Sep 24, 2008

Poll: most voters say debate moderators biased

There are so many polls during a presidential election they get a little tiresome.

There is one poll, however, that is quite interesting.

Three out of four U.S. voters (74%) say they are Very Likely to watch the upcoming presidential debates, but over half (56%) think debate moderators are biased in their questioning.

In the first debate this Friday evening, 22% believe the moderator, veteran PBS newsman Jim Lehrer, will try to help Barack Obama.

Forty-three percent (43%) say Lehrer will play a neutral role to help voters make an informed choice.

Only six percent (6%) think he will try to help John McCain.

How will Mr. Obama do without his teleprompter? He has even been known to use a teleprompter at a few of his small town hall meetings.

Mr. Obama was without a prompter during the forum at televangelist Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California when this dialog took place:

Pastor Warren: At what point does a baby have human rights?

McCain: A baby’s human rights begin at the moment of conception … I have a 25-year pro-life record.

Obama: “… whether you’re looking at it from a theological perspective or a scientific perspective, answering that question with specificity … is above my pay grade.

Above his pay grade indeed.

There were no teleprompters used at Saddleback and it showed.

He may make a slip like he did when he announced that he had campaigned in all 57 states and only had a few more to go.

Link