On Their Trail

We've inaugurated a new segment on my show called, On Their Trail. It's our look at the candidates' misstatements, blunders and cheap shots. We've started this recurring segment because there are so many examples out there -- and too few in the mainstream media are keeping track.

Comments

[Bulbul]

Dan , watch your show often, lot of times it was frustrating, the show used to dwell too much on creepy matatials. Predetors etc. please that needs to go !
Last few days it is good and the no spin mode is very refreshing. Rachal absolutely adds more to the intellects. When all of you were predicting NH results, everyone went for double digit win for Obama, Rachal reluctantly said four. We all know the outcome of it now, don`t we ? .
Please do not go back to the sleeze factor, keep that for the late night !

[dmac]

Having seen Abrams' show, I think the segment can have value --- some comic, some report when the candidates are lying about their own stance or a competitor's record.

I believe that should be pointed out by the media, since reading through any number of comments on any number of threads here at HuffPost, it would seem that the majority of people are getting their information about candidates from the MSM and a handful of bloggers.

What the heck, guys, go to the candidates' websites and check out their stances, policies, and plans for yourself. Then follow up the ones that interest you to see if they're consistently singing that song while campaigning.

"How about a new segment that keeps track of, you know, things like issues, specific plans, and policy proposals? Now, THERE's a new idea."
OK, so a news show covers Cadidate X's stance on Iraq....will we then hear, "X is all about the war --- what about domestic/economic/education/immigration/etc issues, what about the issue(s) that I'M most worried about?

How about not waiting to be spoon fed the information you need to make your decision and doing the research yourself? Now, THERE's a new idea.

[TuffPosh]

What BobbyJoe said. Plus, the Dem Party already has their own Gaffe Squad, called FlipperTV. Rather than suggesting that people go to campaign events and ask about policy, they want the gaffes. It has more than a whiff of Big Brother, with the DNC in the role of PC enforcers.

If Abrams wants to do real reporting and differentiate himself from other MSM "reporters", let me suggest going to campaign appearances, asking real questions about their policies, and then showing us the responses. Since Abrams isn't an expert in anything, all he has to do is contact experts across the spectrum for the questions to ask that would reveal flaws in their policies.

Here's one from me:

http://nomoreblather.com/hillary-clinton-dream-act

Somehow I don't think Abrams is going to rush to ask that or anything like it.

[tonyc]

Commenter BobbyJoe (above) is right, Dan. People are sick of you media types handling political coverage with the same approach you use for TMZ-style celebrity coverage. Olbermann's show isn't the big prime time draw at MSNBC because people like his hair, it's the big time draw because political coverage is taken seriously, and there's attention paid to more than just who's had the most recent gaffe.

You'd do well to try to treat politics like it matters on your show, because, well, it does. Until this happens, people will be tuning into MSNBC for Countdown and changing the channel once 9pm EST rolls around.

[BobbyJoe]

Too few in the mainstream media are keeping track? Of blunders, cheap shots, and misstatements? Sorry, but I just laughed so hard the soft drink I was drinking shot up my nose.

Heck, blunders, cheap shots and misstatements are pretty much the ONLY thing the mainstream media keeps track of these days.

How about a new segment that keeps track of, you know, things like issues, specific plans, and policy proposals? Now, THERE's a new idea.