'World News' reports on ABC debate

As expected, the East Coast version of ABC's "World News" broadcast today reported on the aftermath of Wednesday night's controversial debate.

After a segment about the pope's visit to the U.S., "World News" anchor Charles Gibson, who had co-moderated the debate with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos, turned to politics. He referred to the debate as "contentious" for the candidates but added what has been more apparent on the blogosphere today: that the day-after criticism has been "aimed toward the debate itself."

ABC News correspondent David Wright reported from Philadelphia about the fallout. The segment showed Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) ridiculing the debate questions during a speech today and former President Bill Clinton brushing off the Obama complaints. Clinton pointed out that his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.), has been attacked by criticism for "14 months." He said, in part, "I didn't hear her whining."

Wright said that ABC heard from "thousands of angry viewers" today, and he read viewer comments on both sides. (A look at the ABC message board shows that more than 16,850 posts have flooded the news website.)

When the news segment ended, Gibson concluded, "We appreciate all the comments sent in from all points of view."

ABC drew 10.7 million viewers for the debate, the most-watched of the campaign season.

-- Kate Aurthur

Comments

[mary clevealnd]

CONFLICT OF INTEREST. George stephanopoulos moderating the debate for the Clintons was like a being JURY selected to serve at his.her mother's murder trial. Do we realy expect that, as a jury he was going to vote for aquital or conviction. It was a blunder to have him moderate in that debate.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS SHOULD LEAVE THE ABC AND JOIN HANITY ON FOX NEWS. I WILL NEVER WATCH ABC NEWS EVER. IT'S A VERY VERY BIASED NEWS ORGANIZATION.
THE WHOLE DEBATE A WAS BLUNDER AND WASTE OF TIME.
WE AS VOTERS WANTED TO HEAR ABOUT WHAT THE CANDIDATES WILL DO FOR THE ECONOMY, JOBS., HEALTH CARE AND THE WAR THAT SHOULD NEVER HAD BEEN
AUTHORIZED, AND THAT HAD KILLED INNOCENT IRAQ CIVILILANS, AND THOUSANDS OF OUR SOLDIERS.

INSTEAD, WHAT ABC WANTED US TO HEAR WERE WHETHER REV. WRIGHT LOVES AMERICA, WHY OBAMA DIDN'T LEAVE THE CHURCH. WE AS VOTERS DESERVED TO HEAR ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT MATTERS TO US, NOT THE BULL-SH-- WE HEARD ON THAT DEBATE.

GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS----is now KNOWN AS GEORGE HANNITY.

SHAME ON ABC. ABC NEWS' MANAGEMENT SHOULD APOLOGIZE TO THE VIEWERS FOR TORTURING VIEWERS WHO WATCHED THE DEBATE.

SHAME ON ABC.

[Justin McCarthy]

Boycott ABC and CNN for promoting provincial politics to satisfy their agendas...

[warren]

obama should never debate with hilary again. let her wallow, along with her entourage, in her circus of smoke and mirrors! this latest debate was an insult to the american voters and abc should be ashamed. i agree, i will no longer watch the abc newscasts. they, along with their other programming offers, have sunk to the bottom of the bucket!

[Nick]

There's nothing particular about ABC, the whole media suffers from the same fixation on scandal. Everything I watch seems to be an effort to jump from one controversy to the next. It's all about ratings, and unfortunately its these scandals that make us stop channel surfing or click on a news story. Like most people, I already know who I'm going to vote for in November, but to be honest I still watch CNN, Fox, and love to click on news articles about how the other candidate may see a fall in polling after some new scandal breaks. Although I'd give it all up for quality... seems like the Lehrer News Hour and NPR are all we have left.

[I'm No Pollyanna]

I thought the debate was very revealing. Thank you ABC.
I'm wondering why there isn't real exposure of Obama's Trinity Church doctrines. I keep reading some very detailed articles done by scholars, and journalists explaining that the Black Liberation movement is very Marxist. After observing the tactics of Obama's race-baiting campaign, his associations, the money behind his run for president, I'm beginning to be alarmed.
Better this comes out now. I do know the Republicans think they'll beat Obama, and I think this is the reason why.
Radical extremists have been stating for years that the way to bring down the U.S. is a race war. How sad, because we have come so far, and have much to do to set an example to the world that we are working toward a better future for all. I love this melting-pot nation. The different races are the jewels in the crown of our country.
Please people, know thy candidates. If Obama wins the nomination, I hope John McCain will pick Colin Powell for his running-mate.

[Ann Knapp]

I thought it was a great debate. The Obamaites have been so pampered by the press, they are like "cry me a river" because the debate showed more of the real Obama than they wanted to see or hear. The issues have been discussed to the ground; however, the personal side of Obama and how quickly he came on the scene of senatorialship and faster than that, the presidential run. It is scary. I thought the most revealing thing about his real character was when the discussion of using former presidents came up when he said he would use a Republican, old George Bush rather than any democratic past president. You can tell when he is uncomfortable because he always starts telling about being born to a black father and white mother or saying he prefers to stick to other issues. A long time ago I felt very uneasy with him. This debate showed me in full that I am not wrong. I only hope it won't be too late for America. Last time the evangelicals were taken in by Bush and here we go again falling for a "golden tongue".

[jacilyn]

I'm very disturbed by the coverage this election has gotten. It seems to me this is the first time Obama hasn't been handed his pillow, and not only did he not handle it well, but the entire media press corps is going to town defending him and attacking the moderators. Of course there were thousands of comments on ABC's boards - the pro-Obama blogs were actively trying to flood the boards to manipulate opinions. Obama did very poorly, but the media wants Obama to be the nominee.

[Jeffrey Talley]

It appears Stephanopoulos and Gibson don't need to worry about health care, poverty, and losing a loved one in a bogus war since they didn't bother to touch on these truly important issues. Sadly, we all know they are aware of these issues, and they KNOWINGLY CHOSE to ask the irrrelevant questions. ABC should apologize to both candidates and the American public.

[Mike]

I've rarely watched ABC in the past because I always thought they had mediocre programming. However, I did try to catch "This Week" and "World News" when they were on. But no more. I'll pick up the "National Enquirer" or turn to "Fox News" when I need biased or gossip news.

[Teri B.]

I think we can all agree the "flag pin" question was a bit much, though I didn't realize "the women on the street" who asked the question was actually someone the NY Times quoted about this, but all these other questions really were legitimate. The media has focused on the Rev. Wright and "bitter" remarks ad nauseum, and this IS the first debate held since these issues came up. But the larger point is that of the other 20-something debates, many of them focused rather harshly on Clinton's negatives. This ONE debate was more focused on Obama's, the front runner's, negatives, and the whining is deafening - just deafening. I think that highlights pretty starkly just how great the bias in the media really is. And let's face it, if he had actually performed well, no one would be saying a word, other than to praise how he tough he is.

This entire argument highlights IMO a greater issue, the liberal media's overwhelming favoritism toward Obama, and that's actually the more substantive issue here. When Clinton was the front-runner, that was the "excuse" for her getting the majority of the hammering. If Obama makes it to the general election, you can bet he's going to get roughed up plenty and that these issues are going to come up again.

I know Obama supporters and the Obamedia are angry about this debate - well take a walk in my shoes. This is how the frustraition feels when the media is unduly influencing this election.

But Obama sure never complained about being the liberal media's darling for all these months. So . . . he can cry me a river. He's still way ahead on the media bias scale.

Here's an interesting article on the pin issue:

CNN's glass house: Sr. VP reportedly criticized ABC debate question about flag pin -- but CNN has repeatedly covered issue

http://mediamatters.org/items/200804180011

[Steven Gardner]

Why is it wrong to ask senator obama anything that might be a tough question. It seems to me that he has studied and adopted the Clinton handbook on how to duck tough questions and make the other guy appear to be a wacko. I think we as a country have finally crossed the line of "what's in it for ME" mentatlity. Socialism will make everything equal. No one will have anything . What will America be like when the nanny state can't afford to take care of everyone because all productive people have been driven to mediocrity?

[cog843]

At the ABC website on the debate story, there is a message board for responses. Almost all of the posts are critical of ABC but a huge number of critical posts are being continuously deleted. As far as I can tell they leave all pro-ABC posts, and they also leave posts that are critical but stupid, with silly remarks and spelling errors. Certain criticisms will get a post erased in seconds: comparing ABC's tactics in the debate to Fox News, talking about Gibson's faults as a journalist, and especially saying that Stephanopolous favors Clinton. Total censorship for those posts at ABC--it's hilarious and pathetic.