Bachmann and Paul shut out at CBS Debate: CBS Goofs – sends Email to Bachmann Staffers noting Limited Time during Debate

CBS News Debate Moderate Scott Pelley intentional slight of GOP Candidates

From The San Francisco Chronicle article “CBS' 'oops' moment in GOP debate”: Apparently, CBS intended to limit the time allotted to Michelle Bachmann in the debate arena this past Saturday. CBS News’s Political Director sent an email, by mistake, to the Bachmann Campaign detailing the intended slight on the candidate. The reasoning given was Ms. Bachmann’s current standing in the national polls. The format, which was, perhaps the worst in televised debate history, aired the first hour on broadcast, with the last half hour online (obviously not prepared for the traffic, the site crashed.) In addition, during the debate, the CBS moderator, refused to acknowledge or allow a rebuttal to Ms. Bachmann on several occasions, that was seen during the televised debate. At the time, one just assumed that the moderator was just arrogant,or sexist, shutting down Ms. Bachmann who, as a tax attorney, who sits on the Intelligence Committee is more than qualified to answer and pose an articulate response.

Where a candidate may stand in any polls, (see article here on poll methodology used by Marist.) at this point in time is moot, considering that fortunes can and do change in any general election between November and January (General election history proves that the fluidity of political fortunes at this stage, might see a candidate thought to be beyond survival, go on to win the nomination of their party). More time was afforded John Huntsman in this debate, who, with all due respect to the candidate, has a lower standing in the polls than Bachmann.

One must also question, CBS News decision to allow Ron Paul only (89) eighty-nine seconds in the debate on foreign policy. Paul's standing in the polls, according to Real Clear Politics places him 5th, with Bachmann 6th, and Santorum and Huntsman in 7th and 8th respectively. Real Clear Politics combines and averages all polls taken to date in any given election cycle.

It is getting to the point, where a Public Apology by CBS (among other so-called “news” organizations) is due both the campaigns and the general public.

2012 GOP Update – Media on Herman Cain – Bias – Gloria Cain Interview Article - Post Misquotes Own Article on Cain Allegations

In an article on Gloria Cain’s Interview tonight on Fox News’s “On The Record”, The Washington Post noted the following:

In acknowledging that one woman reached a settlement agreement with the National Restaurant Association, where he served as president in the 1990s, Cain said he mentioned to one of his accusers that she was about the same height as his wife, a comment that made it into the sexual harassment complaint, Cain said.

The first sentence, which notes that Cain acknowledged a “settlement agreement” with one of his “accusers”: The words “Settlement Agreement” and the implications implicit legally in “settlement”, as guilt of the accusations, is blatantly misleading, and links to an article published in the Post on November 8th with a quote from Cain that contradicts this statement.

From the Washington Post November 8, 2012:

Cain denied Kraushaar’s allegations at a news conference in Arizona.
“To the best of my recollection, that is the one that I recall that filed a complaint that was found to be baseless,” Cain said. “The accusations made of sexual harassment. They were found to be baseless. There was no legal settlement. There was an agreement between that lady and the National Restaurant Association and it was treated as a personnel matter because there was no basis to her accusations.”

In the statement made on the 8th, Cain does not “acknowledge a settlement”, rather states clearly “There was no Legal Settlement” - there was an agreement. It was, in fact a “severance”, an agreement of separation between employer and employee normally given an employee when there is a “lay-off”.

What is most egregious is the manner in which the media continues to insinuate, insulting (slandering) not only Herman Cain, but the reader (intelligence), who is clearly able to access the original article – with the apparent arrogance of the progressive stance that the “masses” are not smart enough to recall an earlier article, or to have watched a video, listened to a broadcast or read elsewhere the fact that Cain has denied any legal settlement was made.

2012 GOP Debate: CBS News National Journal: Perry, Cain, Gingrich – Dominate Foreign Policy Debate Analysis

GOP 2012 CBS Debate Team - image CBSnews.com


The CBS/National Journal debate held last night at Wolford College, in Spartanburg, SC, was a showcase of the eight GOP Presidential Contenders knowledge of foreign policy. CBS News ran the first hour of the debate live on broadcast television, opting for reruns of a popular series rather than run the last thirty minutes on air – instead they moved to an online streaming format, which was choppy, at best. Apparently, they (CBS) did not anticipate the numbers of interested parties trying to watch the last half hour – National Journal’s website temporarily crashed, and it was, to be blunt, torture to watch. The compete video, via Ron Paul's You Tube channel, is shown below.

Newt Gingrich dominated the foreign policy aspect of the debate, he came across as steady and commanding – and, as usual, let the moderator have it when asked about a statement he had made about Romney the day before on a talk show – which had nothing to do with the debate. This “natural Newt Gingrich” is gaining ground, knowledgeable, forthright and taking no prisoners when it comes to the media. This was as expected.
Romney also did well, specifically when it came to speaking about American Exceptionalism and the economy as it relates to national defense.

Herman Cain, was perhaps one of the biggest surprises, he not only held his own, but gave reasonable answers to each question, previewing the quest in with an overview of the topic at hand, then outlining steps he would take. Although the media is calling this weak, the fact that Cain would assemble a top notch team, then look at all the options for a specific issue, makes one comfortable with the fact that he would not go “rogue” and blindly make a decision that would affect the nation. Cain also would “hire” the best and the brightest, those who have actual experience on the job. He more than mastered this portion of the debate and one can bet the house, will be studying foreign policy and those who are experts in the field prior to the next debate.

Rick Perry gave an amazing performance – so much so one had to at first wonder if he sent in a “stunt” double – not one gaffe, strong and commanding, with perhaps the best option regarding foreign aid – proposing that nations all start at zero, and then the U.S. would decide how much to give, depending upon the benefit to the U.S. He apparently has more than recovered from the gaffe made and discussed in the video below from CBS – where he showed an outstanding sense of humor and the ability to switch from jokester to serious politic in a matter of seconds. It remains to be seen if Perry will benefit from the performance in the polls, but one would hazard to guess, the field will now contain 4 top contenders: Cain, Gingrich, Perry and Romney.

The balance of the candidates, Bachmann, Santorum, Paul and Huntsman were also on their game, and at one point, one of the candidates noted that any one of the individuals on the state would make a better president vis a vis foreign policy that the current occupant of the white house (seriously paraphrased). The winners of the debate noted above were based on technical aspects as well as the ability to hold their own in this arena, and keep to the format.

The next two debates will be held as follows:

November 19th (online only) – from Des Moine Iowa, Thanksgiving Family Forum - the family leader.com Moderator is pollster, Frank Luntz. The only candidate not confirmed for this debate is Mitt Romney; John Huntsman is also not listed. The time 5 pm Eastern.

November 22 – CNN with The Heritage Foundation and the American Enterprise Institute. The Debate, on National Security will be broadcast on CNN, CNN en Español, and worldwide on CNN International, CNN Radio and CNN.com and begin at 8 PM EST.

One can bet the house that CNN will not cut the debate short, and go to a rerun.



Best line of the night: Rick Perry to CBS News Anchor Scott Pelley (Truncated by CBS News):




Entire Video