Are Tim Russert and Brian Williams the Worst Debate Moderators Ever?

Are Tim Russert and Brian Williams the Worst Debate Moderators Ever?

Posted by Steve Benen, The Carpetbagger Report at 11:14 AM on January 16, 2008.

The candidates keep getting better in these debates. The moderators keep getting worse.

While political observers are understandably divided about who "won" last night's Democratic debate in Las Vegas, it seems everyone who watched can come together in agreement on one underlying point: the moderators were truly awful.

About a half-hour into the debate, an angry man started shouting, interrupting the event while security personnel intervened. Usually, these protestors are easy to dismiss as random nuts, but in this case, the heckler had a legitimate beef.

About 22 minutes into the Nevada Democratic debate, a heckler in the audience interrupted the proceedings, saying "these are f**cking race-based questions coming from you two, these are race-based questions..."

There was silence from the candidates and the moderators for about eight seconds with no mention of the heckler. Tim Russert, continued with his question for Sen. Hillary Clinton which focused on her characterization that Sen. Obama "is raising false hopes."

I've seen debates in which hecklers jeer candidates, and I've seen debates in which hecklers take a stand for one issue or another, but this was the first debate I've seen in which a heckler went after a moderator. Worse, I think the guy was probably right.:D

Within a few minutes of the interruption, Ezra said, "It's almost impossible for me to convey the damage Tim Russert and Brian Williams are doing to the republic this evening.... It's literally the worst moderation I've yet seen. It's not moderation. It's trivialization. 28 minutes in, there's not been a question about any issue, any cause, any problem."

more...

http://alternet.org/blogs/peek/73959/#more

And Wolfie is equally bad because he's just so darn boring.

:shrug:

Tweety just drives me nuts.
I haven't watched Wolfie (and never intend to) so I can't offer an informed opinion.

What an insult to the American people.

nothing's changed..I don't see how Dems can put it with it. repugs just crawl along.

1. All three candidates were far better than their questioners, with the possible exception of Natalie Morales.

2. The first 35 minutes were NBC/GE Media drivel - not a single question was asked about a single issue. Note that east of the Mississippi this is prime time - the time when the most viewers would be watching. Only the candidates addressed issues during that time.

of not being able to bring much to the moderating table..it's all about his boss, ge.

I can't watch them..I want to interrupt like that person(not a heckler)in Nevada only I'm at home.

Thanks for this babylon..maybe someday the m$$$$$$media will get torn asunder and we can get a CHANGE we can get behind.

And that heckler must have been a DUer. LOL.

Last week's race stuff should not have taken more than 10 minutes. Russert and Williams went back and forth with those stupid questions and if they got heckled, oh well, serves them right.

That guy shamed them into asking some real questions.

the way the networks are exercising authoritarian rule as to the selection of candidates and questions.

And it sucked.

I won't be watching any more of them, that's for damned sure.

What a waste of time.

to heckle, too. They were absolutely disgusting

and this debate was 10X better.