FactCheck: First Questions (debates) [View All]

[Adelante]

According to Fact Check Desk Associate Fact Checker Melissa Ruiz's research, in the two debates previous to last night's -- in California and Texas, the only two two-candidate debates before last night -- Clinton had been asked the first question in 14 rounds, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, in 11.

Last night the number was 9 for Clinton, 7 for Obama.

So overall in the last three debates, Clinton has been asked the first question in 23 rounds, Obama in 18.

So a minor disparity does exist, but Clinton's curious complaint that "in the last several debates, I seem to get the first question all the time?" is inaccurate.

Not to mention likely of not much relevance to the lives of the voters of Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/02/from-the-fact-5.html


In case anyone wondered.