Clinton may have a point about always getting the first question

[DeepModem Mom]

USA Today: Clinton may have a point about always getting the first question

One increasingly common complaint from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign in recent weeks has been that she's treated more harshly by the media than her Democratic rival, Sen. Barack Obama.

Clinton brought it up near the start of last night's debate, when she said that "in the last several ... I seem to get the first question all the time. And I don't mind. I -- you know, I'll be happy to field them, but I do find it curious, and if anybody saw Saturday Night Live, you know, maybe we should ask Barack if he's comfortable and needs another pillow. I just find it kind of curious that I keep getting the first question on all of these issues. But I'm happy to answer it."

Has she gotten the first question in "the last several" debates? She appears to have a point.

Here's our analysis -- and a request for more help if you want to weigh in:

• There have been six Democratic debates this year.
• One included John Edwards and Gov. Bill Richardson.
• Two featured Edwards, Clinton and Obama.
• Three have been one-on-one debates between Clinton and Obama.
• In five of the six, the first question of the evening was directed to Clinton.
• If you expand the category to examine the first three subjects addressed during each debate, the first questions were directed to Clinton 10 of the 18 times.
• Last night, for the first three subjects, Clinton got the first question each time.

What we haven't had time to do at this point, is go through all the transcripts to figure out how many times Clinton got the first question whenever the subject changed....

http://blogs.usatoday.com/onpolitics/2008/02/clinton-may-hav.html

[ORDagnabbit]

1. between her and obama she has been asked 1st 23 times and he has been asked 1st 18 times.

[livetohike]

2. I noticed that in the last two debates....and I was

wondering why Obama did not get asked first. It seems whoever answers first always gets more time to explain their answer, so it didn't seem fair to me, but maybe it's my imagination regarding the time allowed :shrug:.

[FlyingSquirrel]

3. Important issues like this should be thoroughly discussed and resolved

NOTHING is more important to the question of "Who should be our next president"!

:silly:

[DeepModem Mom]

5. I don't post very often in this Forum, but, by God, I've seen plenty less important...

discussed here. This was an issue prominently mentioned in last night's debate, relating to fairness of press coverage (which is very important), and I thought this analysis from a major newspaper worthy of posting.

[FlyingSquirrel]

8. I know, sorry...

Temporary overload. Between "First Question" and "Reject vs Denounce" I'm gettin a little loopy.

[DeepModem Mom]

11. Sorry, too. I don't like to be snarky.

:-)

[Cant trust em]

32. I'm not sure that being given the first question is a downside

Being asked a question first allows you to frame the debate, though it does open you up to attack.

Going second gives you the opportunity for rebuttal, but you also cede the spotlight. Obama was forced to say things like "Hillary has a good point". This might not be a factor in the general where the answers will vary so much more than in the primaries.

[susankh4]

20. Indeed.

Because we never get a clear picture of whether the second person actually knows what to say... or is just riding piggy-back.

It's crucial to know that a President can think on his or her feet... without anyone around to cue him or her.

[Happyhippychick]

4. I'm glad you brought this up because I don't understand something.

To me, as a non-professional debate-type person, it would seem that being asked the first question is akin to being told "hey, you're the front runner and we really want to make sure we hear from you so we're going to ask you first to ensure that happens."

I don't see it as something that is negative - why would she complain about it? Isn't the point of a debate that one wants to be heard???

[AGirl]

6. but the media is not treating her as a front runner..

[Happyhippychick]

29. I'm separating the media from the debate moderators (perhaps unfairly)

I think she was treated as the front runner up until very recently and hence, she was asked questions first. I'm just not sure why it's a bad thing although somebody pointed out that it gives her no opportunity to formulate her answer.

But that begs the question: would she be offended if she wasn't being asked questions first? Would she complain that she is being neglected?

I'm truly asking.

[Marie26]

18. It makes her tutor Obama

Let's say Russert asks an obscure policy question: "Do you support Chapter 11 of NAFTA?" or a gotcha question: "SOMEONE once said 'I like donuts', do you agree? The someone is Hitler! Gotcha!" If Hillary fields the question first, she's got to either know the policy, or look ignorant & uninformed; catch the gotcha or get caught in a trap. While Obama can just lean back - and support Hillary's answer if it's a good one, & criticize her if she messes it up. After she explains exactly how NAFTA tribunals work & why she's against them, he can echo her answer (which he often does). If she gets caught in a gotcha, he can jump on the bandwagon, or criticize the gotcha as "silly season" w/o having to look silly himself. So it's a good way for him to avoid looking stupid - if there's one strength Hillary has, it's her wide & deep knowledge of these issues.

[Ravy]

21. Or the name of the new president of Russia.

Some particular questions last night were only asked of one candidate, such as Clinton about her tax records.

She had a point. Too bad she tried to capitalize on the SNL skit for the point other than just say "It allows my oponent time to formulate his answer and just agree with me if he doesn't know"

[RazBerryBeret]

33. they didn't ask obama about his tax records,

because he's already released them. that has been an ongoing discussion.

[Wickerman]

7. Not taking any sides here

who knows who has received the LAST question most often? That seems more key to me.

[FrenchieCat]

10. Clinton got the closing statement in the last two debates.......

one helped her, the last one, not so much.

[The Anti-Bush]

14. I know she has had the final word in the last two debates n/t

[FlyingSquirrel]

16. Here's something that did bother me about the questioning...

Last night, Russert asked Barack a question about Iraq and he was allowed to go on in some length about it. Hillary was obviously just itching to respond but gosh, sorry, TV doesn't wait, time for a commercial break. They come back from commercial and guess what, we've moved on to a much more important question: "Hope/Hyperbole/Talk vs Actions." Hillary never got a chance to respond about Iraq. I'm an Obama supporter but that really got me ticked.

[thevoiceofreason]

28. I thought she had been asked that question (or a similar one) first.

I might be wrong.

It struck me that she had a rejoinder, and that they were almost punishing her for jumping in so often earlier in the debate.

[Cha]

35. Good point...

Another good point that grant made was ..

grantcart (1000+ posts) Wed Feb-27-08 03:00 PM
Response to Reply #8
20. I am ready to be your leader on day one - don't ask me the first question lol"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x4794604#4798810

[ecstatic]

9. She always seems to get the final word too

Is that a problem? Or is it just being asked the first question that's a problem? :shrug:

[quinnox]

12. It was very noticeable

Obama repeated Hillary's answers several times in the debate. It is a big advantage to go second in a two person debate.

[susankh4]

24. Yep.

And presidents don't get to do that. They have to know the answers all on their own. In many very sensitive situations.

[hfojvt]

25. I don't see how that is an advantage necessarily

Number one, if there's a lot you agree on, you will sound like a lame copy. Why wouldn't people prefer the original to the copy?
Number two, if your opponent gives a really good answer, it puts you under more pressure and makes it harder to disagree and draw a distinction.

[washingdem]

13. The media is treating her as a contender despite 11 straight losses

[book_worm]

15. sorry, but she sounded like a cry baby when she said this.

[Ravy]

26. She did, but I think that was her delivery instead of just speaking

the facts and the reason it mattered in such a debate format.

[Swamp Rat]

17. "Ladies first?"

Maybe it's just that certain members of the corporate media are sexist, deep down inside, a reflection of our society in general? I doubt it's because they have any real respect for her. Just look at the questions they ask her, and to other female candidates in other elections.

[Whisp]

19. I thought it was a coin toss thing?

:shrug:

[Whisp]

22. Maureen Dowd's take on media treating Clinton too harshly....

"Beating on the press is the lamest thing you can do. It is only because of the utter open-mindedness of the press that Hillary can lose 11 contests in a row and still be treated as a contender."

fair point.

[Cha]

36. Very fair and hilary is biting the hand

that feeds her. Furthermore, as grant says paraphrasing..if she's gonna be ready on day one..what's so bad about getting the question first? Or did she really just want to insert that snl skit in there somehow, someway?

[Whisp]

37. I know, she says one thing, does another. promises one thing

does another.
she's all over the place.

no glue, no centre. nowhere to go back to, to refresh the well, all while still 'waiting to find her voice'.

man, it's getting really sad and pathetic.
she should really drop out before she becomes more of an icon of failure than she is now.

ugh.

[Cha]

38. And sorry it couldn't happen

to a more well deserving enabler of war on the people of Iraq.

[greguganus]

23. Age before beauty????

:shrug:

[thevoiceofreason]

27. I truly don't know if it is bad to go first

Especially if you have a full grasp on the issue, because it often will leave your opponent with nothing to say other than "Me too."

And judging from the paucity of questions that were launched toward Biden, Dodd, Richardson and Edwards, I bet they would have been giddy to be asked first for extended periods.

That said, if it is unfair, I do think it has been unfair to her because she has been asked first most often. I just don't know if I accept the premise.

[ccpup]

30. what no one is bringing up is that in 2000 and 2004

Gore and Kerry always got asked questions first leaving Bush the job of parroting "me, too" without having to add substance, fact or expound on anything offered, unless, of course, he was criticizing in very general terms the previous administration or his opponent all the while proclaiming himself to be someone who can bring people together to work with one another. (sound familiar?)

But the person being asked second rarely has to do the heavy lifting in answering the question. The person answering first more often than not offers a substantial answer that the person answering second can echo "me, too" to.

Sad that we seem to be choosing a parrot for our President ... again.

[damonm]

31. "Winners always want the ball".

-Gene Hackman, "The Replacements"

First question gives YOU the initiative, and enables you to set the tone; she's COMPLAINING about that? If I were running I'd relish it.

[RazBerryBeret]

34. I do remember last week @ the start of the Texas Debate,

they said they'd "drawn straws" Obama had won, and got to choose if he answered first of if Clinton answered first, he chose her to go first.

[Cha]

39. hilary didn't mention how

lucky Obama is:)