"Why do I always get the first question"

[SHRED]

Holy crap that was a bonehead move by Hillary this last debate.
Looked so damn whiny and unpresidential.

Yuck.

---

[Divernan]

1. Next debate she can channel Robert DeNiro: "Are you talkin' to ME?"

That will fall as flat as her other attempts at humor. Who IS advising her?
When you are really confident and prepared for a political debate, or, in the case of a lawyer, to argue an appeal to a panel of judges, you want every question you can get. Every question gives you an opportunity to persuade and convince. Her complaint was petty and made her look weak.

[SKKY]

2. I was thinking the same thing. "Can she be more unpresidential."

...At that moment, I went from, "Yea, I'd be happy to donate to Clinton's campaign and give her my vote in the GE if she wins." to "Well, I'll vote and donate some scratch, but I will not be fuckin' happy about it."

[liberalnurse]

3. It definitely points out the media bias to caudal Obama

saving him for the assault if he gets the Nomination with their complete embrace. They picked their target. Oh, so many Democrats took the bait. So very clueless. Such fools.

[tigervalentine]

7. Caudal? n/t

[Yael]

68. Coddle?

[Cirque du So-What]

25. Yes, I was particularly incensed by caudaling at the hands of Punkinhead Russert

Barack Obama was asked thrice to deny Louis Farrakhan. Some caudaling :eyes:

[Raine]

75. Isn't the order determined by a coin

toss or something like that, that's what I've always heard. I don't know why she was whining about it when it's random, she came off as petty.

[earthlover]

4. Isn't Hillary "Ready On Question One?

[liberalnurse]

5. Obama cheats, cause he don't really know the answers.

He prefers to be the second response so he can parrot Hillary's accurate assessment and answer. Why do you think the media states that there is almost no difference between the two?

Ding! Yes, he is a parrot.

[Qutzupalotl]

44. Except he nails the ones he gets asked first. nt

[Carolina]

8. Touche!

what with all her leadership and experience... as FIRST Lady

[Zachstar]

9. Good reply!!!

If she can't handle this supposed crap then why do people need to trust her with the presidency where Clinton will face untold direct pressure from the republicans and leaders of other nations.

Is she going to say such crap when she has to deal with China.. With Russia?

Clinton please stop this! Enough is ENOUGH!

[cliffordu]

42. OF course she is. No need for any caudaling

:rofl:

[rosetta627]

54. :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin:

:evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin:

Very nice earthlover.

[Carolina]

6. exactly, she's ready on day ONE

she wants to be the LEADER... so why whine about being asked the questions first?

She's just pathetic.

[Yael]

69. Now now, it is not ready UNTIL day one.

Tax returns, the 'first question', the ground game -- all of this will be addressed on day one and not a day before.

Its an issue of trust.

[Enrique]

10. it depends whether it's true

if there is in fact a significant bias, any candidate should take on the media.

[SHRED]

11. Use the first question to her advantage

Set the tone.

Stop claiming you are "ready" then if you can't take charge of a simple debate.

----

[Enrique]

12. maybe being asked the first question puts her at a significant disadvantage

if so, she or any candidate should not hesitate to challenge the media. Democrats can't let the media whores get away with their crap.

[SHRED]

14. to challenge it like she did...

...came across badly.

There are better ways.


---

[Enrique]

16. the main way would be to be someone other than Hillary Clinton

if she could do that, I think her challenging the media bias would be heroic.

[Divernan]

18. If she had competent staff, this could have been worked out in debate ground rules.

But then we know that her staff are loyal, but not competent. One reasonably projects she'd use the same inept criteria in appointing her cabinet.

[Divernan]

19. No, answering the 1st question gives you the opportunity to set the tone of the debate.

nt

[Enrique]

20. do you know that to be true?

or do you just not like Hillary?

Myself, I like Hillary, but I don't pretend to know whether she has a valid point.

[Divernan]

24. It's true for well prepared and confident debaters.

And you've got no business running for president if you can't handle debating. Plus, as I mentioned elsewhere in this thread, candidates' staffs always meet with the debate sponsors to work out the ground rules. For instance, in one debate, it was agreed that a flip of the coin would determine who went first. For her to make this complaint on national TV was also a stab in the back to the debate organizers. Don't come whining to me that I didn't give you something, if you never bothered to ASK for it.

And it's also pretty bush league & self-defeating to attack the questioners, again on national TV, on a procedural matter right off the bat. And if I have to explain that to you, I can only say, go read a book about debate.

Can you imagine some pro football captain whining, but we had to take offense first the last 3 games?

[Enrique]

34. but Obama chose to go second

it's possible it's a disadvantage to go first.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/us/politics/27truth.html

(...)

In the previous debate, on CNN, the moderators said they selected one candidate at random and offered that candidate the choice of giving the first or second opening statement.

Mr. Obama won the draw, and he chose to speak after Mrs. Clinton.

[Qutzupalotl]

45. Opening statement, not first question. nt

[Enrique]

49. what's the difference?

it seems going first would give Obama the same chance to "set the tone of the debate."

[Qutzupalotl]

52. Clinton's complaint was about being asked the first question.

First or second opening statement is an entirely different topic.

[Enrique]

59. how so?

Divernan said going first was an advantage because it allows you to "set the tone for the debate." How would this be different for an opening statement?

[Qutzupalotl]

67. The opening statement option is determined by coin toss.

There would be no reason for Clinton to complain about the outcome of a coin toss. This thread is about Clinton's complaint.

True, an opening statement can set the tone for the debate, and Obama allowed Clinton to go first. I do not see that as a political ploy. Frankly, given the choice, I would rather speak before Obama than try to follow him.

[hedgehog]

47. Does that mean that the coins from the coin toss are biased? nt

[Enrique]

50. no, it means that going first might be a disadvantage

[rosetta627]

58. A strong candidate would turn it into an advantage

By multiple means.

[rosetta627]

56. Again, SHE is the one who has been demanding debates

Obama has not been pressing for them 'cause he's the front runner.
Did she want a debate without questions?

[Zachstar]

23. It is a mixed bag

From my years viewing debates and other stuff I find that there is no advantage to having to go first or second.

The first gets to set the tone and be the leader first. A chance to come off strong

The 2nd gives time to prepare.

However this is REALLY short lived and goes back to neutral really quick.

Clinton and you bad Clinton supporters KNOW THIS yet the whining continues.... Common yall!! do you want to trash her chances for 2012?!

[Enrique]

36. no, I don't know it

one thing I know is that her objection was pretty mild and reasonable.

The reaction, on the other hand, is out of proportion, totally uninterested in the factual basis of her complaint, and in my opinion totally hypocritical.

[earthlover]

26. Getting the first question is an ADVANTAGE!

She also has gotten the LAST question a lot. Another advantage. Sometimes on the same debate!

Whine Whine Whine on Day One....

[Enrique]

33. then why did Obama choose to go second?

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/us/politics/27truth.html

(...)

In the previous debate, on CNN, the moderators said they selected one candidate at random and offered that candidate the choice of giving the first or second opening statement.

Mr. Obama won the draw, and he chose to speak after Mrs. Clinton.

[Qutzupalotl]

46. That was for the opening statement. nt

[Abacus]

30. She's gotten 6 to Obama's 4

Given that she has been the challenger on the last two debates, I don't think it's terribly unreasonable for her to have the first question both times. In the Texas debate, she not only got the first question, but the last response which seems a bit unconventional, but that's the way it goes sometimes. Regardless of your position, her objection did not come off well -- I don't think she did herself any favors to bring it up in the manner that she did.

[Enrique]

35. no, I think the discrepancy is MUCH greater than that

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/27/us/politics/27truth.html

(...)

Mrs. Clinton has received the first question of the night in all three of her one-on-one debates with Mr. Obama — about Cuba, about the North American Free Trade Agreement and about their biggest policy differences.

In other debates before the Democratic field narrowed, she received the first question at 6 of the 10 most recent events.

And in the one-on-one debate last Thursday, she received the first question on the overwhelming majority of topics and thus spoke first about twice as often as he did.

In the course of the 20 Democratic presidential primary debates so far, Mr. Obama has occasionally received the first question. On Jan. 5, for example, the debate opened with a question to Mr. Obama about whether he stood by his support for a United States military strike in Pakistan if its government failed to act against an identified terrorist target.

[RazBerryBeret]

40. but in the texas debate....

the one before Ohio, the one where she complained about getting the first question in the last several debates--They announced at the beginning that they had drawn straws and Obama had won, so he got to pick who went first. Is THAT the bias she's referring to? seems fair to me...how can you complain about drawing straws...My kids do, but they're still really young.

[Hepburn]

13. I don't like Hillary Clinton and never have....and when I heard....

...that STUPID remark about always getting the first question, I was so embarrassed for her I cringed.

It was NOT one of her better moments....not to say that she has many of those to begin with. She completely looked the whiny fool.

JMHO

[Medusa]

15. I did at one time like her, but not any more

She's shot her credibiility with me big time. And it's because of whiny comments just like this one. ANd before anyone accuses me of being sexist, I'm a woman.

[Enrique]

17. that's the key here

"I don't like Hillary Clinton".

[Divernan]

21. Enrique, you are blind to her all of her faults, whether large or small.

I campaigned for Bill - even went to his first inauguration. And I defended her for the last 7 years. Each of the Clintons, in their own ways, has let their supporters down bigtime.

Face it, she's let you down too, and that's a shame because you are obviously very loyal to her.
Come on over to Obama's supporters - it is an exciting and positive place to be. You would be very welcome.

[Mother Of Four]

28. What I think is interesting Divernan...

Is that some people feel that Loyalty means you can't criticize your candidate in any way shape or form.

I just don't understand it myself. Placing someone so high on a pedestal just means they have farther to fall for you WHEN not IF they make a mistake.

These candidates are human, not robots.

This is kind of how I look at it...

Say you and your SO are getting ready to go out, and you are getting gussied up. You're SO walks out of the bedroom wearing something that just looks awful. Do you...

A) Recognize that you love them, and because you love them you gently suggest another outfit.
B) Ignore the outfit, I mean after all...Everyone knows the answer to "Do these pants make me look fat?" is "Gee, no honey"
C) Tell them "You are NOT wearing that! Go Change!"

B and C are bad choices because B could end up being embarrassing for them and C would make them feel terrible. A, constructive and gentle criticism not only shows them you CARE- but it also helps them learn in the process. IE: Hrm, maybe I shouldn't wear Yellow. It makes me look jaundice.

Every single person on this planet has flaws, there is no one that's perfect. Loyalty means supporting someone DESPITE recognizing those flaws, not blindly pretending those flaws don't exist.

[Divernan]

62. I agree, and I expect to hear some valid criticisms of Obama before the GE

That's why he wasn't my first or even second choice. But he's my candidate now and it's extremely hard to imagine that anything I would hear about him would tip my vote to McCain. As to HRC, I anticipate that the Clinton joint tax returns have got some really unsavory, albeit legal, sources of income for Bill during the past year.

(And I confess that while I try to gently suggest other outfits to my SO, once in awhile it's just SO bad that he does get a "You are NOT wearing THAT - go change." He is improving, in any case.)

[Enrique]

38. that's factually inaccurate about me

notice that I admit that I don't know whether her point is valid or whether it's bullshit. It might very well be bullshit. Hillary is capable of bullshit, and I would find it ridiculous for anyone to say she's not.

I'm not offended by your mischaracterization of me, I'm just pointing out that it's not based in fact, in this thread or in any other.

I think it's silly to have really strong opinions about things without even caring about the facts.

[Hepburn]

22. Yep.....

...that is the key. She is unlikable and has always been unlikable. She has little appeal to the average person who is not involved in the details of politics as those of us who have been involved for years and years. Someone like me who has been involved in national political campaigns for going on 50 years finds her VERY unappealing. She comes off as untrustworthy, insincere, arrogant and phony.

You are absolutely correct: The key is "I don't like Hillary Clinton." I am not a lone voice...saying this about one very unappealing person. I did not like her as First Lady and still do not like her. You hit the key on your candidate ~~ she simply is not someone who people like. Thanks for pointing out the obvious.

[Enrique]

39. nope

the fact that you don't like her doesn't make her unlikable. I like her, for example.

[cliffordu]

48. I loved Hillary Clinton

Too bad she squandered my support by crowing about being the presumptive nominee, letting Bill run loose in S. Carolina, sniveled about how bad she had it during the debate, the 'personality changes' - all which I suspect are simple tactics and not REAL emotion: The tears, that touching "proud of being in the race with Obama' at the debate, the phony anger at the fliers, and finally that embarrassing display at her stump speech where she mocked Obama '... and the heavens open up......'

All signs of someone who is too vain and self absorbed to understand the nuances of the political world, who thinks she has a RIGHT to the presidency.

Her whining at the debate about the first question was so amateurish, so "I'm a girl, so stop picking on me" that it proves what my wife has said from day one:

"She ISN'T Bill Clinton. She isn't even in the same league."


And all the flame bait and trolling by her supporters cannot change that one bit. Sorry.

[meow mix]

27. sounded like a grade school kid, lol

whining at the teacher.

[zulchzulu]

29. It's a chicken wing conspiracy!

[Carolina]

70. oh, that is GOOD

exactly my sentiments. Hillary lost me on IWR!

[rucky]

31. Humor.

nothing more.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

32. All that Obama ever says thoughout all debate(s) " "I agree with Senator Clinton".......

And when Obama was not saying "I agree with Senator Clinton" he was rehashing her ideas & trying desperately to make them his own.

It was really quite embarrassing for him.

all he has ever said in any of the debates was "I agree with Senator Clinton"

watch all the debates and try tell me different....you can NOT!

[ElsewheresDaughter]

43. ~~~ crickets~~~~

[sloppyjoe25s]

37. I literally squirmed in my seat as I heard her say it...

It was so lame... she looked like such a total loser and crybaby.

Anybody would have. It was literally physically painful to watch her whine like that.

[BigDaddy44]

41. I'm sorry, but....

Can ANYONE imagine ANY other serious candidate during any other presidential debate saying what she said? It was the height of whining. So what if she got more questions first? She wants to be president of the United States.....and shes irked because she gets a question first? It was the most unpresidential moment i've ever seen in a presidential debate.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

51. Even after watching Bush/Gore and Bush/Kerry you think this is the

most unpresidential moment you've seen in a presidential debate? How were Bush's performance not even considered by you?

I thought he was the least presidential ever in debates, each of his performances were dismal.

[BigDaddy44]

55. MOMENT

Thats the key word. Bush can bumble his way through a debate, but this was the moment, the soundbite, that was the kicker for me. It was one kid complaining that mom loves the other kid more than her.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

61. "You forgot Poland"

:-)

[rosetta627]

60. I can just see her at her first press conference as president

"Whyyyyyyyyyyyy do I always get the first question Helen???"

[rosetta627]

53. I'm just amazed at that little outburst from Madame Ready on Day One

Besides, shouldn't a candidate want maximum control and air time in a debate?
Isn't that what the first question provides?
Isn't she the one that has been demanding debates--more debates more debates!
(But don't ask me any questions.)

Goofball.

[Carolina]

71. exactly... come to Ohio and let's debate

Hillary is so pathetic!

[Vinca]

57. My reaction to that remark was -

if it doesn't matter that you've been asked the question first, then STFU and answer it. Very whiny. Guess if she manages to become president she'll need the questions in writing ahead of time . . . just like you know who.

[SHRED]

63. thanks for the reminder

She did say, "but it doesn't matter"...didn't she?

---

[Evergreen Emerald]

64. Please. It does not matter what she does she will be attacked

Any excuse to dehumanize Clinton.

[Deja Q]

65. Ladies' first?

:hide:

[MzShellG]

66. This Tom Joyner morning show parady of that was funny as hell...

And the song was cute. It's J. Anthony Brown who happens to be from my city, Columbia SC.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fa48wSRmbEQ

[Carolina]

72. loved it

Hey, Me_Shell... I'm in Columbia too and so is 'Say It Ain't So'

We ought to have a local DU fest.

[MzShellG]

73. Cool...

Let's keep in touch....:hi:

[scheming daemons]

74. MSNBC did an analysis of the three one-on-one debates....

There were a total of 41 questions.....


Hillary answered first on 23... Obama on 18.


That's hardly an indictment of the questioners.... 23 out of 41 is "I always get the first question!"


Whining is unpresidential, Hillary.