Debate Prep
Reported by Chrish - September 29, 2004 -
Today (9/28) on Studio B, Carl Cameron and Molly Hennenberg reported on the candidates' preps for the "so-called debate" (thanks to Lou Dobbs for his straightforward talk). During Cameron's piece, he described Kerry's preperations today as "pretty aggressive" and again used the emotional trigger term "murder boards"* while
we viewed footage of Kerry shaking hands with supporters, with Springsteen music audible in the background. Cameron summarized that the purpose of Kerry's rehearsal was to get the message to manageable sound-bites.
Molly Hennenberg then described Bush as ready, having prepared over the weekend, just having some informal sessions to fine tune his main talking points. He was reportedly out mountain biking and fishing, to clear his head. (Insert joke here.)
Molly then told us that VP Cheney was on the campaign trail, "as running mates often do, they often level the harshest criticism against the rival ticket." She said "Cheney said , quote, Kerry not ready to be commander in chief and Kerry "has shown, quote, endless vacillation and indecision on Iraq." We were immediately shown a 30-second or so clip of VPC's stump speech with those exact words and much more, all anti-Kerry.
The self-proclaimed fair and balanced network failed to show any clips of VP-candidate Edwards on the campaign trail assailing Bush's competence, truthfulness, or mistakes.
Comment: More of the SS,DD reported yesterday.
Apparently in the world of debate, where I don't live, 'murder boards' is a familiar term for some kind of drill. I got it wrong yesterday, writing 'murder room' instead. The point I was making, which still stands, is that the word MURDER was insinuated into the segment about John Kerry, and I believe the vast majority of FOX viewers are probably unfamiliar with the backroom preps for debate. From what I've seen most of their "debate" skills are limited to nitpicking, dismissing, and yelling down the opposing view.
Thanks to the readers and commenters who tend to the nitpickers so I don't have to. ;-)
