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10.10.2008 6:26 pm

Brokaw had a chance to be great, and he blew it

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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The October 7 Presidential Debate was the most disappointing 90 minutes of tv that I have seen in a long time. My biggest disappointment was with a journalist I have great respect for, Tom Brokaw. I guess he didn’t realize that often the quality of the debate can depend on the quality of the questions you chose to ask. Tuesday night brought us no new information, but led us to the same campaign trail talking points, facts and figures. I thought of a few questions that I would have expected in a format such as this:

1. If the U.S. was in a time of peace and prosperity, what would be the first domestic issue you would like to tackle and how?
2. At what time in your life were you the most proud of your country?
3. What one person outside of your family influenced you the most and why?
4. My daughter turns 18 next month, has registered and will vote for the first time. What promises and hope do you offer to her generation.
Questions like these would have helped to define the canidates. They would have given us insight into their thought process, problem solving methods and character.
You were given a great opportunity Mr. Brokaw, and you blew it.
Jeanne Lipinski
St. Louis
20 comments

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Jeanne Lipinski:

I was under the impression that Brokaw was trying out for the position of the “moderate left” (determined dunces) voice on ABC’s The View. His tiresome tone could put even those cuckoo wildcats to sleep.

— Iconoclastic Sage
7:00 pm October 10th, 2008

Always such a clever guy I.S. Now if we can only get a little honesty out of you.

I guess you’ve heard about Palin and her ethics problem. Of course it was a witch hunt even though it was started long before she became a candidate and it was initiated by fellow Republicans. Still, it does have the trademarks of a typical Democratic smear campaign, wouldn’t you agree? Those nasty Democrats. Kind of like when people tried to convince us that she really wasn’t against that “bridge” when we knew deep down in our hearts that she was.

— Palin/McCain fan
9:34 pm October 10th, 2008

Ms. Lipinski you obviously haven’t seen many political “debates”. The candidates mostly don’t know the questions before hand and don’t much care anyway. They all have their talking points they want to get across to the audience. Gov. Palin was the best example of this in her “debate” with Sen. Biden. The only difference is most candidates will give lip service to a question asked them by the moderator and then will go on to give whatever talking point on the paper in front of them that night. Gov. Palin, when asked about the difference between the Bush administration and that of a potential McCain/Palin administration stated “I’m going to talk about taxes now…”.

— willys
5:42 am October 11th, 2008

Palin/McCain fan:

“I guess you’ve heard about Palin and her ethics problem”

Oh no! She used her authority to reassign a subordinate? How perfectly dreadful! We are fortunate that the criminal conduct takes our minds off the Democratic raid on the US Treasury caused by Obama’s ACORN, Fannie Mae. Freddie Mac, Barney Frank and Christopher Dodd that will cost hundreds of thousands of jobs and personal financial losses to all investors and taxpayers. Thank you for straightening out our priorities, you insufferable twit!

— Iconoclastic Sage
6:27 am October 11th, 2008

I was under the impression that Brokaw only picked people from the audience or read email questions. I didn’t realize he had the freedom to ask his own questions. I was disappointed that he did not allow those picked from the audience follow-up questions. Or ask them if the candidate answered their question.

— mogoid
6:43 am October 11th, 2008

Ms Lipinski

In spite of the fact most seem to be responding to other, invisible letters….

You certainly are right. he could have been better.

— HKCHAS
7:42 am October 11th, 2008

Brokaw probably cried at the “Demorat” convention just like the Big O (Oprah), has a smelly tingle go down his leg every time B.O. speaks like Chrissy Mathews and has written a book on Barry Boy like Gwen Awlful.

— Airball
8:31 am October 11th, 2008

— Iconoclastic Sage
“Thank you for straightening out our priorities, you insufferable twit!”

Sadly, more personnel attacks rather than an intelligent contribution to the discussion.
Trying to divert the discussion to your speciality of hate, demonization, and baiting.

So sad

— STL
8:42 am October 11th, 2008

Who can’t help but “hate” mental midgets so morally and intellectually bankrupt they won’t acknowledge fact from fiction?

— Airball
9:34 am October 11th, 2008

STL:

“Trying to divert the discussion to your speciality of hate, demonization, and baiting.

So sad”

I’m sorry I don’t have a diplomatic way to answer an impassioned citizen that is impaled on the stake of Alaskan government personnel decisions and unconcerned about the collapse of the United States financial markets and the hundreds of thousands if not millions of soon to be unemployed, because of the credit squeeze. Do you have a better way that I might compliment misguided priority?

— Iconoclastic Sage
10:07 am October 11th, 2008

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