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Jamie Dupree Washington Insider

GOP Debate Debate

9:40 pm November 13, 2011, by Jamie Dupree

The Saturday night Republican debate in South Carolina created more headlines over how the coverage was botched by CBS than for what the candidates actually said in their 60 minute – I mean - 90 minute forum.

The debate was split between CBS (for 60 minutes) and on the internet for the last 30 minutes. But CBS affiliates in South Carolina thought they were getting the last chunk as well, and so they were a bit surprised when a NCIS repeat suddenly came on instead of more questions from CBS anchorman Scott Pelley.

“We are sorry for the inconvenience this has caused and for any confusion Mr. Pelley's comments have caused by telling South Carolina viewers to stay tuned for more debate coverage,” said the General Manager of WSPA-TV in Spartanburg.

Other CBS affiliates in South Carolina also were left to explain to viewers what happened as well – but that wasn’t all that CBS had to explain.

Several candidates complained about their lack of air time, which is nothing new – but Michele Bachmann’s campaign accidentally received an email from inside CBS which seemed to indicate that was the plan all along.

The email chain that involved CBS political chief John Dickerson said of Bachmann, “she’s not going to get many questions” citing her low poll numbers.

Ron Paul’s camp was livid as well, charging that the Texas Congressman was asked only one question and one follow-up – with the most attention going to Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain.

“It doesn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to figure out that Ron Paul got shafted on time,” his campaign wrote in a web entry on his campaign web site.

As for what kind of news emerged from this debate – not much would be the answer.

Newt Gingrich got his usual opportunity to spar with the moderator, this time refusing to be drawn into criticism of Mitt Romney and tangling with Pelley over how to deal with terror suspects.

Some Republican supporters felt Herman Cain was a bit uncertain on the foreign policy front, as he did not have his usual 9-9-9 fallback available in this foreign policy debate.

Rick Perry had no gaffes or bad segments in this debate – his worst time on TV may have come a few hours later when “Saturday Night Live” skewered the Texas Governor over his brain freeze earlier in the week.

Evidently Cain’s sexual misconduct troubles were to get special treatment from “Saturday Night Live” as well, but that skit didn’t make the final cut for the show.

As for Mitt Romney, he once again got through a debate without much fuss or muss.

The Republicans meet again this coming Saturday night in Iowa, though Romney’s campaign has said he might not attend.

Iowa is seven weeks from Tuesday.

New Hampshire is eight weeks from Tuesday.

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5 comments Add your comment

Judi Rosene

November 13th, 2011
10:58 pm

When something is as important as picking the next Presidential candidate from your party, I could not believe that it was cut short for a rerun of NCIS. Let’s get our priorities in order please – if this was about Obama, you would have run it as long as he wanted you to. Shame Shame

Mudfoot

November 14th, 2011
8:34 am

Wow, I know GOP faithful refer to media as “the liberal main stream media”, but “if this was about Obama, you would have run it as long as he wanted you to.”?? Really?? The media is the media, they serve themselves and air what they think will get ratings… regardless of poltics. Some lean left, some lean right, very few occupy the middle; but making this type of claim brings up visions of tinfoil hats and pitchforks. Obama may be many things but your seeming belief that he is the anti-christ and your portayal of him thusly sucks out whatever credibility your statements have. It’s getting closer to election times… time to tune nack in to reality

Jack

November 14th, 2011
11:11 am

All one has to do is to say you’re gonna vote for Obama and your point will have been made. All this huffin’ & puffin’ will not change anybody’s mind. I’ll vote for the GOP candidate even if it’s Jimmy Carter.

Mitchell

November 14th, 2011
9:49 pm

Perhaps pointing out the fact that in most respected polls, Ron Paul is currently polling in double digits, 3rd out of all the other republican candidates? More specifically, Paul is polling 2nd and 3rd in both Iowa and New Hampshire. Maybe the AJC should have reported this in their article? It adds a nice context that helps to vindicate the anger coming from the Paul camp and Paul’s supporters. Bachmann is literally polling near 0% nationally, yet she was given far more questions / time than Ron Paul, who is polling 3rd nationally. Makes no sense whatsoever.

Louis Nardozi

November 15th, 2011
8:58 pm

Hi Everyone,

The RNC has been complicit in the marginalization of Dr. Paul, as well as the media blackout. We all know this. I have set up a little website to bring attention to this fact and to help Dr. Paul. It is not the kind of thing he would do (in fact he couldn’t even acknowledge it without being summarily expelled from the GOP), but it IS the kind of thing I would do, ESPECIALLY after the last debate where Dr. Paul got a whole 90 seconds to speak. This must stop and by God it WILL stop, and YOU’RE going to help me stop it!

Go to http://RonPaulPromise.com and sign up please, and spread the word. I set up the site myself it has no ads and no profit, just a labor of love in defense of Dr. Paul.