randolphus maximus
10-22-2007, 06:29 PM
http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/015252.php
Today on Heading Right Radio, Jim Geraghty and I spoke with a few of the campaigns in reviewing last night's Republican debate. Jon Henke joined us from the Thompson campaign and Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum spoke on behalf of Rudy Giuliani, and both covered the high points of their candidate very well. However, Mitt Romney advisor Ben Ginsberg made an observation that surprised me -- that Fox News Channel cooked the first part of the show to highlight the four frontrunners.
According to Ginsberg, Fox -- which aired Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on its regular broadcast affiliates -- set up the questions to maximize the airtime of the top-tier candidates. Knowing that the first pitch would come roughly 20 minutes into the debate, Ginsberg alleged that the FNC panel focused on questions that would generate sniping between the candidates, and deliberately shut out the second-tier candidates until after the game had started.
A check of the transcript seems to bear this out. Ron Paul didn't get asked a question until about 15-20 minutes into the debate, when Carl Cameron started the second round of questions. The game had a start time of 8:23 ET, or just about that particular moment. Paul would have either been missed by those who flipped the channel to watch a dramatic Game 7 or would have barely heard his response. Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, and Tom Tancredo all were first addressed afterwards.
Did Fox throw the second tier a curveball? Did the network set up its most controversial questions for the frontrunners and deliberately cut out the second tier until it expected to lose a significant portion of its audience? Some Republicans might have a legitimate beef with Fox News.
Today on Heading Right Radio, Jim Geraghty and I spoke with a few of the campaigns in reviewing last night's Republican debate. Jon Henke joined us from the Thompson campaign and Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum spoke on behalf of Rudy Giuliani, and both covered the high points of their candidate very well. However, Mitt Romney advisor Ben Ginsberg made an observation that surprised me -- that Fox News Channel cooked the first part of the show to highlight the four frontrunners.
According to Ginsberg, Fox -- which aired Game 7 of the American League Championship Series on its regular broadcast affiliates -- set up the questions to maximize the airtime of the top-tier candidates. Knowing that the first pitch would come roughly 20 minutes into the debate, Ginsberg alleged that the FNC panel focused on questions that would generate sniping between the candidates, and deliberately shut out the second-tier candidates until after the game had started.
A check of the transcript seems to bear this out. Ron Paul didn't get asked a question until about 15-20 minutes into the debate, when Carl Cameron started the second round of questions. The game had a start time of 8:23 ET, or just about that particular moment. Paul would have either been missed by those who flipped the channel to watch a dramatic Game 7 or would have barely heard his response. Mike Huckabee, Duncan Hunter, and Tom Tancredo all were first addressed afterwards.
Did Fox throw the second tier a curveball? Did the network set up its most controversial questions for the frontrunners and deliberately cut out the second tier until it expected to lose a significant portion of its audience? Some Republicans might have a legitimate beef with Fox News.