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Does Jim Lehrer have any advice for next moderator? ‘No!’

Oct. 5, 2012 3:17pm Eddie Scarry

The Washington Post has an interview with Jim Lehrer about the harsh criticism he received as moderator of the first presidential debate.

Lehrer said “it was frustrating” to have Mitt Romney and President Obama talk over him and at times break way from the debate format. But he said at a point, he let it go.

“I kept reminding myself: ‘Hey, wait a minute. Waaait a minute. This isn’t about rules. This is about the reality of the exchange of the two candidates,’” Lehrer said. “So I just backed off. . . . I had no problem doing that. Yes, there were times when I pushed them, and sometimes they ran over and ignored me and all that sort of stuff. So what? I mean, it isn’t about my power, my control or whatever. It was about what the candidates were doing, what they were talking about and what impression they were leaving with the voters. That’s what this is about. It’s not about how I felt about things.”

And as for any advice has for the other three moderators who will have their go with both candidates later this month…

“No! I don’t have any specific advice,” he said. “The importance of these debates has been demonstrated. The [forthcoming] debates are going to be even more important because this one drew so much attention.”

[Washington Post]

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Comments (24)

QueenBeeWorld
Posted on October 7, 2012 at 6:17pm
First, I’d like to thank Jim Lehrer big-time for doing the right thing and letting Obama and Romney actually debate. It was such a great surprise to actually see the self-professed “eye candy” trying to make eye contact with Jim and incessently nodding like a bobble head to try and get Jim to change the subject and more “forward”. My husband and I were ecstatic, and we slept really good that night, too. Our Liberal friends didn’t have much to say the following day, and we didn’t gloat—there will be time for that next month.

Now for my caption: “Where the heck are those questions Obama gave me yesterday? I don’t know if he can answer mine without a teleprompter.”

QueenBee

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TAXEVERYONE
Posted on October 7, 2012 at 5:31pm
Let’s see…..number nine, don’t bring up the dog issue.

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Obamujahadeen
Posted on October 7, 2012 at 7:25am
Here’s one: Dang, this is getting tough to run interference, Obama’s dumber than a chair after all.

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Starla
Posted on October 6, 2012 at 10:56pm
O snap!!! I know 45% is in here SOMEWHERE!

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meister41
Posted on October 6, 2012 at 7:52pm
Seeing how I lost total control of this Debate,I guess I won’t have time to ask these 5 pages of questions!

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blackyb
Posted on October 6, 2012 at 2:17pm
“ummmm…what is this note asking if I have an extra teleprompter?”

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- damon_k
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 4:05pm
  Good for Jim Lehrer. He understands what so many in the media don’t, i.e. it’s not about them. Read more insights at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
  Report this comment
jaylew
Posted on October 6, 2012 at 2:08pm
Dear Jim Lehrer……now how does it feel to have PBS supporters gnashing their teeth and wailing directly at you? This would be a great time to switch party affiliations and ride this publicity into a part time Fox News gig….that way you really will have an audience with real numbers….and your salary won’t be paid by the tax paying public. Let this be an example to all liberals in taxpayer employ….progressives are bitter losers especially when they lose so badly. It’s always best to be on the side of the company that manufactures the bug spray RAID. Good Job Lehrer….it was a teachable moment for many that night……

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- blackyb
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 2:20pm
  I thought Mr. Laher did an excellent job with what he had to work.
  
  Report this comment
- spirited
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 10:32pm
  Yep, he did a great job!
  
  Report this comment
Enzo
Posted on October 6, 2012 at 1:02pm
It wasn’t the altitude… it was the attitude that sunk Obama!

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needmoinfo
Posted on October 6, 2012 at 12:35pm
Great Job.

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noczars
Posted on October 6, 2012 at 10:31am
Jim Lehrer can now expect the rath of the left. I e-mailed him right after the debate and told him I actually thought he did a great job. Even when obama kept talking and insulted Lehrer with “I had 5 seconds before you interrupted me” Lehrer let him go on and on. It made obama look really bad because HE was the one that looked rude. Then Lehrer put him in his place by saying “you went well over the 5 seconds”. Plus obama got flustered and lost train of thought.

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- EricAZ
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 6:59pm
  I actually liked how it came out since it truly showed who knew their stuff. Yes, they went over on the first question, but Lehrer managed to keep things fairly on track the rest of the time.
  
  I found it funny that the press was beating up Romney for “hogging” the time when Obama actually spoke about 4 minutes more (roughly 42 to 38 minutes). The interesting thing is Romney said more while speaking less in this first debate.
  Eric
  
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tesstruhart
Posted on October 6, 2012 at 9:44am
I, too, was surprised that this was actually the closest thing we have had to a debate in perhaps, ever.
I don’t think Mr. Lehrer had this in his mind when it started, but it morphed into an informative display. If we discount the altitude, the Prez weighty problems, the moderator, and whatever else his minions have come up with, we are left with an inept, empty suit. It appears to me that he doesn’t actually know what his policies are unless someone has written them down for the teleprompter. Empty chair indeed.

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Keep Your Skepticals On
Posted on October 6, 2012 at 2:43am
Jim Lehrer was awesome.

Debate: To engage in argument by discussing opposing points.

When was the last time we have ever gotten a real “debate”. Discussions are not settled by arbitrary time constraints. Clarity comes when both side have made their case and that is exactly what happened.

This could well be one reason the president did so poorly. His most contriversial arguements were slipped in at the last second when it seems he was not expecting to have to defend it.

I hope the rest of the debates are this good.

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justasurvivor
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 10:23pm
I thought he did great, and I really appreciated the audience being quiet. I wish all the debates were JUST LIKE this one.

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- Goldi-lox
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 8:25pm
  We really appreciated how polite and quiet the audience was, too. And the SUCCESS of the debate was more because Romney came VERY PREPARED AND INVIGORATED, more than anything that Lehrer said or did. We did appreciate that Lehrer backed down when Romney challenged him, because it was clear ROMNEY was the only one present who had something clear, concise and important to say.
  
  –We do wish someone had brought up the MORTGAGE DEBACLE when the Big -0- was blabbing and blaming others for the economic mess we’re all suffering under. It was/is CENTRAL to the current mess, but nobody mentioned it. (A big oversight–”oversight” as originally defined, not as re-defined by D.C. politicos.)
  
  Report this comment
listeninginVT
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 8:49pm
Jim Lehrer– Thank you for a wonderful job. We were riveted and interested watching this debate, and paused often to talk about what was said, and ‘Noted’ that you gave a wonderful environment so the people could clearly see the 2 sides.

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Niruba
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 7:00pm
I knew Obama was avoiding issues when he rejected heads of state to hang out with celebrities (or so they are called in some crowds). Guess he was just too high on the pedistal and really showed his ass on national TV. Mr. Leher had no choice but to let them say what needed to be said. He had a moral right to not interupt. I think he should tell the next guy to go the same route. After all it was an eye opener for some and although they try nobody can deny Obamas inadequancy in this role.

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- Goldi-lox
  Posted on October 6, 2012 at 8:31pm
  The next debate will be more challenging to Mitt Romney, probably, because “town hall” format is the Big 0′s “forte”–he LOVES playing directly to the audience, because their blind adulation “fuels” him.
  
  Let’s hope Romney is as well prepared and CHARGED UP for the second debate–even if it requires a couple quick stops at the CHEESECAKE FACTORY before the debate.
  
  Report this comment
- joanmarie
  Posted on October 9, 2012 at 3:13am
  Been looking where to post this “take” by a reporter from the major Italian center-left daily La Repubblica;..and the Dems would bring us closer to European ideals/ideas?!:
  
  …”Now he [Obama] will have to attack without having the talent of an attack player. He will have to risk, and being a prudent and calculating man, this is something that he does not like to do…. But he must do this with surgical precision, without ever becoming undone, because hanging over him is always the long shadow of his skin color, the “alienness” of his figure, for which [there are] millions of Americans who loathe him, who in any case consider him a usurper and the insolent slave who has entered into the plantation owner’s house. Obama has to exhibit passion and anger without playing the “angry black man”, the agitated and raging black man that so much of America fears and hates even today…”
  “Does Barak Obama really want to be re-elected showing “fire inside”, or is he at the point of the sad conclusion a politician reaches who is honest with himself and with the public – to the point of masochism: in this time of “confrontation” politics, obstructionism, fierce polarization and acrimony interpreted by the Tea Party partisans, is it impossible to change, and is governing useless? He can appear to be a President, the leader, the pontiff of “Religion America” – what he cannot afford to appear is resigned”.
  
  I am new to all this posting stuff; where/how can I
  
  Report this comment
PopsRifle
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 3:47pm
One more comment on this. The leftist pundits have consistently put forth the idea that B.O. appeared to be unprepared for this first debate. It is true that B.O., MUCH LIKE MANY OF US, did not really expect such a performance from Romney. Personally, I believe we expected the typical Republican performance. In fact, I had my finger on the remote re-call button to prepare a channel change to the Animal Planet channel. However, when Romney opened up and let loose the onslought of truth, I took my finger off the re-call button and watched in awe. There we go – Romney’s performance was ‘shock and awe.’ It was so effective that Frank Luntz witnessed a group of undecided voters make their decision for Romney. Romney’s performance was so effective, a number of us were able to sleep that night, including Glen, Pat and Stu.

Expect a heightened performance from B.O. in the next two debates as B.O. will be much better prepared for Romney’s shock and awe. Romney needs to keep up the fight and maintain his level of preparedness, energy and enthusiasm for debate.

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PopsRifle
Posted on October 5, 2012 at 3:31pm
This is comical. It is not the fact that B.O.’s performance as president has been poor, it is not that B.O.’s policies have made our country worse off than before, it is not that B.O.’s vision and direction of our country simply will not work; it is because the moderator, Jim Lehrer, failed to moderate.

The left’s perpetual inability to assume responsibility for their failed policies is self-evident of their political narcisism. It is unfortunate that they have turned on their own, Jim Lehrer, like cannibalistic pirhanas. At the heart of this matter, they will turn on Jim because, in their heart of hearts, they know that Romney DID win. The left knows, as Pat Gray sung it, ‘Romney kicked their Marxist ass.’

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