ABC News Pre-emptive coverage of the debates LOL

[RebelYell]

Is ABC psychic now? This is written in past-tense.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. Sept. 30, 2004 — After a deluge of campaign speeches and hostile television ads, President Bush and challenger John Kerry got their chance to face each other directly Thursday night before an audience of tens of millions of voters in a high-stakes debate about terrorism, the Iraq war and the bloody aftermath.

The 90-minute encounter was particularly crucial for Kerry, trailing slightly in the polls and struggling for momentum less than five weeks before the election. The Democratic candidate faced the challenge of presenting himself as a credible commander in chief after a torrent of Republican criticism that he was prone to changing his positions.

Bush was expected to confront questions about leading the nation into war on the still-unproven premise that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. He also has faced accusations that he lacked a strategy to deal with the violence and chaos that have left more than 1,000 Americans dead and that the Iraq war has diverted U.S. attention from al-Qaida and other terrorists.

With a record of four years in office to defend, Bush had a debate strategy of being optimistic about Iraq but acknowledging that times were tough. His stance is that Americans know he is a decisive leader even if they don't always agree with his decisions and that Kerry has taken conflicting positions on Iraq and can't be trusted to lead the nation.

~~~~~~~~

http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Politics/ap20040930_1184.html

[high density]

1. Did Rob Corddry of "The Daily Show" write this?

He joked about this last night or the night before.

"The debate's focus on Iraq was sharpened by bombings in Baghdad Thursday that killed three dozen children."

Screw the AP!

[tridim]

5. Wow, that's freaky

It was last night's show that Cordry said that. About 12 hours ago. We should send this to TDS.

[krkaufman]

15. * * * VIDEO CLIP of Ed Helm's bit on the debates, from Weds night * * *

Yes, Helms. See this clip:

http://home.comcast.net/~krkweb/helms_on_debates.wmv
(3MB, 2m45s)

[RebelYell]

22. LOL LOL LOL n/t

[high density]

25. Ah, Ed Helms

Thanks for the clip.

[MsTryska]

2. I think we need to send them a deluge of mail...

and maybe send a copy to Keith Olbermeyer too. and the Daily Show.

they all need to be exposed for the shams they are.

[PCIntern]

3. Looks like something got out that shouldn't have...

Next: BUSH WINS!!!

Having lost the electoral and populart vote, President Bush declared himself the winner of yesterday's election. Said Bush, "I ain't leaving'. I jus' pronounced myself ruler for life."

The Republican controlled Congress applauded his actions, sid Henry Hyde, "Look it's better than that we take a chance on some Democrat. Face it, Hitler was more effective than Chanberlain, and who'd you rather have a beer with anyway?"\

[Supersedeas]

4. Bush had a debate strategy of being optimistic???

Yes, he sounded very optimistic....or he will.

[krkaufman]

17. "optimistic" == D E L U S I O N A L

Kerry needs to keep pointing out that Bush's statements on the state of affairs in Iraq are DELUSIONALLY optimistic. We need more of the "fantasy world of spin" stuff from JK.

[muriel_volestrangler]

6. "The debates were staged ...

... under a rigid set of rules negotiated by the candidates' representatives to limit spontaneity and opportunities for back-and-forth exchanges."

Like having the reviews written before the debate? That certainly limits spontaniety.

[RebelYell]

7. ABC News - reporting the news before it happens! LOL n/t

[russian33]

9. I thought that was New York Post's job? strange

[PsN2Wind]

8. Kerry should, if given an opening,

say that the major change of position that he has had in his life was when he volunteered for Vietnam because he thought that by going there he was upholding the ideals of the United States in helping a country that was about to be overtaken by the communists. However after being there, in combat, he found out the true nature of the war and so came back, after being wounded 3 times, to protest the war and possibly to open the eyes of the many supporters of the war who for one reason avoided seeing it first-hand.

[RebelYell]

10. Maybe the debates aren't live

Pre-taped, like someone else said on another thread.

[faithnotgreed]

11. i went to the link because i couldnt believe that this was real

but of course it is..... unless its a spoof site, or unless it was hacked.

i try to give the benefit of the doubt first. sometimes aka verifying the story. but with that criteria, i dont think i would qualify to be a journalist or news writer

[napi21]

12. I think this is pretty standard stuff.

If you remember, all the media had a Reagan obit written for several years before he died. The write the part of the script that won't change so all they have to do is add the highlights at the end and it's ready.

[RebelYell]

14. Sure

But posting it 4-1/2 hours before the debates even start is getting way ahead of themselves.

What if Bush has a nervous breakdown or a seizure on TV?

[ParanoidPat]

13. WTF???

Save the page as 'web page, complete' if anyone wants a copy. :evilgrin:

I don't expect this to be around too long. :)

[Cronus Protagonist]

20. I took a copy

If this was just a reporter preparing to finish and file his story, then one wonders why it was on the net already published.

We all know the media already has to story written - this is just more proof of it.

http://brainbuttons.com/home.asp?stashid=13

[beaconess]

16. It's in past tense, but notice that it doesn't contain any info about what

actually happened at the debate - this is all "background."

It's not unusual for the press to write most of their story in advance and then plug in the updated information after it happens. Otherwise, they'd never make their deadline if they waited till the event was over and then started writing from scratch.

What's unusual is for the uncompleted story to be published - but the internet has changed all the rules.

[grasswire]

18. remember?

Stewart: but but but what if some real news happens?
Answer: That's what bloggers are for.

[krkaufman]

19. Yep, exactly. Video clip linked above. n/t

[MallRat]

21. Already forwarded to The Daily Show.

Note- I think this is AP's story on ABC's website.

Either way, it says an awful lot about the state of modern journalism.

-MR

[RebelYell]

23. AP is credited BUT

that proves TWO of the largest "news" orgs screwed up, LOL.

[liberal N proud]

24. It is probably written by the shrub campaign!

They probably got an advance copy from Carl Rove and were not supposed to post it until 11:00 PM EST.
It is another piece of evidence that the LIBERAL media is not so LIBERAL!