questions are not fair?
Question 4 concerned voting irregularities. The first to respond was Bush but Putney prefaced the question with the statement that “Let me amplify just a little bit. Mr. McBride and a lot of Democratic party leaders have said that the problems with voting in Miami-Dade and Broward counties particularly in the September 10th primary, really, that you are, to a large degree, accountable for those problems. Are you?”
This is the first debate I’ve seen where the moderator has asked a participant to respond to accusations that the moderator has attributed to the other participant! That was outrageous.
If McBride wanted to make that charge he would have an opportunity to make it, but now Putney has lobbed up a slow curve ball and allowed Bush to take a swing at it.
Once Bush finished saying that he really wasn’t responsible for this, Putney again posed the same to McBride. “Mr. McBride, on the campaign trail, I have heard you, in fact, say that Governor Bush should be held accountable for the foul-ups in the September 10th primary. Why do you think so?” Instead of allowing McBride to respond to the original question, Putney has him defending a remark that Putney has already allowed Bush to paint as incorrect.
Question 5 was the first question that proceeded from question, response from McBride, response from Bush. Question 6 concerned how we could move beyond a tourist based economy. Bush responded first, then McBride.
Then Putney reintroduced his fairness doctrine – “Governor, 30 seconds to rebut.” Any sense of fairness went out the window a long time ago. This is now a partisan mugging. Question 7 was, like #5, fairly presented.
Question 8 asked how the candidates are different. First Bush, then McBride responded. Then Putney said “Governor, just a brief follow-up. In several of your campaign appearances lately in south Florida that I covered, you said that Mr. McBride would take the state of Florida back to the old ways. Are you saying, essentially, that he is a classic tax and spend big government kind of guy?” Absolutely outrageous. Bush himself was so stunned by Putney's remark that the best he could get out was “Kinda, sorta.”
At the end of Bush’s reply, his second to this question, you can see that McBride is clearly trying to get Putney to allow him to respond but Putney completely ignores him. This was absolutely the low point of the debate.
Question 9 concerned the FCAT. McBride responded, then Bush. At the end of Bush’s response, Putney remarks “Governor, there have been, I think, indisputable advances in FCAT scores…” rah, rah, rah. This was the only time during the debate that Putney allowed McBride to respond to the second Bush answer to any question.
Later, to Question 13, Putney had McBride defend the class size amendment even though he knew, and was told, that it was not part of McBride’s program.
This debate lacked any semblance of fairness and the people have Michael Putney to thank for that. He should never be allowed to ever moderate a debate. His qualifications as a reporter should be seriously questioned.
The public should have assurances that the next debate is not marred by this type of behavior.
FV COMMENT: Gee, I guess McLawyer is in worse shape than we thought if they are attacking the media. LIFE ISN'T FAIR, RAOFLMAO. JEB WON THE DEBATE - GET OVER IT, MCLAWYER!
The other night we were discussing Michael Putney's biased comment (when he said "I think they do"). You may recall that News 4 JAX's web site had the transcript shortly after the debate and the transcript deleted his remark.
I e-mailed a number of people at the station and this morning I received the following from the Managing Editor:
The only things edited from the transcripts were things that were too garbled to make out.
This transcript was taken from the closed-captioning, which is typed in real time and riddled with mistakes. What I could catch and fix during a read through, I did. A few things were cut out because there wasn't enough there to make it readable.
I assure you, nothing was cut for editorial reasons. But since you brought this to my attention -- and we're dealing today with many comments about the moderator, I will review the tape of Friday night's debate.
By the way ... criticism of Michael Putney came from both Bush and McBride supporters.
Steve Patrick - Managing Editor - News4Jax.com
Sounds like they received a lot of comment.
fyi--Excerpts from the debate, posted on the refrigerator:
On the most important issue…
"If I were governor, I would have made prescription drug benefits my number-one priority."
"The most important thing is to have your vote counted."
"Well, there's nothing more important than to ensure that everyone is treated fairly."
"Pivoting back to the most crucial issue, and that is whether we're going to invest in our kids to keep them in an education environment"
"I think more importantly the question is just what this is all about."
McBride’s Thoughts about the Universe…
"We need on to start viewing Florida as one."
"It's the way I believe in my heart, that everybody will follow."
"There is profiling that goes on. I know that a lot of people are working on this."
"I think more importantly the question is just what this is all about."
[liked this one so much, it made the list twice]
"People having trouble, join me with this."
I went back and got a job picking oranges with a crew from bar bay dough [Barbados]
At first I thought the transcript omitted McBrides fumble on the hate crime question, "It was about hate crimes?"
McBride's comment was buried in Putney's repeat of the question.
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