What Passes For Debate

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

Back in the days of our radio show, our standard name for the media was one taken from Jerry Lewis..."pimps and whores". After last night, it's obvious we were too kind.

Instead of sonorously intoning various articles of the Constitution when returning from an ad for bowel cleansing yogurt, perhaps Gibson and Stephanopoulos could have focused just one question on the administration that has been shredding it section by section.

Granted, that may be too much too ask when Charlie & Little George's capital gains taxes are in danger of rising and they need to ascertain just how much bomb-making knowledge the non flag-lapel-pin-wearing Obama may have acquired while listening to sermons. Ohh..and Senator Clinton would you like to add to that?...was your grandfather bitter when he kept a flask of Crown Royal inside the bible he carried on hunting trips?

But it was comforting to see the cutaways to all the Clinton supporters in the audience. And it was reassuring to hear Hillary imply that, with regards to the Bosnia tarmac, yes she may have lied but she won't ever lie again.

It's hard to go on because last night was beyond satire. We have a good friend who doesn't follow politics but watched the debate -- she found it "insulting". Living as we do in Pa., we've heard from more than a few people that Ed Rendell has been trundling across the state threatening any mayor who supports Obama with the loss of funds...that might be news.

But there is no news anymore. We defy anyone to watch the performance of Gibson and Stephanopoulos last night...and then, turn over to C-SPAN for coverage of Cheney at the Radio & Television Correspondents Dinner. Watch the press pissing themselves with laughter over inane quips from a blood-drenched torturer...and tell us this country isn't fucked.

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

Comments

[SteveClements]

I still don't get it. They jump all over Obama because of the bitter word, Rev Wright, flag pins, and what someone he may loosely be associated with has said or done years ago. Has anybody noticed that her nuclear umbrella over the whole Mid-East has made her more of a hawk than even McCain and the neo-cons? That she has staked the ground of fighting for those "average" Americans making over $100,000 a year, or has anyone even commented on her praising "the great American Drug companies" at the so-called compassion forum? Those are real issues, real gaffes, and real examples of eltism, but not one pundit has yet commented on them. The media establishment sure seems to be in cahoots in taking Obama and his people's campaign down.

[Fabienne]

The "great American drug companies" are pushers on a grand scale. Over 100,000 deaths in a year due to legal drugs, not from overdoses either.

[apoyo]

If true, aren't Rendell's threats extortion and blackmail? This is America???

[Yansher]

Yes it is but how do you prove it?

[realpolitic]

You know, Governor Rendell is an old-school party hack. The time for back-room-dealing politicans like him are over. He is the last of an era. Thank Goodness!

[apoyo]

If the Penn folk choose Hillary, they deserve not only Ed Rendell but also their bitterness.

You can't help people who refuse to help themselves.

[desmirl]

ABC NEWS managed to embarass itself with a blunder for the AGES.

[mounthood]

Don't make light of the bowel-cleansing yogurt ad. Anyone watching the debate needed all the crap-purging help they could get.

[NoMoreDrama]

Great One. Ha!

[doneflyin]

Oh, that was a good one and so appropriate.

That's exactly what that debate was. Pure crap.
Shoddy, shoddy journalism. Just a set up hit job on Obama.

[RoveRoveRoveYourBoat]

Greetings guys, If you can substantiate and broadly publicize Rendell's corupt treachery, treatening mayors ... wow!!! At the very least I'd click your Huff Post fan tab.

[Henry]

It does seem, does it not, that if you want to be the baseball slugger of all time that you need to be a creature of steroids? (I've heard that "insider information" is the metaphor for steroids in the financial world)

[Shortyfuse]

I do not know whose neck to wring first. Maybe it is the blatant corporate butt kissing talking heads that asked the questions last night. Maybe it is the Democratic Party for letting our two very, very good candidates be questioned by these tabloid paparazzo that are Stephanopoulos and Gibson.

[CaptainObvious]

I knew it was going to be a farce just from watching the introduction segment - they sounded like they were hosting the Super Bowl or something. Then they cut to commercial less than 5 minutes in. It's no wonder they asked the audience to refrain from reacting to their questions and answers - there would have been a heck of a lot more jeering and heckling otherwise.