Thu Apr 24, 8:07 PM Pacific
Another look at the PA debate
I'm planning on doing a video on the Pennsylvania debate sometime soon. I know it's not really topical at this point, but I'm interested in it, because I want to explore how Obama can improve his game and be ready for some of the tricks that tiny little reactionaries like George Stephanopolous plan on throwing his way during the general.
Here's a textual look at the questions Stephanopolous asked in the first half of the debate, separated out by each candidate, and alternating colors for different topics. (Transcript.)
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QUESTIONS TO OBAMA Senator Obama, do you think Senator Clinton can win? Senator, two questions. Number one, do you think Reverend Wright loves America as much as you do? And number two, if you get the nomination, what will you do when those sermons are played on television again and again and again? You've disowned him? But you do believe he's as patriotic as you are? Senator Obama, your campaign has sent out a cascade of e-mails, just about every day, questioning Senator Clinton's credibility. And you yourself have said she hasn't been fully truthful about what she would do as president. Do you believe that Senator Clinton has been fully truthful about her past? Your campaign has. Senator, if you get the nomination, you'll have to -- (applause) -- (inaudible). I want to give Senator Clinton a chance to respond, but first a follow-up on this issue, the general theme of patriotism in your relationships. A gentleman named William Ayers, he was part of the Weather Underground in the 1970s. They bombed the Pentagon, the Capitol and other buildings. He's never apologized for that. And in fact, on 9/11 he was quoted in The New York Times saying, "I don't regret setting bombs; I feel we didn't do enough." An early organizing meeting for your state senate campaign was held at his house, and your campaign has said you are friendly. Can you explain that relationship for the voters, and explain to Democrats why it won't be a problem? |
QUESTIONS TO CLINTON Let me pick up on this. When these comments from Senator Obama broke on Friday, Senator McCain's campaign immediately said that it was going to be a killer issue in November. Senator Clinton, when Bill Richardson called you to say he was endorsing Barack Obama, you told him that Senator Obama can't win. I'm not going to ask you about that conversation. I know you don't want to talk about it. But a simple yes-or-no question: Do you think Senator Obama can beat John McCain or not? But the question is, do you think Senator Obama can do that? Can he win? Senator Clinton, we also did a poll today, and there are also questions about you raised in this poll. About six in 10 voters that we talked to say they don't believe you're honest and trustworthy. And we also asked a lot of Pennsylvania voters for questions they had. A lot of them raised this honesty issue and your comments about being under sniper fire in Bosnia. (VIDEO OF PA VOTER TOM BROWN ASKING ABOUT TUZLA.) |
I'm not really perturbed by the fact that Obama got more questions than Clinton. Heck, anytime my guy gets more chances to speak, the better.
I did notice one trick that Stephanopolous seemed to employ on Obama that he did not employ on Clinton, however. The trick is a simple one -- on the two toughest questions (Wright, and Ayers) he actually asked double questions, neither flowing from the other. He could have saved them for follow-ups, but I actually think he was employing a rhetorical trick designed to take advantage of Obama's earnest desire to answer the questions posed to him.
On Wright, he asks if Wright is as patriotic as Obama is, and then what will Obama do if/when the GOP loops Wright footage. Neither question is good; both are absurd. Combined, they are almost dazing absurd.
On the Ayers question, Stephanopolous asks Obama to explain his relationship to voters, and then to explain why that relationship isn't a problem.
Notice that in each case the second question effectively undermines whatever answer Obama gives in the first. On the Wright question, by focusing on the loop reel, Stephanopolous is essentially saying that no matter what Obama says in the first part, he's still screwed; similarly, on the second, he's saying that no matter what relationship Obama may have with Ayers, it will still be a political problem.
In retrospect, looking at the transcript, I have zero doubt that Stephanopolous played a part in a partisan, pro-Clinton hit job on Obama. It's clear he did. Barack Obama's problem may have been that he wasn't expecting this, and when it was happening, he didn't quite realize it.
I think Obama's answers were ultimately better than most people give him credit for, especially on the Ayers question, which I think was his best response of any of these questions. But I think what we wanted to see during the debate is a little bit of that "Annie Oakley" routine, but used on the moderators.
In a way, I'd like to see another debate, simply because I want to see Obama doing on live TV. It'll be fun to watch. He did it pretty effectively in Nevada in January, I think. But alas, that will have to wait until the general. Oh well -- things could be worse, I suppose!
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