CNN / YouTube Debates - For Steve Grove and Dave Bohrman

[dustylq]

my wife is black ......but....is this what black people who are trying to sound like when trying to sound white???? or.....? are they doing it on purpose

[02javis]

HELLLOOO.

LOL!

[Huckit]

u ugly

[jaredly2]

Well said!

[christopherquinn]

You are articulate and right though about YouTube/CNN blowing it and that it is very serious, more than they realize.

[christopherquinn]

... the actual reason they set a ratings record is because the RON PAUL supporters tuned in in droves because they felt that, since Ron Paul was doing so well via the internet, and YouTube in particular, Ron Paul was finally going to get viable questions and allowed to shine. Instead, YouTube and CNN alienated all the Ron Paul supporters by the terrible choice of questions, by ignoring Dr. Paul for the most part, and the obviously bias questions submitted to him.

[freeclipss]

OH MY GOD the frist black dude on youtube that blogs!

[02javis]

its not the frist is the scond

lol!

[YaLibnanTV]

are you still on that obama train man? come on, you know ron paul is the man for the job...

[Huckit]

he and more blacks would vote for ron paul if he wasnt white

[1974bky]

you are a sorry person saying blacks would vote for paul this should not about a person skin i feel you must be a young

[rizzo1000]

According to Rasmussen poll 11/23/07 the GOP top issues are: Health Care (64%), the Economy (70%), Immigration (70%), Government Ethics and Corruption (76%), and especially National Security and the War on Terror (83%). No flag burning anywhere to be found.

[Twinsfan2009]

Had the flag burning amendment passed the Senate last year, there would be a lot of media attention about the issue. It could have been the first amendment ratified in fifteen years. None of these issues you listed concern Constitutional Amendments. Citizens can become more involvedwith the ratification of Amendments, thus increasing political efficacy and voter participation. Those have been on the decline lately.

[rizzo1000]

Ok how about this for a reason that it would be stupid for this to be in the debate. Its a Presidential nomination debate right? So it has to do with stuff he/she would do as President, right? The President is in no way, shape, or form part of the amendment process! So who cares what he/she thinks. They don't vote on amendments at all!

[Twinsfan2009]

The President can have a major influence on what Congress passes.

[rizzo1000]

The President has no vote whatsoever in what happens in the amendment process.  That in and of itself is reason enough it shouldn't be in any Presidential debate.

[Twinsfan2009]

But the president has a much poltical capital. What has our president done about national health care?

[rizzo1000]

He hasn't done anything. Of course if they had the votes to make an Amendment about it, he would be out of the process. But just trying to pass a law... well that he can veto. Thats the difference. I'm talking about what laws can be passed, something the President has a stake in. You're talking about Amendments, something the President has NO stake in.

[Twinsfan2009]

Presidents are allowed to weigh their opinion on proposed Constitutional amendments, and their political capital counts. Fine then, let's talk about possible a law passed by Congress prohibiting the physical desecration of a flag. There's bills saying that.

[Twinsfan2009]

Instead of the question concerning "What does the Confederate flag mean to you?" I believe it would have been more appropriate to ask a question about the American flag. I asked a question about Flag Desecration, which is a major political issue. The Flag Desecration issue evokes much personal feelings and would spark a contentious. Let's face it, the Confederate is not this country's flag. It is a symbol of hate.

[rizzo1000]

Flag Desecration is a major issue? Are you kidding? I can't even recall the last time I saw anyone burn a flag. How about healthcare, now thats a major issue! And not one question got in the debate. In the Democratic one, it was saved until dead last in case they ran out of time too. I'm beginning to think CNN doesn't think 47 million people without health insurance matters at all.

[Twinsfan2009]

If it's not a major issue then how come the Senate fell 1 vote short of the 2/3 it needed to vote for a Constitutional Amendment? That's 66 votes. How come the Senate can get over a majority of votes for a Constitutional amendment, but not even a simple majority on your health care issue? Flag burning has always been very controversial, especially when there's a national military draft because many young Americans are dissenting against governmental policies.

[rizzo1000]

Because it makes you look "patriotic", thats why they could get so many votes! I don't think anyone has burned a flag since the draft. Nobody cares about flag burning until someone says "ooh we have to do something about flag burning"... like it ever even happens anymore. But by voting for it politicians get to look patriotic at a time where if you wear a red sweater someone would say you're unpatriotic.

[Twinsfan2009]

It evokes a lot of personal feelings, especially for veterans. The American Legion is a strong supporter of the Flag Desecration amendment. It wasnt just supported by the GOP, as current GOP Leader Mitch McConnell voted against the bill. Despite all this, don't you think a question aboutthe American flag is more appropriate than the Confederate flag?

[rizzo1000]

I didn't say the GOP. I said politicians.  I don't think either question is important, not when a topic like healthcare was COMPLETELY left out.

[rabid]

Yes flag burning is very controversial, it's also irrelevant, and not important. It's a bullshit diversionary non-issue.

[sonnybrown]

exactly

[sonnybrown]

There should have been a vote here on youtube along with them picking the videos to be shown. I think that would have been best.

[aliakbar01]

Damn right - CNN disappointed a great deal of people. The Republicans held their own - thank God.

New Media was held back b/c of CNN's distaste for adamant truth and fairness.

As a conservative I have had the unique and tiring task of defending CNN in the past, as it is my source of news, however I cannot do that anymore. There was not only a bias, but a shaping of the election, and a poor selection of videos.

[chukmaty]

I agree Zennie, though I was thrilled to see Dav McMillan selected I was a bit perturbed to see a lack of questions from minorities on questions other than minority specific issues.

One thing that I understand though is that they could not inform you of your question not being chosen because they could not leak that info to anyone.

Love listening to your analysis.

[bbburton]

Unfortunately you failed to acknowledge how overwhelmingly people expressed disappointment with the format and conduct of the debate, not just only with how questions were selected. This debate was a farce, and not to see that is indefensible. I agree with your opinions about Grove and Bohrman.

[CNNfan]

bbburton, What are you talking about? The verbal wit of the Republican Candidates was truly remarkable. Not to put down the democrats in any way whatsoever... But the CNN/YouTube Republican Debate was far more stimulating and interesting. Watch the encore!

[bbburton]

When CNN chooses to use a question about whether or not a candidate believes every word in the bible, I get a little perturbed. I don't really care about their wit as I do about their positions on pressing issues of foreign policy, domestic policy, and economic policy. This debate was, in my opinion, a farce. The exchange between McCain and Paul on the war was incidental to his answer to the question presented, and Cooper giving Paul 30sec to respond was a joke.

[CNNfan]

I appreciate CNN for featuring you, Zennie, in both debates on TV. However, I friendly disagree with you, Number one, you were so lucky to have been chosen to be on CNN. Secondly, CNN has a history of promoting diversity in newsrooms, especially among African-American journalists. Lastly, Zennie give credit to the Republican Candidates for making it one for the history books.

[boratFAN999]

Thank you!

[j0eg0d]

Well said Zennie.

[boratFAN999]

I mean the comment concerning RP. You said "I think that CNN gives him this exposure is good and just."

I just disagree with that (look at the speaking time).

I agree completely with the other things you pointed out in the vid. That's why I wanted to raise another issue, e.g. speaking time.

[musicsheddcom]

Like Mike Gravel said, CNN is holding youtube back

[kenrg]

I'm pleased to hear your perspective on this, and get more background than I had on this before. It answers a few of the questions I had about the debate. But, frankly, none of this actually surprised me.

[shelbinatorTV]

I don't think CNN will take the ratings as explicit approval of the format. Though this one broke a record with like, what, 4.5 million viewers? The CNN Dem debate two weeks ago in Vegas was right on its heels with 4 million and change, which is a huge jump from like 2M on average for earlier debates. It has mostly to do with the impending primaries.

[boratFAN999]

I comment on this vid because you wouldn't reply on the other vids you made about Ron Paul.

I'm glad you reply to me here.

It's not off-topic if I refer to your statement that you support Obama.

And I understand your comments in the vid.

I just disagree with you saying CNN is fair.

[boratFAN999]

Total speaking time (CNN YouTube GOP debate): Rudy Giuliani - 16:45 Mitt Romney - 13:39 John McCain - 11:39 Fred Thompson - 10:26 Mike Huckabee - 9:37 Ron Paul - 7:21 Duncan Hunter - 4:46 Tom Tancredo - 3:50 Ron Paul has won several straw polls. It's a fact but CNN ignores it! Sorry, we seem to have different views about what is "good and just". That's why we don't understand each other.

[shelbinatorTV]

Wow, interesting stats, I'm glad someone tallied it up. This looks a lot like the Dem debates, where HRC and BO get about twice as much time as the average of the rest. I was impressed (and scared) by Huckabee, and he got about as much time as Joe Biden, who I like, does in Dem debates. While WAY too conservative for me, Huck strikes me as the genuine article, not a slick politician, and that's what I like about Joe, too.

[videooak]

Excellent video! Good information on how the sausage is made!

[boratFAN999]

What I mean is: on the one hand you critize CNN but on the other hand you support Obama who in fact gets HUGE support of CNN.

It's obvious: The first 20 min (or more) of the debate in Las Vegas (Dems) were dedicated to Obama and Hilly.

The same at the Dem. YouTube debates.

That's what I don't understand.

[boratFAN999]

But if you criticize CNN, why do you buy the fight between Hillary and Obama?

Although Obama hasn't taken any options off the table (wars of aggression etc.) just like Hilly?

CNN (and others) want you to think that it's between those two. But in fact: it isn't.

I simply don't understand....

[boratFAN999]

Thank you for this statement. You are right. CNN made the partners happy but not the viewers.

Of course, I still don't agree with you concerning Ron Paul.

Unfortunately, your question to Ron Paul wasn't chosen.

He would have given you an answer that would have made you think completely different.

Ron Paul is not extreme (neither right nor left), he is outstanding.