Matt Lauer is just a diversion...

[Blue Idaho]

It's great fun to pile on the shitty job Lauer did as interviewer but could it be he's just the bright shiny object used to distract us from Trump's appalling performance last night?

No doubt Lauer was biased and uneven in his treatment of the candidates, but let's not forget the shocking shallowness of Trump's answers. Trump is a clear and present danger to American democracy - last night just helped confirmed that.

[Skidmore]

1. He's not a diversion because this is the

modus operandi of the media in general. Both things are true. Trup is a clear and present danger, but so is the media.

[Blue Idaho]

2. There is little doubt about the M$M

They have been given their marching orders - but the huge amount of criticism about Lauer from every corner is sucking up all the attention from last night's folly. It's a diversion from Trump's pathetic performance last night. Any time the M$M, or an administration for that matter, is making a big stink about something - I always wonder what else is going on that they are trying to hide.

Last night was no different.

[Cosmocat]

3. It all serves to enable trump for sure

he is an fin moron.

There is simply no justification for anyone voting for this dolt for POTUS.

None.

Meanwhile, Hillary is an intelligent, capable, experience candidate.

But, e-mails!

Beat her down on nothing and grade Trump on a curve.

[Blue Idaho]

5. Factually correct!

The M$M has decided that:

Hillary is guilty after being proved innocent.
And
Trump is innocent after being proven guilty.

The fix is in.

[SHRED]

4. They all have soiled hands

All major outlets that haven't checked this fool rigorously enough.

[frazzled]

6. It's very important

And it's important to continue to focus on it. This isn't just one side's sore-loser whining about media bias; the media itself, somewhat surprisingly, has remarked on it forcefully. And I think that this attention to Lauer's failures will put pressure on future moderators to try hard to play it fair, smart, and straight in the upcoming debates. Their professional credibility will be put to the test, and they don't want to end up in the Lauer pit. (Though they probably will.)

[SaschaHM]

7. I disagree.

I think the Matt Lauer thing was needed ahead of the widely watched presidential debates. Trump's terrible answers are still getting some airtime, but #Laueringthebar could inform the way that moderators treat both candidates during the actual debates. No serious moderator is going to want to face the backlash that Lauer is currently facing.

[Blue Idaho]

8. I hope you are right... But...

I have seen the M$M have these "come to Jesus" moments before. Moments where they admit they have two different standards - one for Trump, one for Sec. Clinton. To date - they have not changed how they do their jobs one bit.

Maybe this will be different - but I expect not.

[ooky]

9. Don't expect any serious moderators to ever take the stage in any of these "debates".

Trump would not agree to participate in a debate with a moderator who would hold him accountable for answering the actual questions he is asked. The debates are prime time M$M entertainment. Very frustrating for people who want to see a real debate, in which of course, Hillary would destroy him.

A real debate would have a system of scoring the candidates answers, with unbiased judges scoring how the candidates answer the questions they are asked.