Big Winner of GOP Google/Fox News Debate: The Reporters (VIDEO)

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Forget which candidate won the debate. This time, the political journalists covering the event were the real winners.

While the nine Republican presidential candidates -- former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, former Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.), former Speaker Newt Gingrich (Ga.), Rep. Ron Paul (Texas), Texas Gov. Rick Perry, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Rep. Michele Bachmann (Minn.), business executive Herman Cain and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman -- stood on a high podium with lights blinding their eyes for two hours, reporters gathered in a plush press filing room that looked more like a lounge or club than a workspace.

The white carpet and white walls were a stark contrast to the Google primary colors - blue, red, yellow and green - decorating everything from the smoothie bar -- pina-colada (lemon and lime), strawberry or blueberry -- to a candy bar, a "movie theater," and all the long couches and beanbag chairs that had the Google logo prominently splashed on them.

It was definitely a different setup than reporters are used to. The filing room in Ames, Iowa, by contrast, was an otherwise empty gymnasium with a hundred or so folding tables and journalists straining their necks to watch the debate on the JumboTron hanging from the ceiling.

READ reporters tweeting about the press filing room:

 

 

Comments

[Shelly Jefferson]

02:16 PM on 09/25/2011

Is there a huff post article that actually tells you who the winner of the debate was?I feel stupider for having read this.

[Iva Hanna]

12:29 PM on 09/23/2011

First line of article. Forget who won the debate. Isn't this the usual status quo on all the debates and straw polls? Media blackout that Ron Paul won the online debate last night. The memory hole is full. Do the corporations and banksters (sorry, I mean media) really think people don't know this?

[mosttruthful]

09:22 AM on 09/23/2011

This is news?

[Billy Jack]

09:03 AM on 09/23/2011

Free lap dances!

[Carl Caroli]

08:52 AM on 09/23/2011

Trying to buy good press, no doubt.

[Vineyard House]

08:51 AM on 09/23/2011

Did Perry turn any water into wine???

[Sam Mccloud]

08:44 AM on 09/23/2011

That Google would team up with Fox News certainly lessens my opinion of Google. Any corporation that would team up with Fox News is just another shill for the extreme Right-Wing.

[getridofem]

08:44 AM on 09/23/2011

What about the strippers in the "Santorum VIP Lounge"?

[zorro869]

09:00 AM on 09/23/2011

You mean the froth?

[ShawnRay]

08:42 AM on 09/23/2011

Fox and Google have both been solid investments.

[gutteringdawn]

08:36 AM on 09/23/2011

Wow.

"...and that's how drug company money is corrupting doctors. This is Robert Bazell reporting from the google press spa and pleasuretarium for NBC News."

[v eyepete]

08:32 AM on 09/23/2011

You mean our "journalists" go down for a smoothie? Why doesn't this surprise me?

[watoos013]

08:31 AM on 09/23/2011

I heard the Fox reporters even played Twister.

[Bedingo]

08:21 AM on 09/23/2011

That is the reason the reporters don't have time to report on Wall street demonstrations and sit-ins. The demonstrators don't have enough to bribe the reporters

[v eyepete]

08:37 AM on 09/23/2011

Yes what about those Wall street demonstrations? The only thing I saw on all the major news outlets a small blurb in the NY Times. Why is everyone else ignoring this story? People are getting their head kicked in by over the top police 'protection' and no one is saying a thing.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/wall-street-protests-continue-with-at-least-5-arrested/?hp

HP is really disappointing as it becomes an entertainment gossip site.

[china6]

08:20 AM on 09/23/2011

So lame HP another new low.

[SteveSFM]

08:28 AM on 09/23/2011

If you're gonna make a statement like that, explain it.

[v eyepete]

08:38 AM on 09/23/2011

Maybe I can offer that there are demonstrations on Wall Street and no one is saying a thing. Are you close enough to go have a look?

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/19/wall-street-protests-continue-with-at-least-5-arrested/?hp

[ShawnRay]

08:41 AM on 09/23/2011

It is another non-story

[Pennsanic]

08:18 AM on 09/23/2011

Google can afford nice perks for the reporters--since they sidestepped some $3 billion in taxes by moving their income offshore.