Was Jeb Bush Unfairly Fed Questions Before Debate ???
(Dedalus sent this information to me.)
I'm not accusing, just asking. Anyone who watched the Florida debate picked up pretty quickly that the moderator was giving a lot of favors to Bush - lots of extra rebuttals compared to McBride.
The transcript of the debate confirms that the candidates were not supposed to have received the questions in advance (they were pre-recorded "man on the street" type questions):
THE QUESTIONS WILL BE ASKED WILL BE ASKED BY CITIZENS FROM AROUND THE STATE.
FLORIDA NETWORK STATIONS COLLECTED MORE THAN 100 QUESTIONS BY VOTERS AND WE SELECTED THE ONES WE THINK REFLECT THE CONCERNS OF MOST FLORIDIANS.
THEY HAVE NOT SEEN THE QUESTIONS. THEY WILL BE DIRECTED TO THEM ALTERNATELY AND THEY'VE HAVE 90 SECONDS TO RESPOND OR LESS, IF THEY CHOOSE.
Something strange happened during the debate. Consider this section from the transcript. Note first that the fourth question was ask by a Ms. Fran Gosselin.
Putney: NOW THE FOURTH QUESTION... IT IS FROM FRAN GOSSELIN, AND IT HAS TO DO WITH VOTING PROBLEMS IN FLORIDA.
Fran Gosselin: I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THEY CAN'T CLEAN UP THIS MESS ABOUT VOTING. IT'S NOT FAIR FORT PEOPLE THAT VOTE AND DON'T GET THEIR VOTES COUNTED.
Putney:GOVERNOR BUSH, THIS QUESTION IS FOR YOU. MR. McBRIDE AND PARTY LEADERS HAVE SAID THE PROBLEMS WITH VOTING IN MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD COUNTY, PARTICULARLY, IN THE SEPTEMBER 10th PRIMARY, THAT YOU ARE, TO A LARGE DEGREE, ACCOUNTABLE FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. ARE YOU?
Gov. Jeb Bush: THANKFULLY I'M NOT. BUT IN THE CONSTITUTION, THEY'RE RESPONSIBLE FOR RUNNING ELECTIONS.
AFTER THE 2000 ELECTION, WE DID ACT. I ASKED JIM SMITH TO PUT TOGETHER A COMMISSION, WE PUT A BIPARTISAN GROUP OF PEOPLE TOGETHER AND WE MADE A SERIES OF RECOMMENDATIONS TO REFORM OUR LAWS.
TODAY IN FLORIDA, THAT ARE UPDATED QUALITY FOR MACHINES. WE HAVE A SINGLE STANDARDS FOR RECOUNT, AND WE HAVE PROVISIONAL BALLOTS, SO IF THERE'S ANY PROBLEMS IN THE PRECINCTS, THE POLL WORKERS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO USE THESE PROVISIONAL BALLOTS TO ALLOW PEOPLE TO VOTE. WE'VE REFORMED THE ABSENTEE BALLOT PROCESS.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, WE'RE NOW SPENDING MONEY AT THE STATE LEVEL. $32 MILLION. NEVER BEFORE WAS MONEY SPENT FOR MACHINES AND FOR NEW TRAINING.
65 COUNTIES IN THIS STATE GOT IT RIGHT, UNDER DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, BUT GOT IT RIGHT. TWO COUNTIES DIDN'T.
THEY HAVE PLEDGED TO IMPROVE THE ELECTION, WHICH IS SO SESSION FOR THE VOTERS. WE'VE OFFERED ASSISTANCE, BUT IT'S THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE THE ELECTION WORK.
Now look at the section in bold. If you listen to the audio from the debate here, starting at about 17:30, you notice that what Jeb actually says is.
FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER, Sylvia
Ah, what's the big deal? He flubbed her name. Well, it's made just a little bit suspicious by the fact that the *next* questioner is :
Putney: AND QUESTION FIVE... IT'S FROM SYLVIA SCOTT FROM MIAMI.
Sylvia Scott: WHAT CAN YOU OR WHAT WILL YOU DO TO ASSIST THE HOMEOWNERS AND THE SKYROCKETING INSURANCE RATES?
Coincidence? Oh, probably...
It's also possible they were given a list of the questioners' names in advance but not their questions. Perhaps someone should ask...
