ABC Hosts Heckled After Debate: "The Crowd Is Turning On Me"

***Update***
Jeffrey Schneider, Vice President of ABC News told HuffPost that the audience wasn't heckling the hosts for their poor questions, but rather, "The audience in the debate auditorium reacted that we were going to a final commercial."

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Reflecting what seemed to be the main consensus of the night - that ABC botched this debate, big time - Charlie Gibson tells the crowd there will be one more, superfluous commercial break of the night and is subsequently jeered.

"OH..." he declares, hands raised in defense. "The crowd is turning on me, the crowd is turning on me."

Off camera, observers let out their frustrations. Watch it:

Visitors to ABC's site weren't much kinder. Here's a sampling on page 1:

...This is AWFUL. Thank goodness for Jon Stewart and Comedy Central. He does a better job of interviewing and asking relevant questions of his guests in 5 minutes than these 2 yahoos have in more than an hour. ABC should be ashamed. George should be ashamed. Charlie should be ashamed. This isn't a debate. This is a hit job.

...Asinine questions - abysmal debate. Fire these silly moderators NOW. They insult the intelligence of the American people.

...I haven't watched ABC "news" in a few years. I see I haven't been missing much! MORE THAN half the debate turned over to Bittergate, Rev Wright, the Weathermen, Tuzla, FLAG LAPEL PINS? Most of the televised debates I've seen this campaign season have been lame, but this one takes the prize. Either you guys are morons or you think that we are. Either way, I'm glad to have seen the last of you. Really, really bad.No winners in this debate, but a definite loser: ABC "NEWS"

...This is the WORST debate I have ever watched. Never in my life have I been more disenchanted with the news media as a whole, especially a news organization such as ABC that I believed to have some sense of purpose to bring substantive information and perspective to the American people. Americans are tired of the snipping between the candidates and the lack of discussion about what each candidate will do to help the country. ABC News should be ashamed for presenting such a failure of a debate.

...Are you kidding me? "We don't have much time left. Let's have a MINUTE to talk about gas?" Charlie and George, you need a crash course on the distinction between "issues" and an "agendas." Hint: The candidates have the former; you have the latter.

...ABC News . . you should be ashamed of this debate. Where did you get these questions?? Where are the ISSUES. We have heard enough about Rev Wright and what Hillary did or didn't do in Bosnia. Let's hear about issues that matter such as the cost of Health Care, the war in Iraq, the Energy Crisi, the Crisis in Our Schools, and THE ECONOMY, STUPID!!

...Geoirge and Charlie= narcissistic elite "journalists" trying to score a rating point, but asking questions that would yield a "F" in middle school journalism. This debate may be used for years in journalism classes, on how to not run a debate. Disney-who owns ABC- get better cartoon characters to run a debate. Elmer Fudd would do much better.

...Has ABC News noticed that your so called "debate" has been universally panned? Charles Gibson is a pandering person more fit for the National Enquirer than a responsible news program. Stephanopoulis is barely better. I am so disappointed but not surprised.

Read reactions and criticism from Huffington Post bloggers to ABC's Pennsylvania Democratic debate

Comments

[TheCountryMouse]

The most idiotic question of the evening had to be, "does Reverend Wright love the Country as much as you do?" WHAT? Are you joking?!? Is the Reverend running for office? Why didn't he then ask Hillary, "Does your husband lie as much as you do?" It was beyond ridiculous. If they were going to ask about the Weather Underground, then why not ask Clinton about her husband's connection to them, too? Not to mention why doesn't SHE wear a flag pin? If they were going to spend so much time asking idiotic questions, they should have at least posed idiotic questios to them BOTH so the hosts wouldn't seem unfair AND idiotic.... just idiotic.

[Anne1776]

And ABC still doesn't get it. Let me spell it out for you, we want you to ask candidates the following types of questions-
What will you do to keep the value of the dollar from falling further?
What is your plan for providing health care to Americans without raising taxes?
What is your plan to change the piss poor education system?
What is your plan to end food tied to fuel due to ethenol?
How do you plan to save our environment?
How do you plan to get our country off foreign oil?
How do you plan to deal with North Korea and Iran?
How soon will you bring our troops home?
How do you plan to deal with drug companies?

Come on MSM- ask the questions that MATTER!

[Genna]

I found myself asking what constitutes good journalism or good debate panel questioning. I listened to Chris Matthews and Dick Gregory (or Greg Dickory ---the guy who replaced my favorite conservativve Tucker Carlson) resent the scrutiny given to either moderator, dismiss the critique on personality grounds (ie. my job is to ask the questions. if Obama supporters do not want him to be defensive, tell the guy to expect hard questions), and talk about why being a thin skinned person is a specific reason a man/a woman doesn't belong in the White House. I think these 2 and the Sunday's roundtable on ABC News missed the point of the critique.

My journalism critique (and the ones I have read prior to actually watching the debate) has to do with the prism you guys use to see the candidate, yourselves as middlemen, and us the public. Whether we are on the left or on the right, we think the prism is flawed. If you are right and the public likes the beauty contest more, why did SNL lampoon the swooning moderators the 19th debate and ABC received 20K+ comments berating their coverage this time?

You guys have decided you will report the news and tell us what to think about what you have reported. That prism is being questioning by asking you what role does your bias have on what you report and the conclusion you reach. I predict you will get increasing critique in the future.

[Genna]

I finally watched the ABC debates this morning. I read comments from journalists about the sensational nature of the first 45, 50 or 60 minutes depending on who I read.

I expected rockets being fired, Charlie Gibson to go nose to nose in an all around dismissive montage to the upper echelons of society, George S. to declare that Hillary was the change he had been waiting for and Obama at the verge of cursing out the next moderator/candidate that asked him a off the wall question. Gladly, I didn't see or hear that at all.

I agree that the questions were asked from a particular viewpoint. Gibson was somewhat condescending and glib in manner and in speech. I do think he asked questions (TO OBAMA ie. increasing the % that the top bracket have to pay in taxes) and his follow-up questions were bracingly accusational like he didn't really care what the candidate said so long as he had the 'yeah right' look or feel. I do think George S. asked some erroneous questions (TO OBAMA ie. does Rev Wright love his country or the Weatherman underground question), BUT I have always like George S. even when he was a neophyte at the round table of This Week with Sam Donaldson. I didn't like the fact that both badgered the candidate if they didn't receive the answer they wanted.

[KDH]

Obama supporters can't handle the truth. They attack ABC because they have the journalistic integrity to actually vet Obama. Now that it's becoming clear, that Obama is not everything he seemed, Obama supporters who are in denial, have started attacking the messenger. The more they attack ABC, the more they expose the fact that Obama is damaged goods who could cost the Democrats the presidency in November. As for Obama getting hammered by Hillary....... Ahhhhhh.... poor little baby 'bama. And poor little baby 'bama supporters. Go cry to mama

[skoryras]

You mean like Hillary did after New Hampshire. Did you watch the video? Who was whinning then? Even if he's less then he seems, he's light years ahead of her.

You obviously don't know much about the Clintons. You nust be 25 - 28 years old. Do your research they have years of baggage and there proud of it. Hillary showed her judgement when she stayed with the biggest C_ C_ hound in Washington Obama chose his Pastor and Hillary chose Bill.

[patriotscholar]

Amazingly, although Stephanopolous wanted to question the Ayers connection that he got from Sean Hannity, he forgot (or ignored) any possible connection between Ayers and the Clintons. He even went so far as to say it mattered because of the fact that Ayers had a fund raiser for Obama's Illinois run. The fact that Ayers had a fund raising for the Clintons never entered his mind, I suppose. When he did that, he showed his true colors.

[sheperdess]

Obama would get better treatment on FOX. (CNN) Clinton News Network is now joined by, (ABC )All Backing Clinton. I only can watch CBS, NBC and MSNBC.

[Redrover666]

I am truly astonished at the level of emotion here.

Criticism of Obama here results in the most incredible outpouring of anger and vitriol.
Anyone here who has posted anything other than an adoring comment or desire that George and Charlie be fired (or much worse) is jumped by several of you and slathered with every imaginable personal insult. Additionally, most of you seem to view all other parties or candidates as evil and don't hesitate to wish all manner of vile things on them.

There is a lot of speculation that Obama is conning America. That behind his words of unity and transcending party and race there is nothing more than empty promises and slick marketing. Frankly, the best case for that argument are threads like these.

If the quality and character of Obama supporters is fairly represented here, why would any reasonable American be anything but ashamed to be a part of it?

[skoryras]

These are my comments about the debate last week.

Let me begin by saying I was an undecided Independent before last nights debate, but no longer.

That was a travesty, a hatchet job if I ever saw one. The questions for Senator Obama from the beginning were designed and focused to embarrass and destroy him. Questions to Senator Clinton were presented in such a way as to give her the opportunity to discredit him and make her look good. This wasn’t one on one it was more like four on one.

With all the baggage Senator Clinton has in her past, and the unscrupulous people she has associated herself with over the years, the only critical question you could come up with was Bosnia. Mr. Gibson should be ashamed of himself. I will never watch him again. I thought he was a credible journalist, not anymore.

I now know whom I will vote for in the General Election, Senator Obama!!!!!
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[skoryras]

Now today I watch George S, George Will, Sam Donaldson and Cookie or cokey or what ever her name is try again to defend your Questioning of Obama. The point never was the questions were hard the point is they weren't equally disbursed. I have followed the Clintons all my life, they have more baggage then United Airlines and the only question you asked her was about Bosnia.

The only reason George Will and the rest of you are concerned about taxes is because you’re all wealthy and have a personal self interest in tax reduction. You could care less about the average American. Your hypocrites.

How in Gods name are we going to pay for this disaster in Iraq? Soon to be a trillion dollars. Were is the money going to come from? How many generations will be affected? You don’t want your taxes raised but you support the War. How many more Americans have to die in Iraq before you will say enough is enough? China holds 57% of our national debt our Banks are failing. Mccain wants to cut entitlements but continues to collect Social Security even though his wife is a mega millionaires Lets talk about trust. Cindy and John Mccain signed a prenubt 28 years ago. Boy there is a demonstration of love and trust, and we the American people are supposed to trust him?

Watch this video and see who we can trust.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exsmFDYyK4U

[skoryras]

These are my comments about the debate last week.

Let me begin by saying I was an undecided Independent before last nights debate, but no longer.

That was a travesty, a hatchet job if I ever saw one. The questions for Senator Obama from the beginning were designed and focused to embarrass and destroy him. Questions to Senator Clinton were presented in such a way as to give her the opportunity to discredit him and make her look good. This wasn’t one on one it was more like four on one.

With all the baggage Senator Clinton has in her past, and the unscrupulous people she has associated herself with over the years, the only critical question you could come up with was Bosnia. Mr. Gibson should be ashamed of himself. I will never watch him again. I thought he was a credible journalist, not anymore.

I now know whom I will vote for in the General Election, Senator Obama!!!!!

[eahce]

It took a while but americans are finally showing dismay at the garbage MSM puts out as news. We have been dumbed down long enough. People are starting to realize there are more important things going on in our lives then Britney's escapades or the latest happenings on American Idol all the while the rug is being pulled out from under us by this curent barbarian government. The only place left to get real news that effects our daily lives is the internet, whic the government wants to control while some ISP's are starting to censor to keep us in the dark. The internet is our only hope of what is really happening in the world today.

[mesuki]

I hate those two assholes George and Charlie. They had a chance to ask some important questions of the candidates before the Tuesday night primaries,but they blew it when they showed their favoritism for Hillary Clinton with those stupid questions they asked Obama. ABC has lost me as a viewer for a long time,and they have a lot of nerves to make excuses for those two assholes that called themselves moderators.....Yeah Right!.... more like a couple of thugs!

[hipolitical]

Why does everybody seem to be so shocked by ABC's behavior? Or any other major network for that matter. They're all corporate whores anyway...all. corporate whores. all. yes, really.

--Hipolitical
http://www.hipolitical.com

[myersms]

You're so correct,but what amazes me is how many sheep in this country don't even have a clue as to the fact the American public is not getting any real news.Its all controlled,and lets the corporate criminals and government criminals get away with literal murder.I don't know what its going to take ,if anything ,for this cozy relationship between the news agencies and the criminal elements that be to be severed.Its down right depressing to realize what is going on ,and seems nothing is being done to correct the situation.

[delacroix]

Can we just dispense with the talking heads and put up photos of pretty girls in bikinis, the way they do in British newspapers? Because our TV media has become a sub-tabloid joke.

[bikerdude]

And with Rupert Murddoch owning more and more of the media, it will keep going in that direction. We can look at the pretty pictures and he will make the hard decisions for us...

[maymok]

Hillary and her circle of friends, including Stephanopoulous, know she can't win on the issues, otherwise she would have been ahead by now. They know the only way to win is to destroy Obama with all the manufactured scandals. In the same time, they are also destroying the party and they don't care. It's power at any costs. It's a shame for a democrat to do this. It shows the Clintons don't care about anybody but themselves.

[CalmDemocrat]

If Obama is to win the general election, he needs to be able to answer tough questions. None of the questions raised in the debate should've been a surprise, as they all relate to info/events occuring after the last debate. Of course it's easier to blame the moderators rather than to acknowledge Obama's poor preparedne­ss/debatin­g skills. He can be "inspirational" on the stump, but that doesn't come through in any other format.. His weak debate performance is one example. His interview of Petraeus is another. If you want to see a real embarassment, watch the MTV Chose or Lose special with him and Hillary available on their website. He clearly doesn't have an indepth knowledge of the issues, so instead he spews forth a bunch of rhetoric about uniting people, etc. It reminds me a lot of GWB - a lack of knowledge and the purported ability unite Dems and Republicans which never panned out. Just what we need.

[sq357]

On March 27, 2008...Charlie Gibson had 30 mins with Obama to discuss the Rev. Wright issue. This add to the frustration of wasting time asking the same question, maybe a different forum. We need to get to the real issues