CBS Rethinks Democratic Debate to Reflect Paris Attacks

[pnwmom]

Source: New York Times

DES MOINES — In the hours after the deadly attacks in Paris, CBS News significantly reworked its plans for the Democratic presidential debate it is hosting here on Saturday night to focus more on issues of terrorism, national security and foreign relations.

Steve Capus, the executive editor of CBS News and the executive producer of “CBS Evening News,” said in an interview late Friday that he was in the middle of a rehearsal for the debate when news broke about the slaughter in Paris.

The CBS News team immediately shifted gears and reformulated questions to make them more directly related to the attacks. Mr. Capus said it was important for the debate to go on because the world looks to the American president for leadership during international crises.

“American leadership is put to the test,” Mr. Capus said. “The entire world is looking to the White House. These people are vying to take over this office.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/14/us/politics/democratic-debate-to-get-new-terrorism-focus-after-paris-attacks-cbs-says.html

---

This will be a significant change of focus from the topics the candidates have been preparing to address.

[Cha]

1. mahalo pnwmom

[pnwmom]

4. mahalo, Cha!

[riversedge]

2. so--the debate WILL take place.

[pnwmom]

3. Yes. But it will be adapted to acknowledge the current crisis. The kind of crisis

any US President must be prepared to deal with.

[riversedge]

13. yes, initially, when I first read

that it might be cancelled --have to admit I recalled the GWB statement--go shopping. and I was conflicted. I am Ok with it taking place Sat night--I think. I have already seen some RW responses. Immigration will be hit on also. And the Syrian refugees.

[dembotoz]

31. have to have the debate or the rethugs would say we don't have the courage....

[Helen Borg]

16. In other words:

Terror!

[bluestateguy]

5. oh brother

We have one president at a time.

His name is Barack H. Obama.

[pnwmom]

6. We have less than a year till the next election and this debate is an important part

of the process.

Why would you object to having a debate that would cover current topics?

[uppityperson]

7. Let the bodies get cold before playing political gotcha. It is disrespectful to treat all these

deaths as a game to posture at.

[pnwmom]

8. The debate has been scheduled for a long time. How can they ignore what just happened?

Any President WILL have to deal with terrorism.

[uppityperson]

11. Don't ignore it, but don't debate it for entertainment on TV. Issue a condolence, put off the

debate for a week until hopefully there will be some clarity on who did this and why.

[pnwmom]

12. I don't see any of these debates as entertainment. And this one will be very somber, I'm sure.

But this kind of thing is exactly what Presidents have to be prepared for. And they don't get to say, "give me a week. That will be better timing."

[FailureToCommunicate]

17. +1

[AngryAmish]

18. They make the networks a lot of money

[pnwmom]

42. So does covering tragedies. No one's saying this shouldn't be covered. n't

[Fearless]

20. They're clearly trying to.

[still_one]

9. Actually, if they avoid the topic after what just happened that would be strange. This has nothing

to do with being disrespectful, but discussing an issue which because of what has happened has been moved to the top of most people's list.

[Auggie]

25. I agree. Though an entire debate dedicated to foreign policy is not required.

Break it into two parts

[still_one]

32. You are right

[Auggie]

41. On second thought ...

it's a great opportunity for Democrats to set the rhetoric on terrorist policy. Tough but smart, you know? Can you imagine the crap the Clow Party is dreaming up right now?

[LuvLoogie]

27. I don't think that anyone trying for a "gotcha" will be tolerated.

Moderator or candidate will have to maintain a professional demeanor.

Everyone will be looking to parse Hillary's comments. How they go about it will be key.

[Evergreen Emerald]

29. this is always the argument against talking about gun control

I don't understand this argument. Now IS the time to discuss it. It is not disrespectful, in fact if it was not discussed, it would be ludicrous.

[snooper2]

30. ISIS fundie assholes are killing people on a daily basis

[winter is coming]

34. Then maybe we should see who'll choose to use these deaths for political gotcha,

as some RWers already have, and who will respond in a more "Presidential" fashion.

[restorefreedom]

10. they can always discuss economics at the next one

no doubt dws is not looking forward to there being a debate about war. this will be quite interesting.

[freedom fighter jh]

15. Maybe she is.

Terrorist attacks make war look like a good idea.

In Video and Multimedia, there are two postings of la Marseillaise. It's posted there, I'm sure, as a sign of solidarity with French people, but at the same time, like so many national anthems, it's a song full of references to blood and war.

[restorefreedom]

28. people here are sick of war

and since the iraq war started all of this, people are not interested in causing any more worldwide disruption

[freedom fighter jh]

36. Sounds like you are.

I know I am.

I don't know generally about the American public or the French public.

[restorefreedom]

37. don't know anything about the french people

but everyone i talk to here is just done with involving ourselves in other peoples wars and starting wars against people who didn't attack or threaten us.

cheney blew it big time with his war for oil

[freedom fighter jh]

48. I hope that you're right

and that we don't get dragged into another war.

[restorefreedom]

49. i hope so too. nt

[freedom fighter jh]

14. Don't let the attacks distract.

Sure, there should be a question or two about the attack, but other issues remain important. There is the climate summit next month. There are the ongoing economic struggles of more and more Americans.

9-11 distracted us from our civil rights, from a peaceful path forward, because government and media together used it that way.

[femmedem]

21. As horrific as these attacks are, for me nothing remains as important as climate change

With the upcoming climate summit, how to limit CO2 and other GHG emissions is as timely as combatting terrorism, and transitioning away from fossil fuels is an even more difficult problem.

[freedom fighter jh]

23. The future of the human race depends on it.

[dreamnightwind]

53. +1

[pnwmom]

43. There are four more debates scheduled. What's wrong with this one having

a new focus on foreign policy?

[freedom fighter jh]

46. Two things

(1) That would telescope a message to the terrorists that they can control our conversation. I don't think we should give them that much power.

(2) The next debate is to be held on December 19. The COP 21 climate conference is scheduled for December 7 and 8. This most-urgent matter must be discussed before the conference, when it is still possible to influence the US position.

[pnwmom]

47. The CBS statement didn't indicate there would be no discussion of things like

climate change.

Just that there would be a recognition of what has just happened.

[freedom fighter jh]

50. I think some discussion is inevitable and appropriate.

I just hope it doesn't hijack the whole conversation. There are lots of other important things to be decided.

[Fearless]

19. Can't wait to hear the war hawk squawk

[MrMickeysMom]

52. Results of your Jury

On Sat Nov 14, 2015, 04:53 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

Can't wait to hear the war hawk squawk
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1260175

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

War hawk squawk??
Childish RW Name calling of a Dem Candidate. Whatever you opinion of the candidates are, THIS ignorant statement is insulting demeaning & blatant rudeness that should be hidden.
Appears there are morre than just one war hawk candidates as all gave voted to support some part of the ME War.
This is a disgusting & rude way to address a candidate at a most sensitive time of terrorism around the world.

Total juvenile disrepect for anyone who may be one day faced with dealing with the horrific ISIS.

Maybe best not to say anything rather than this degrading & disgusting low life name calling.
Please hide.
Thank you


You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sat Nov 14, 2015, 05:08 PM, and the Jury voted 3-4 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: This statement IS insulting, it is demeaning, and it is deliberately insensitive. Such comments make reasoned discussion difficult, but the answer to is not to muzzle those who engage in such trollish behavior but to leave their conduct as the perfect example of who NOT to conduct our affairs on this board.
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: This is a daily thing now pushing RW bullshit on DU. I am personally tired of seeing this and am sure many more feel the same.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Definitely childish, but not beyond the threshold.
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: It may be best to say nothing, but this doesn't rise to a decision to hide.
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #7 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Agree with alerter.

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[geek tragedy]

22. They pretty much have to do this--would have made them tone deaf and seem out of touch otherwise

It will be interesting to see what Bernie and O'Malley have to say. We already know what Hillary will say.

[Babel_17]

24. Make it longer, don't ditch other important issues

Millions of people die due to cancer and other conditions. We have a drug epidemic, and we have people dying from gun violence.

I don't want to question CBS's motives, but though the public wants to hear about the issue of terrorism, and ISIS in particular, CBS has a duty to not shortchange other life and death issues.

[winter is coming]

40. +1. n/t

[pnwmom]

44. There are four more debates scheduled. Plenty of time for the three candidates

to discuss all the issues.

This isn't the clown circus, with their dozens.

[Babel_17]

45. I think we can handle addressing these concerns

We are the party of capable and caring candidates, here's an opportunity to demonstrate that, and stand in contrast to the Republicans.

As you noted, there will only be three candidates on stage, and we won't have to suffer through mere demagoguery. No need to ignore issues that are life and death to those here in the US. That wouldn't play to our strength. The Republicans are the reactionaries seizing on disaster so as to make political hay.

[houston16revival]

26. Trumpie will make noise about the attacks

but at this juncture the potential candidate with the most
foreign policy experience is HRC

[bigdarryl]

33. Who the fuck cares what Trump thinks

He knows nothing about foreign policy.All he does is run his big fat mouth

[CTyankee]

35. You are right. I'll be interested in what Bernie has to say, tho.

However, I think HRC will probably be the winner of this debate. This has been a wake up call to everybody. The repukes will likely go nutso and start running around with their hair on fire. I can see HRC calmly discussing options and what we have learned from past terrorists attacks. Her team is probably more up to speed on international terrorism than anybody else's who is running.

HRC has the facts at her command so to speak. I think she'll be calm, decisive and wise. I am looking forward to hearing what she has to say...

[upaloopa]

38. One side will tell us to stay out of international conflicts and the other side will say to engage

the terrorists.

The engage side will win I think.

[kimbutgar]

39. I think this debate will get more eyes because it is on regular tv not cable.

All the other debates were on cable that you pay for. You can also stream this debate tonight.

[riversedge]

51. I know some

actually several who only have local --antenna--Not cable. Two for sure said they would be watching tonight.

[elleng]

54. and then they decided to give just 2 of the participants time to fully respond to questions.

[pnwmom]

55. That wasn't my impression. Do you have information about that or is it just your feeling?

I thought O'Malley did very well, by the way.

[elleng]

56. Just observed it,

from moderator/Dickerson's interplay with MO'M.

Thanks, I think he did very well too. Would have been better if he had a fair amount of time.