FOX Admits McCain Stacked "Town Hall" With Supporters
By Nicole Belle Thursday Jun 12, 2008 8:45amWow, he really is McSame, isn't he?
Tonight was the first in a much-hyped series of 'town hall' forums scheduled by John McCain's campaign, in which Barack Obama had been challenged to show up to discuss the issues directly with the GOP nominee.
Except, as Fox News reported, McCain's campaign misled the public about the nature of the event. The forum was "billed by the McCain campaign as a town hall with independent and Democratic voters," but Fox News noted at the end that the audience was actually "made up of invited guests and supporters," the Democratic National Committee said in a statement.
Shepard Smith 'fesses up:
I reported at the top of this hour that the campaign had told us at Fox News that the audience would be made up of Republicans, Democrats, and independents. We have now received a clarification from the campaign and I feel I should pass it along to you. The McCain campaign distributed tickets to supporters, Mayor Bloomberg, who of course is a registered Republican, and other independent groups.
Uh huh. And this is EXACTLY the reason why Barack Obama should politely refuse to do any Town Hall with McCain on Fox. Next, McSame will be demanding loyalty oaths. DNC Head Howard Dean had something to say about it too:
Once again John McCain's campaign is trying to mislead the American people. Senator McCain should understand that after seven years of a President who has divided Americans and pursued a scorched earth policy full of misleading propaganda campaigns, we need a leader who understands he is the President for all Americans not just his supporters. If Senator McCain likes to brag so much about running a transparent campaign, why is he copying the Bush campaign model by stacking this event with his prescreened supporters? If that is John McCain's idea of straight talk, the American people are in for a long and disappointing campaign season.
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What was wrong with the forums run by the League of Women Voters?
Oh, right, they couldn't be manipulated for partisan ends...
FOIST!
Ah dangit! No foist for me...
McBain is such pathetic douchebag.
liberalHUSSEINmoderation @ 3:
Can't type AGAIN today...need more coffee!
liberalHUSSEINmoderation @ 4:
Ok...I give up...goin home.
It sounds like a round about way of saying no Democrats. Didn't Bush do the same thing? So, I think I will call McCain. "George John. McSame."
Joseph
You'll LOVE this article: (from RIA Novosti :: Moscow
Bush expects warm welcome on his farewell trip to Europe
Here's a short clip from it.
But no one in Europe expected "anything extraordinary." The Old World understood that the president is merely going to say goodbye, because he has no time to do anything about the mess he has created in U.S.-European relations.
As one European diplomat put it, partings are the best times, only state-sponsored funerals (God forbid) or inaugurations are better. You can indulge in hypocrisy as much as you want at such events, because this is exactly what is expected. This statement is cynical but true.
I'm shocked that Sen. Keating would do this....
nuthin like stackin the deck.
I'd say they were Slime ooozzing out of your TV set.
Have a great day folks. It's the 13th. what could possibly go wrong today? It's Friday!
This morning on Fox, Chris Wallace had trouble defending this joke of a town hall meeting last night. He said Sen. Obama and McCain should have the town hall meetings and the audience should be pre-screened so no "ringers" could get in and ask questions.
I mean, what the hell? McCain made himself look so awful by doing what he did last night. Did his campaign not realize that what they were doing would be found out? Didn't they see the danger of it looking exactly like what bush has been doing for years? I don't know who is running McCain's campaign but it seems they are working against his getting elected rather than for it.
I tell ya, Shepard Smith is too honest to work for Fox. There are times when he just can't carry the station's water for them. The first time I saw it was in the aftermath of Katrina.
This guy is brain-dead. How else to explain the spectacular incompetence of his "campaign"?
Can Faux News be anymore partisan? Any Democrat who agrees to go on this station is nuts! My God, Faux News is a joke! Between the male hosts who are older than God, to the Barbie Dolls with the fake blonde hair, I think I have stepped over to Wonderland!
Plan 9 @ 11:
attack of the killer tomato
pissed off patricia @ 10:
Maybe that's why their ratings are starting to dip.
Bloomberg is NOT a REPUG..He is an INDEPENDENT.. They can't even get that right.. Although I am surprised they busted McSame out.
Faux News still have no street creds with me!!
Yes, this also is just like Bush used to do it: stack the deck in his favor by populating the place with his followers. Yeah, that's 'fair and balanced'. Not. More like 'unfair and unhinged'.
Have we actually found a man who is more clueless than bush? Looks like it. So what happens to him? He is nominated to run on the republican ticket as the next president.
This sounds like the storyline of a comical movie. I wish that was all that it was. But nope, this is dead serious.
Funny how there were no minorities in the "Town Hall." And, did anyone see McCain not shake the hand of the guy in the yarmulke?
Speaking of Katrina, have you noticed that MSM is treating the flooding in Iowa as a non-issue? Thousands displaced, cities under water and where is the National Guard? In Iraq or Afghanistan of course. WTF?
I think maybe FOX is seeing the change of tide, looking at the fact that the Republicans will be, for the most part, out of office next year and are trying to save their floundering "newsgroup" (I use that word loosely here). After all, what will FOX look like if the Party of the Progressives takes over and they have been bashing them for eight years.
pissed off patricia @ 17:
Like that movie "Being There"?
I would have hated to be that flunkey that was in charge of finding 'supporters' for that event... are there even that many rocks to overturn? Did they have to give away door prizes? Like the "sit through this and we'll give you a free vacation" ploy?
This thing last night alone should be reason enough for Sen Obama to refuse to do any of these buddy-buddy town hall meetings with McCain.
Which would certainly explain why the first question of this "town hall" was:
"Senator McCain, your campaign seems to have the momentum of a runaway freight train. Why are you so popular?''
♠Bangkok-Bob♠ in Chiang Mai @ 21:
More like the movie Groundhog Day.
Also from Fox (the intentionally funny division):
Lisa Simpson to Montgomery Burns at a staged campaign event at the Simpson household:
"Mr. Burns: your campaign seems to have the momentum of a runaway freight train. Why are you so popular?''
lol
For all of the talk of McCain being this tough guy maverick, this just illustrates what a lightweight wuss he and his party have become.
pissed off patricia @ 25:
Deja Vu all over again
cmhmd @ 26:
HA HA ... with Joe Lieberman as Smithers. How apropos.
♠Bangkok-Bob♠ in Chiang Mai @ 28:
by the way, are you a UNIX programer? (noticing your name)
MSM is still talking about the terrorist fist jab! WTF? I need a drink!
The despicable propaganda machine that is Fox and Friends still spent the morning framing this as if Obama somehow failed to show up for a scheduled debate. I can't stop watching that show. It really energizes me in the morning. Every time I see it I think of something I once read about Latin American politics. The quote was something along the lines of "I abhor the excesses of the left so much more than the excesses of the right, because when the left betrays its principles it betrays so much more than the right." That's how I feel about Fox and Friends. I know when I watch Hannity, O'Reilly, et al that I am watching rabid right wing shills. But when you watch a morning breakfast show, well....
P.D. @ 19:
I had noticed the same. CNN is covering it pretty heavily when they're not talking about the boy scout camp, but not a word is mentioned about any aid coming to these people.
It seems like FEMA should be bustin' in any time now ready to save the day... no... wait. Never mind. But maybe when they do finally get there they'll find a use for all of those donated goods they just 'found' undistributed in a couple of warehouses. Still left over from Katrina.
What If
Can you think of what the media would do if Barack Obama did the same? We would hear about it until the end of the election. There is a double standard in the media. Did you notice Obama's Vetting problem caught another news cycle while McSame's story about bringing the troops home did not.
Don't think the right-wing media does not follow what is on this site. How else did they know how to split the Democratic Party during their weakest moment. The Republicans scored many points by attacking the Democrats when they were being critical of each other. I hope they know there is power in the truth. This power may come from C&L as a result of considerable amount of data we comment on. I look forward to being a thorn in their side.
Joseph
Gretchen @ 32:
They did have a special segment on earlier about the stuff that never was given to the people in LOLA who needed it, but ended up being given away to other states as surplus gear. (clothing, sporting gear, tents etc.) the question was why didn't FEMA make sure the people who needed it, get it.
I just got here but i have some serious questions. What is an hour of advertising worth on television? Did Fox violate the campaign finance laws? Should fox be fined or should someone be put in jail for violating the spirit if not the letter of the law? There are limits to how much any individual of corporatation can contribute to a candidate and this clearly exceeds that limit. John McCain is also guilty and his campaign should be fined at least the amount it would have cost him to pay for this air time and further fined for violating the law.
*face palm*
No shit...
In light of this, I say Obama tells McCorpse to go pound sand regarding the rest of these "town hall meetings." What a fucking joke.
I meant NOLA, not LOLA
I have to ask this, even if I risk looking incredably stupid but what does MSM stand for?
Barbara Key @ 38:
Main Stream Media
Geez Gretchen, your right. CNN is talking about the 'Miracle' with the BoyScouts. But look at the bigger picture. This disaster is going to cost billions, and it is not registering with MSM. Christ! These people are going to be homeless, and we are getting the news from people who are so indifferent. Sigh!
Mainstream Media, but i call it corporate media.
Barbara Key @ 38:
You don't look or sound one bit stupid. You look smart for asking about something you didn't know. Not a thing in the world wrong with that.
This was an in-kind donation of ad time and support staff and resources. Clearly in collusion between McSame and Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch. The FEC should investigate and fine them all into oblivion.
Yhe only stupid questions are the ones you do not ask and the ones they ask McCain.
♠Bangkok-Bob♠ in Chiang Mai @ 34:
Mind-numbing incompetence, obviously.
I used to work in rescue (in the mountains of the SW) so I'm familiar with this stuff, at least somewhat. When Katrina was winding up in the gulf I was getting really worried - no one was gearing up in the 'safe zone' on the fringes, waiting to rush in as soon as it was possible. Everyone just sat around and watched it on their TV. Made me sick.
Remember Katrina? The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer treated the response with the same attitude as someone giving you the stock report, only Jack Cafferty responded with outrage. No wonder I'm jaded.
xoites defends Constitution @ 44:
How you doing X
Reminds me of the 1/2 hour news hour. Fox had to pay people to be in the audience.
http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=84354
Doing good bob, how are you? :)
I have to ask this, even if I risk looking incredably stupid but what does MSM stand for?
The MSM stands for propoganda, lax laws and the fascist way of life, as opposed to Crooks & Liars bloggers who stand for Truth, Justice and the American Way of Life.
Barbara, by asking the question you show me you are an intellegent person. It is good to question things you do not understand.
xoites defends Constitution @ 49:
almost to the point where I can't make heads or tails of the garble in my mind. Friend brought me some Mescal from Mex.
And even better to question things that are trying to take away your rights and freedoms and a fair electoral process.
Saint Augustine @ 50:
I question McGranpa's sanity.
Sounds like the coin is on neither side. You may need something to take it off its edge. :)
And our corrupt and inept reich-wing MSM is completely silent about this, but every 20 minutes they mention McGrampa demanding they meet for "town hall" meetings.
I never thought Senator McCain would take this kind of risk knowing that the Media would expose him for the liar that he is, he is just trying to rope Senator Obama into some public spectacle to move his campaign forward, hopefully the Senator does not play right into his hands.
wouldn't that be a shame if they actually did that!
Ed Helms on the Daily Show in August 2004: "No one convinces people more than watching convinced people." Brilliant. That is why McCain is using this strategy. It will be the only time that he get loud rounds of applause like Bush/Cheney in 2004.
♠Bangkok-Bob♠ rather than question his sanity, focus on the insanity of his positions. It is difficult for me to find positives in rightwing rhetoric but the negatives seem to pop out.
Why would an old, forgetful, ill tempered crank like McDementia would want a one on one, town hall style debate with a sharp guy like Obama? The sneaky fucker would flood the crowd with Frank Luntz style bigot "focus groups".
Obama has never stacked a meeting with his supporters.
pissed off patricia @ 10:
I think, more and more, that the Rethugs have written McCain off and will either replace him at the convention and/or regroup for 2012. They, for all intents and purposes, seem to be just going through the motions.
The US was offered this technology a few years back and did nothing with it, guess it might have hurt oil sales. Now a Japanese Company is starting to manufacture cars that run on WATER.
New Fuel Cell System 'Generates Electricity with Only Water, Air'
Packing the audience with biased supporters ranks 26th on Karl Rove's List of Dirty Tricks.
Thank God for YouTube, C&L and the internet. We're going to be able to watch every move McSame's campaign makes and hold them accountable.
Barbara Key @ 38:
Helpful hint # 487395
Barb, if you see some letters put together like that (rotflmao, FIFY, MSM or any others) go to the Google and type the letters in and you will get a definition.
♠Bangkok-Bob♠ in Chiang Mai @ 63:
I just saw that little car on tv.
If Obama had agreed to do that town hall deal with McCain last night, would it have been the same people in the audience? David Axelrod is not going to allow Senator Obama to walk into a trap like that.
Whether the town hall meetings are stacked or not, one thing that's obvious is that they're all lily white.
PEACE
Obama needs to start acknowledging how messed up this country is going to be for the next 4,8, even 10 years. The repubes are just going to hammer on the Dems after the "change" election. They're going to pull their finger out of the financial shit dike, and the flood will be upon us. Assuming they still have any power, that is. The reich wing noise machine is being too hard on McCain for my liking. After 8 years of constant lies, why would they now tell any semblance of truth? Seems like a setup for '09 and beyond, when the Democrats are in power, and the US finally realizes the full extent of the destruction done under Bush. Then, the Pubes will set up for a 2012 landslide based on how bad things were after the Dems took power.
Conspiracy truth. We had better at least start talking about the problems to come, hedge our bets, and hope we all maintain some sense of dignity through it all.
I think Shephard Smith is wrong about Bloomberg being a registered Republican. He became an independent in 2007.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/06/19/bloomberg-leaving-republica...
Michelle Obama: "Get me more white people!"
Gretchen @ 32:
From BaScomBe (post #134 in open thread):
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080610/NEWS/80610061
Mary @ 70:
?
Never never never should Obama do a town hall McShame-a-thone. McStackthedeck has shown exactly what their plans are. This was just a dry run to see how it works. They got busted. Now they have no credibility with evidence to prove it. No, it looks like the only way we should see these two together is if it is in debate format with Keith Olbermann as the question man. Yep.
pissed off patricia @ 10:
Absolutely. I've come to admire the guy enormously especially during the Katrina fiasco, and I wish he would get out of that sewer over at Fox. I suspect that he's become so stained by his association with Fox that no real news organization will have him. Too bad.
ok iggtfooh, cu ltr
Any Republican assembly. "Get me ONE black person.
Left&Left @ 76:
More than one and we might have a riot.
pissed off patricia @ 72:
Looks like Mary is trying to get a Xmas bonus from the Republican National committee. Aren't they giving money to people who get these type of posts onto blogs? The problem with this one is that Mary is a dumbass and can't quite take it into the end zone. LOL
John W. McCain
Did anyone else see this bs from Fox newz (now with more news-like flavor!):
http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/06/12/fox-news-finally-goes-you-guys-we-...
Ron @ 77:
Explain this comment please.
Dr. (terrorist fist jab) Matt @ 79:
Repugnantcant mentality.
Not to mention McSame was SELLING the tickets to the event!
ISnt that illegal?
Charging a "donation" for tickets kind of eliminates the Dems and Independents doesnt it?
Ron@77 LOL. Really, to Mary@70 two black people together talking, standing around, constitutes a conspiracy.
Bangkok-Bob♠ in Chiang Mai...
Don't you love being a news junkie in Thailand with most cable companies running nothing but Fox News? You can't help but end up watching Fox and Friends or O'Really.
I'm in Cambodia right now, so I get CNN. It's not much, but at least I can watch one episode of the Daily Show a week.
Thanks to everyone who answered my question. Now, I know what to call them when I yelling at my husband "They are all lying to you, sweetie." He says I see conspiracies everywhere. I tell him "no, I live in this country. There are conspiracies everywhere."
John W. McCain
Did anyone else see this bs from Fox Newz? (Now even newsier!):
http://www.bestweekever.tv/2008/06/12/fox-news-finally-goes-you-guys-we-...
orsay @ 15:
Merely sleight of hand to appear to be fair and balanced.
The most surprising thing about this story is that Fox News (or Shepherd Smith independently of Fox News) mentioned that the audience was cherrypicked supporters. That would have never happened four years ago. One of three things are happening:
1. Fox wants to scuttle the McCain nomination before the convention so they get someone else.
2. Shepherd Smith knows the tide is changing and he may want a job somewhere less kooky sometime.
3. Fox sees the writing on the wall and is trying to suck up to the man who just had to keep breathing and not saying anything stupid in order to become POTUS -- that would be Obama.
pissed off patricia @ 39:
And the "stream" part as in yellow, aka yellow journalism.
That's why McCain's repeated call for 'Town Hall' debates is a suspect one.
McCain people will fill the room with their supporters and they will manipulate questions.There will be many of them...
Obama and his managers should be very careful not to be lead to a trap with this so called 'town hall' debates, a trap that will make ABC debate looks like a picnic.
Thanks to Nicole and all of C&L. I have found truth here,and it has set me free. Reading all of the above...trolls beware...truth ahead.
Barbara Key @ 84:
I’ll tell you what Barbara. Take notes. Do it on your computer in a word document. Save all the examples that you can show how the MSM is doing what you think they are doing (And believe me they are doing it). Keep a list. There are so many examples it is hard to remember. It is good to keep a list going. Like the “Obama terrorist fist bump.” Or all the times Fox News has put a (D) after the names of government people who get busted for corruption or child molestation or one of the numerous criminal acts they get bust for and are actually Republicans. Another place to find these examples is on Media Matters (click on the blue words). Go to their website and read it every day. These facts will stick in your mind. Know where to go get them so that you can educate your hubby.