Sunday, November 11, 2007

"Questionable" questions...

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Last week Hillary did not like the questions she got from Tim Russert during the debate so it looks like she has taken control of that problem also. It has been reported that her staff was "feeding" questions for those in the crowd to ask her...

"On Tuesday Nov. 6, the Clinton campaigstopped at a biodiesel plant in Newton as part of a weeklong series of events to introduce her new energy plan. The event was clearly intended to be as much about the press as the Iowa voters in attendance, as a large press core helped fill the small venue....

"After her speech, Clinton accepted questions. But according to Grinnell College student Muriel Gallo-Chasanoff ’10, some of the questions from the audience were planned in advance. 'They were canned,' she said. Before the event began, a Clinton staff member approached Gallo-Chasanoff to ask a specific question after Clinton’s speech. 'One of the senior staffers told me what [to ask],' she said.


"The campaign's admission that it planted the question may be another blow to the New York senator's image as a trustworthy politician.
Clinton's critics have accused her of being a double-talker who refuses to answer tough questions specifically. Now her campaign has acknowledged planting at least one question".

3 comments:

zen said...

Can you explain how this is any different than a sitting president allowing only ticket-holding, friendly audiences into functions the way that Bush has done? I don't recall you pointing any of that behavior out as shady. I know you couldn't possibly have a double standard. ;)

mediator07 said...

Zen,

Is that any different from what Clinton did when in office?

Remember when the reporter asked a question on the southlawn and Bill Clinton jumped him up one side and down the other for asking a hard question? Can't remember the question but do recall the clip of Bill going Ballistic.

RightsideVA said...

I believe that was the guy from World net daily and he asked Clinton a question and got himself banned from the Whitehouse. He asked Clinton about illegal money from China and campaign finance scandal. Slick Willie got mad and jumped all over this guy for it was considered out of line so “Controlled Environments” have and will always be around in politics.

Interesting how it was illegal campaign money from China back then and now there are questions about Hillary taking Max contributions from min-wage dishwashers in Chinatown.

Today there is a interview with the student who was involved in the provided question incident at Hillary’s show and now says there were other questions provided and they were tailored in advance to fit the people selected to ask Hillary. I believe we can agree that this probably happens on all sides of public appearances and news forums and that all campaigns are now busy to make sure it is not discovered again in the near future.

It is interesting how some appearances are controlled to prevent potential bad or unfavorable questions\incidents. The true candidate comes out when the unexpected or tough question arrives. Hillary is still taking heat from her answer to Tim Russert’s question in the last debate and Wolfie has been warned as to what he asks in the next Democratic debate. Is that the forum or environment that voters want when they look at the candidates?

Lets not forget when the forum\environment is not “controlled” and what happens. Look at all the times that Conservative speakers have been shouted down or have pies thrown at them by “Students” who would not allow them to talk at an invited event. These speakers have been invited by a conservative group of the college only to have the opposing “Students” interrupting and preventing the actual remarks. Is this what they are looking for? Should these events be “Controlled” so the invited person could at least talk to those who came to see them talk?