'CNN Is Truly a Terrible Influence on This Country': Democratic Debate Moderators

[Uncle Joe]

Pilloried for Centrist Talking Points and Anti-Sanders Bias

(snip)

As Common Dreams reported, the financial burden of deploying American forces was notably absent during first part of the debate—a lengthy discussion on foreign policy and war—but the moderators did ask candidates about the costs of implementing Medicare for All healthcare, as Sanders has proposed. That contrast, and the presentation of the healthcare questions, sparked swift condemnation from progressives.

Overall, a team of Rolling Stone writers called the debate moderators' questions "mystifyingly inane." In a piece titled "CNN Completely Botched the Democratic Presidential Debate," HuffPost's Zach Carter called them "awful." According to him, the debate on the whole was "tedious, interminable, frivolous... a fiasco of irrelevance held three weeks before the Iowa caucuses."

"Again and again, CNN anchors substituted centrist talking points for questions―and then followed up predictable responses with further centrist talking points, rarely illuminating any substantive disagreements between the candidates or problems with their policy positions," he wrote.

(snip)

The debate came just a day after CNN published what critics called a hit piece involving a private conversation between Sanders and Warren in 2018. Citing four unnamed sources—none of whom were in the room for the conversation—CNN reported that Sanders told Warren "he did not believe a woman could win" the presidential race. While Warren issued a statement after the story ran endorsing the findings of the report, Sanders has repeatedly denied it, including during the debate.

(snip)

https://www.commondreams.org/news/2020/01/15/cnn-truly-terrible-influence-country-democratic-debate-moderators-pilloried-centrist

[getagrip_already]

1. so rather than admit he had a so-so performance...

the story is that cnn was out to get him? By using centrist talking points?

What the heck is a centrist talking point and why would it be offensive?

Sorry, this is pathetic. Admit he didn't do well and commit to doing better.

And no, he didn't do so-so because they asked him questions he didn't agree with. He had the chance to point that out and didn't. He simply didn't have a grasp of foreign policy or the economy.

Warren seemed to handle the questions ok. She isn't exactly centrist. She is just talented.

[Uncle Joe]

3. How much is unending war costing our nation? CNN didn't care about that.

They also didn't care about using the word "alleged."

[getagrip_already]

5. so they hurt his fee-fee's?

It's not up to the moderators to care. It's up to the candidates to get their message across.

Liz did. Bernie not so much.

She seemed believable.

[Uncle Joe]

9. Simple highly relevant questions and a decent regard for justice or fair play,

is that too much to ask from any moderator or network holding a Presidential debate which in turn is viewed by the American People on deliberating for the most powerful office in the land?

[getagrip_already]

23. Nope, but...

Getting upset because a question you wanted to answer wasnt worded correctly seems rmo to me.

I used to joke i would have gotten straight a's if they would have only asked me the right questions on the exams.

Alas, i had to answer the stupid questions they asked.....

[getagrip_already]

27. I don't care who you are - that's funny! n/t

[W_HAMILTON]

11. They spent the entire first 20 minutes or so talking about foreign policy.

Did you even watch the debate?

[Uncle Joe]

12. They never asked how much war costs, in blood or treasure.

I watched all of it.

[W_HAMILTON]

15. What the hell would the purpose be in asking a question like that?

I want to know where the candidates stand on foreign policy issues -- not for them to regurgitate facts that I can look up online myself.

[Eliot Rosewater]

6. That is what I am seeing in several social media outlets.

Boy we better just be prepared for a repeat of something

I only saw parts, I am assuming he was given much less time to talk than the rest, because that is the only stat that matters in a debate.

[msongs]

2. lol first it's complaints about media blackout and now about media attention. nt

[Uncle Joe]

4. Isn't that wild, the corporate media conglomerates just can't seem to find balance. n/t

[Sloumeau]

7. CNN was biased, and their questions were terrible.

I always hate the CNN debates, because they are always asking one candidate a question that is trying to stir them up against another candidate:

"Senator Warren, exactly how long has Senator Sanders been a misogynist?"

"Senator Sanders, how long have you thought that Senator Warren should be home baking cookies instead of serving in the Senate?"

Good golly, their questions were terrible.

[redqueen]

8. The people dismissing these frustrations are living in a bubble.

Please talk to dem-leaning independents, or people you assume are dems, and find out what they think about the debate and our leading candidates.

[Uncle Joe]

10. Bubbles can be comfortable until they pop and people realize

there is no there there,



then it's a free fall, that's how Trump came to power in the first place.

[Aaron Pereira]

24. Well, it just popped for me.

Insincere charges of sexism are going to have a corrosive effect on party unity in November. Party politics are one thing but this is a bridge too far.

[Uncle Joe]

26. They don't care so long as corporate interests reign supreme.

For all the professional wrestling vitriol they use against Trump, it's just largely for show so long as a true President for the people doesn't come to power.

I'm convinced the vast majority of the corporate media conglomerates would prefer having Trump in the White House versus Bernie.

Corporate supremacy is alive and well.

[coti]

13. The focus on whether millionaire's kids should get free college tuition- as if it makes a difference

either way, to anyone- was inane.

[Uncle Joe]

14. That was just a ploy to create division

as if Trump doesn't do it enough.

[coti]

18. Pretty much. It's a wedge issue, brought up for the sake of disagreement, with no genuine

value and certainly no relevance to the future of our country. I was wishing a candidate had called out the question as ridiculous and pivoted to something that mattered.

[redqueen]

22. Too bad Yang wasn't there

[JudyM]

37. I liked his perspective in the other debates.

[redqueen]

38. He's pretty good at not dancing along with the media's crap.

Every stupid question they asked was met with a look making it clear how ridiculous he thought the question was, and he did his best to try to use the opportunity to redirect to something of substance.

[JudyM]

39. He did. I hope he gets a leadership position in the next Dem administration.

[Thekaspervote]

20. People are fed up with it!! Rash attitudes lead to rash decisions...not what America needs

It will be great when sanders goes home to VT

[guillaumeb]

19. Recommended.

All part of framing the narrative to exclude the change we need to solve the problems.

This was no accident.

[Uncle Joe]

28. CNN doesn't want change,

they're making megabucks under the current dysfunctional system, so what if 30,000 Americans die every year because of lack of health insurance and hundreds of thousands declare medical related bankruptcy every year.

CNN can still sell big pharma commercials.

[guillaumeb]

30. And there are so very many of these commercials.

Illegal in nearly every country.

[Uncle Joe]

32. It is amazing to consider that other countries consider

that to be illegal.

I wonder what their reasoning is?

[guillaumeb]

33. It ie only legal in New Zealand and the US.

There is no reason to air these commercials, other than to drive demand for high priced drugs.

[Uncle Joe]

34. Well the corporate media conglomerates do need to make

some serious mega-bucks...so there's that.

[Time2Breathe70]

21. awwwwwwwww

you need a hug?

[Uncle Joe]

29. I can always use a hug Time2Breathe.

welcome to D.U.

[Odoreida]

31. Yeah baby. None of that winning people over shit, right? n/t

[maximusveritas]

35. Will Sanders supporters ever be satisfied?

Any tough question is seized on as evidence of bias, while ignoring all the other questions that put other candidates on the spot.
Bernie got to speak the most at the last debate and was a close 2nd to Warren this time.
How can you complain so much when you are given ample chance to answer every question? If he failed to do so, that was his fault

[Uncle Joe]

36. "When did you stop beating our wife,"

that's the kind of questions financially conflict of interest laden corporate media conglomerate CNN asked of Bernie.

The primary issue is not answers but the one sided questions asked.