ABC to address debate controversy on 'World News'

Stung by outrage in the blogosphere and by the number of angry comments posted by viewers on its website following Wednesday night’s Democratic presidential debate, ABC "World News" will broadcast a story about the controversy this evening.

According to a source at the network, the story will air near the top of the broadcast and will include critical comments made by Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on the presidential campaign trail today, as well as reaction from viewers, plenty of it negative (though some will be positive).

One of the debate’s co-moderators, Charles Gibson, anchors the newscast. His colleague, George Stephanopoulos, joined him in Philadelphia last night, where, in the first half of the two-hour debate between Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), they focused on what they called “electability questions” rather than issues. These included questions about whether Obama's not wearing a flag pin means he is not patriotic and whether Clinton’s tall tale about landing under sniper fire in Bosnia means she cannot be trusted.

-- Robin Abcarian

Comments

[alexis jones]

re: the ABC debate:
I thought it was pitiful debate management, disgraceful to the candidates, and not up the standards to which the broadcast industry insists that others use. Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos would not know a true debate if one jumped up and bit them in their collective ***!

[mona]

First of all George Stephanopoulos should not have been one of the moderators. He was Bill Clinton press secetary.> No substance at all. I enjoyed previous debates on other net works. Especially on CNN. Shame on you George for taking questions .from Fox news. Shame on ABC.

[Lourdes Chu]

although a right wing conservative, i have chosen abc to be the best of the 3 networks for news info at the 6:30 slot. For years Peter Jennings would get under my skin with his subtle jabs at my beliefs, but i was able to go beyond that and acknowledge the professionalism at the abc news dept. of course i comend Charlie Gibson and Stephanopolous for grilling Obama.