Brian Williams re: talking about race...'our sponsors expected it'

[spanone]

this kind of jolted me last night. in the intro to the debate, Brian Williams talks about talking about race....and he says 'our sponsors expected it of us'

i found this a bizarre statement...do they go over topics of discussion with their sponsors????

is this normal procedure?

see it here...http://youtube.com/watch?v=_51LMF5GeVc

[bear425]

1. I caught that, too. I found it to be an odd statement. n/t

[DJ13]

2. "This Presidential Debate Brought To You By Your Friends At GE"

"GE: We bring good things to life"

Like war, poverty, dirty ecology..........

[katsy]

3. Weren't the sponsors of the debate minority organizations?

If so, it follows that race issues would be discussed.

[bear425]

4. Oh yes. Well, that makes sense now. ty

[spanone]

6. that still makes no sense, if Viagra was a sponsor they wouldn't talk about ED

maybe the sponsors influence the questioning???...never dreamed of that.

[katsy]

11. But viagra was not the sponsor and I doubt the candidates

would debate on a forum sponsored by viagra. I don't care to speculate about what a debate would entail if sponsored by viagra because then we'd have to speculate about debates sponsored by betty crocker or teletubbies or... ahhh nevermind.

The debate was sponsored by minority interest organizations and that is a fact.

[spanone]

14. i don't disagree with you.i am just wondering if you pay your sponsor fee,do you influence questions

if so, i find that rather fightening

[bear425]

23. Of course the sponsors influence the questioning.

Not saying I agree with it. I don't. But it is the same as GE sponsoring a "private matter" debate. They get to "invite" whom they want and sponsors get to shape the questions. As long as we have corporate interest running our politics, this is what we get. I think we agree, yes?

[balantz]

9. Minority groups were token sponsors to make it appear warm and fuzzy

for all the little people. I personally have little doubt that behind the scenes the real sponsors, like G.E. and friends, have their hand in EVERY single detail.

[katsy]

13. No. They paid to sponsor the debate.

There's no evidence to suggest that these organizations are "on the take" or completely in cahoots with general electric to slam our candidates.

If anyone has proof that these minority organizations are agents of ge - let's see your evidence.

And how stupid would our slate of candidates have to be to be taken in by such tactics?

[spanone]

15. there have been no accusations here...how much influence in the debates do sponsors have?

according to brian williams statement...they 'expected' these questions...

[katsy]

20. I suppose they would influence the questions asked since they want

to probe candidate positions in relation to the organizations interests and pay for the debate.

AFCME, SEIU, State parties, AARP... all these and more sponsor debates. I believe (but am not sure where I read this) that the wall st. journal sponsored a republic debate. Kinda' fits, no?

[balantz]

21. Money and power corrupt.

It all stinks these days, doesn't it? Our whole election process should be absolutely non-commercial.

[katsy]

22. That's a valid concern IMO.

I tend to differentiate between civil rights, environmental and labor organizations and corporate interest groups like the wall st. journal or chamber of commerce though.

I'm fine with, for example, a university, the AFCME, NOW or the NAACP sponsoring a debate that focuses on their concerns. I don't see a problem with any group that serves as a check and balance to the corporate powers to be.

[balantz]

24. Yep.

Currently the checks seem to be in the corporate pockets and the balance is tipped in their favor. IMO

[balantz]

16. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear, but I am not in any way suggesting that any

minority groups are in cahouts, in any way. I'm just saying that I believe the corporations are manipulating the whole show. And of course I could be wrong as I don't know anything about the process. But I don't trust the corporations.

[spanone]

17. i'm wondering HOW MUCH they influence the show....it's a very interesting statement nonetheless

[uppityperson]

5. Every see the tv movie "special report" or some such?

tv movie that showed tv news is there for 1 reason, to make money. Seems wild they admitted it so bluntly though.

[Done]

7. aka corporate owners. nt

[orleans]

8. (BLOWJOB!) brian williams, (BLOWJOB) corporate sponsors

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8uCS9wcyQ4

[spanone]

10. one of my favorite scenes

[orleans]

12. yes. same here. n/t

[Freddie Stubbs]

18. U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and 100 Black Men of America were sponsors

[spanone]

19. and...because of this they get 'their' questions? is this a prerequisite for sponorship? just askin

i'm just wondering...i never even dreamed that the sponsors influenced questioning...and maybe they don't.

[Imagevision]

25. Hillary called a truce however she failed to mention it to Bill...!