Kooch and the UFO 'question' .... the media is saying "Fuck You, Democrats" with it.

[Stinky The Clown]

The UFO question was total bullshit. Russert should have been arrested for disrespect for even asking it. Kooch did an admirable job of deflecting it. But the fact is, he did say he saw one. I don't think it matters, but apparently Mistah Fat Timmah does. (Why does Russert always look like he's ready to unload a huge fart?????)

Anyway ..... the UFO thing is being discussed WAY out of proportion to its meangfull(less)ness.

Why?

Because all of a sudden it isn't that Kooch says he saw a UFO. Suddenly, 'the democrats are the party of illegal aliens and space aliens'.

It is intended to make our side look slightly off kilter and nutty. The media is running with thjis one and will play it over and over and over with all sorts of twists.

Richardson and his comment about Air Force records, while VERY true, didn't help one iota.

This whole thing was a trap set by Fat Timmah and his little pet, Brian RoboNewz

May I get an amen for the wish to see a flying saucer fly out of Fat Timmah's prodigious ass on live teevee?

[mike_c]

1. this is so fucking transparent-- it pisses me off....

Kucinich is the ONLY dem willing to offer real alternatives-- and well considered ones-- to matters of public policy ranging from war and peace to health care and education, and that pompous pissant Russert wants to focus on his having once seen something strange in the sky? My head is exploding!

:nuke:

[Stinky The Clown]

3. When he asked the question last night, I almost went through the teevee

I want his throat squeezed ...... real hard.

[TwilightGardener]

2. Yep--when does Mitt get to answer questions about Joseph Smith and

talking lizards and Magic Underwear? When does Huckabee get asked about his plan to bring about the Rapture? When does Rudy get asked about his cross-dressing habit? No, their debate questions are structured to make them look tough and serious. Dems are made to look "moonbatty". No question.

[shadowknows69]

4. I wish Russert painful anal probes without end.

[Chovexani]

5. It's a calculated attempt to smear the only candidate who talks sense

I don't think it's a coincidence that the only candidate present who has been calling for impeachment got the UFO question.

[annabanana]

8. Oh it's deliberate alright. The one candidate with whom the

corporate deep pockets cannot "work" gets the most severe side-lining. It is no coincidence, my friends...

[Chovexani]

10. And DU is falling for it hook line and sinker

As usual.

[Stinky The Clown]

14. Oh, its much worse than that ....

Look at the rhythm on the debate. Everyone got asked questions which were then engaged upon. Except Kooch. Every answer he gave met with silence. If they wanted to feign outrage, why not with the impeachment question from 'that crazy-assed left wing loony'. No. Instead they just ignore him.

[Chovexani]

20. It's shameful

And the beat goes on. :(

[Rick Myers]

6. Don't let the 'cons' frame the arguement

UFO simply means 'unidentified flying object,' not flying sausers or little green men (actually, they're grey, but that's another story).

I'm an Air Force vet and have seen UFOs twice! Both times with other witnesses. All that means is we saw 'something' flying and could not identify it.

Don't let anyone get away with framing the debate for us!!

[Cha]

16. Precisely!

That's what I've been sayin'.

[OzarkDem]

7. If it makes you feel better

The originator of this story, Kucinich's hometown rag, The Plain Dealer, has been making these kinds of juvenile attacks on Kucinich for years. It hasn't stopped him from getting re-elected year after year after year by very wide margins.

His constituents know he's a good guy who votes in their best interests and takes care of them the best he can. Dennis knows how to handle the news media, he's had lots of experience with the worst of them.

[LWolf]

9. Amen.

:grr:

[hfojvt]

11. Kooch? Kooch?

I like that, it looks a little bit like my surname. It's like DU is talking about me. It's all about me.

Sorry my ego just took off and is flying around the room. It's an IFO though.

The people I watched the debate with thought Obama did a great job of turning it around and talking about life on earth.

[MuseRider]

12. So that explains

his bug eyes. Thanks. Hate the guy, he is below despicable IMO. Questions asked to influence the public like they have any business doing it.

Edit I am hating on TR not DK

Edit again because apparently I am stooooopid tonight

[ljm2002]

13. No kidding...

...the clue to his intent were the first words out of his mouth, before we even knew what the question was going to be: "This is a serious question:" -- he had to say it, or no one would believe it was a serious question (which of course it was not).

Also, he could have just stopped at the part where Shirley MacLaine said Dennis had seen a UFO, but no, he had to read the whole passage where she claims that Dennis heard voices... Clearly an attempt to smear him.

Why Russert is allowed anywhere near a Democratic debate is certainly a question worth asking. It made my blood boil to see that question asked in the way it was asked. In fact it was totally ludicrous. We have all sorts of important issues to be discussed, and that's the best he could come up with? The ONLY possible explanation was an attempt to make Dennis and yes, the Democratic candidates, look bad.

What makes it even more infuriating, the Republics have offered the craziest slate of candidates since I can remember -- and that's going back 40 years or so.

[Cha]

15. Or just did...

"(Why does Russert always look like he's ready to unload a huge fart?????)"

[Pastiche423]

17. Amen

It wasn't bad enough that hardly any questions were directed to him for the entire two hours, FT had to sling that arrow.

It is undemocratic to give some candidate(s) the majority of time and almost ignore others.

[lovuian]

18. Tim really hurt himself I think that is going to backfire

on the news media

I bet Dennis moves up in the polls

[bullwinkle428]

19. It's the "Al Gore claims he invented the Internet" meme for '08!

Of course they never pull this crap with the Repukes...

[KharmaTrain]

21. Time To Move On

So Timmeh Russert is a Right Wing Corporate shill? Knock me over with a feather
The entire debate was loaded with gotcha and cheap shot questions. Russert felt it was his "job" to turn this game show into a cage match...for his amusement and ratings. But this is his regular routine...just watch his Sunday treehouse how he frames talking points and memes and attempts to go after Democrats with it.

Yes, I thought the question had no place in a serious debate and was strictly asked to embarass Kucinich. Russert put it out there in hopes it would get a reaction...especially from the blogosphere. Condemning Russert is all well and good...the bastard deserves it...but keeping this story going will give Russert the result he was hoping for and give this story more legs than it deserves.

These televised debates are a joke. There are too many...each has to has some cutsey gimmick and is usually the forum for the moderators to show off rather than to learn where candidates stand on important issues. Russerts self-serving "little Russ" shtick wore thin here a long, long time ago.