Letters to the Editor
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ABC Dereliction
ABC is rightly reaping the whirlwind of revulsion stirred up by last night's shameful debate. The network and its sub-par moderators were derelict in their only true responsibility: to question the candidates on issues of weight and interest to voters seeking to form opinions in advance of the primaries or the general election.
Smarmy Stephanopoulos is disingenuous in declaring that he was right to press Sen. Obama on questions pertaining to "electability." This in not an issue relevant to any voters, only to the ABC executives who were seeking a ratings boost.
Oh, and of course to the GOP, which would dearly love to run the campaign focussed only on such deep concerns as flag pins, geriatric 60's radicals, bitter blather, and the loudmouth Rev. Wright. If the campaign were instead to be focussed on such issues as the disasterous war in Iraq, the calamitous decline of the U.S. economy, our stricken educational system, the endangered environment, measley support for our veterans, and the poor standing of America in world opinion, then the Republicans would lose easily to either Democratic candidate.
Stephanopoulos and Gibson were stalking horses for the radical right which has successfully steered the political conversation for the past two decades and now fears that the talking points will shift against them.
ABC has done a disservice to democracy and to the American voters with their indefensible and derelict debate management. ABC richly deserves the vehement reaction that is pouring in from around the world today. Shame on them all.