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DEL.ICIO.US‘No way’ was the general a Clinton plant, CNN producer says
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The man who put together Wednesday night’s CNN/YouTube presidential debate said “there’s no way” that a retired general who asked Republican candidates a gays-in-the-military question was a plant by the Hillary Clinton campaign.
“It’s hard to imagine that that was a plant. He had no idea — none — that his question was going to be used,” said David Bohrman, senior vice president for CNN and executive producer of the Florida debate.
See this earlier post for details.
Only after the debate was over did CNN learn that Keith Kerr, a retired general with the California National Guard, was a member of a gay-and-lesbian steering committee for the Clinton campaign.
Kerr said he was acting on his own initiative when he submitted the question, and had done no work for the Clinton campaign other than lend his name to a press release issued last June.
Early Thursday morning, over Bohrman’s name, CNN issued an apology for the situation. “We regret this incident. CNN would not have used the General’s question had we known that he was connected to any presidential candidate,” he was quoted as saying.
A few minutes ago, while he was waiting for his flight to take off, we got a few quick questions into the CNN producer.
“There’s no way that was a plant. There were 5,000 questions. There were many gay questions. This was a very good one.
“If you’re going to go into the topic of gays in the military, where there’s some interesting nuance among these candidates, it’s a pretty good way to do it — through a brigadier general with 43 years of experience,” Bohrman said.
They passed over a question from a gay IED demolitions expert, and “a couple of Arab linguists who were dismissed” in favor of Kerr.
So they vetted Kerr’s military credentials. CNN, in fact, had used Kerr in a gays-in-the-military story four years earlier.
“To make sure that he wasn’t an obvious campaign supporter, we took the next step of looking in the FEC records, to make sure he hadn’t contributed, which I think is the best way to make sure someone’s not in a campaign. People who really are give money,” Bohrman said.
But Bohrman also conceded that if you “google” Kerr’s name and Hillary Clinton, the press release naming him to the steering committee pops up.
Bohrman said this about CNN’s process of winnowing down to 40 the 5,000 questions it was handed by YouTube:
“We had a team of about 10 people who were looking and looking and looking. No one at YouTube had any idea of what we were going to use,” he said.
When the CNN team had narrowed the field to 150 questions, Bohrman was approached by YouTube, which wanted to invite some of the questioners to the debate.
“So I said, look here’s about a dozen people whose questions are interesting to me. I have absolutely no idea and will not tell you if their questions are going to be asked. So they invited some of them, not all of them, to come to the debate,” Bohrman said.
Kerr was among them, which Bohrman admitted gave the retired general “an inkling that his question was of interest.”
But until the question flashed on the screen, he didn’t know for sure, Bohrman said. Even the CNN staffer who put the microphone in front of the general didn’t know until 30 seconds beforehand, the producer said.
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Comments
By J Massey
November 29, 2007 2:41 PM | Link to this
There’s a big difference between “there’s no way that was a plant” and “it’s hard to imagine that that was a plant.” Which is it?
By pk
November 29, 2007 2:53 PM | Link to this
Of course it was a Hillary plant. I can’t believe that CNN is that incompetent.
By So what
November 29, 2007 3:08 PM | Link to this
Ho hum. Who cares?
By BUSHWACKER
November 29, 2007 3:14 PM | Link to this
B.S. CNN must have forgotten we all know they have admitted lying about stories in the past, therefore they have no credibilty to begin with.
It also should come as no suprise to the viewers that CNN will say and do anything that fits their agenda regardless of the truth, which is why I along with everyone else “I THOUGHT” had quit watching CNN years ago.
The questions were riduculous and only asked to make the candiadtes look bad.
Nice try CNN, but our guys looked distinguished and you made Anderson look like a an idiot.
By Bias
November 29, 2007 3:16 PM | Link to this
So what: What if someone on Rudy/Mitt’s legal steering committee had asked a question during a Fox debate to Hillary or Obama about the New York drivers’ license issue for illegal immigrants? People would be calling for Brit Hume and Rupert Murdock’s head.
Oh yeah…the Democrats refused to debate on Fox because of the “obvious bias.” Nevermind.
By BUSHWACKER
November 29, 2007 3:18 PM | Link to this
I wonder if “so what” smokes weed?
By K Fraher
November 29, 2007 3:19 PM | Link to this
CNN totally SUCKS!
CNN is a way far left, liberal, socialist, biased organization.
CNN stages news-does NOT report facts, but creates “their” news.
CNN distorts truth and lies!
CNN You Tube debate 11/28 was a horrid production and WAS staged!
CNN will fall to Fox, Rush & Sean…
By Jacob
November 29, 2007 3:20 PM | Link to this
Yeah Right! That Gay General was SUCH a plant! Don’t deny it CNN. No one will believe you anyway, because we all know you are lying. Saying you didn’t know just makes it worse. We all know you are a liberal media source. Don’t pretend you’re honest and unbiased.
Not planted? Sure…just like the other questions from YouTuber’s weren’t planted either. I’m sure they were all totally random questions right? Just like Hillary didn’t know her questions would be planted. Give it a rest. You call yourself a News Agency? Do you realize the detriment you cause to society by ruining the system you are supposed to uphold? Disgraceful.
By Dumbing Down
November 29, 2007 3:30 PM | Link to this
Yeah right… this is the same organization that brought us “Operation Tailwind”… a lie of a story that said U.S. Army Special Forces used nerve gas in Laos and attempted to kill U.S. defectors during the Vietnam War. This is the same organization that showed a “snuff film” of a U.S. Army soldier being shot by a sniper in Iraq. Don’t tell me they don’t have an agenda.
By rustylynn
November 29, 2007 3:42 PM | Link to this
Some are missing the point. Hillary had nothing to do with this. CNN are the ones who flew this guy out there, and tried to play gotcha with the candidates. Cooper kept badgering Romney in an attempt to make him look bad by using Kerr, who worked on the Kerry campaign as well. It is being revealed that many of the videos used last night were from Democrat operatives including the farm subsidy guy, the chinese toy mom, and the abortion girl. CNN lost any credibility that they might have held on to after last night’s debate. This comes off the heels of the supposed six undecided “random” audience members questioned in the Dem debate two weeks ago. After a few quick google searches they were ALL exposed as political operatives. CNN is far more biased that Fox ever dreamed of being.
By dd
November 29, 2007 3:50 PM | Link to this
And tomorrow CNN will come out with a story that “The AJC isn’t biased in their coverage…….” Bad news, AJC, folks know now that the junk you all print is opinion, not news, and always slanted by your bias.
By alma
November 29, 2007 3:56 PM | Link to this
Faux news is not a real organization people! That’s why the Dems didn’t go on there. If the candidates had thought CNN was biased, all they had to do was boycott. Very simple. And so why is it a big deal as to who asked the question? I am sure that the democrats would have answered it the same way the republican candidates did. Maybe they should have asked the candidates “Who’s God’s Favorite?” instead of a campaign issue question.
By Lewis B. Sckolnick
November 29, 2007 3:57 PM | Link to this
It is hard to imagine which it is.
By Anonymous
November 29, 2007 4:00 PM | Link to this
Interesting that when the Republicans use planted questions and operatives, they deliver softballs to their OWN candidates. When the Democrats do it, they ask the opposition hard questions.
Wonder why that is?
By beaz
November 29, 2007 4:10 PM | Link to this
Who cares? His question was still a legitimate one.
By James , Jackson ,GA
November 29, 2007 4:12 PM | Link to this
Sure?!!! How many political plants acknowledge and brag about attacking the opposition? That is why they are called plants. Weeds in a garden do not announce their presence, They have to be dug out.
He showed the true character of many democratic candidates; They reveal just enough information to decieve.
By DirtyDon, Wharton Tx
November 29, 2007 4:26 PM | Link to this
CNN is a farce. If you even have to ask why, you’re just not paying attention…
By JustMe
November 29, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this
Bwahahahaha! I am tearing up because it is so funny! A person from Texas (DirtyDon), Bush country, crazy conservative right-wing country, a place that is so backwards it even makes GA look progressive, thinks that CNN is a farce?
CNN makes every effort to present all sides of any story. I personally know some people that work there. Their opinions mean nothing when they put together a story.
Compare that with FOX news. FOX is the most slanted news on TV - except for maybe Pat Robertson’s “news.”
DirtyDon, at least you made me laugh!
By Rob
November 29, 2007 4:39 PM | Link to this
CNN fianally crossed the obvious line. Maybe people will see the liberal bias that runs throughout its programming. Anderson Cooper, the light in the loafers moderator, and the many demoncratic plants, tried to put the Republicans in the worst light possible. I guess that FOX news may be the only fair network left.. or NOT left.
By getalife
November 29, 2007 4:59 PM | Link to this
Lets show some respect and patriotism to the next Presidents.
The Clintons.
The taxpayers paid so rudy could get laid while he was still married.
Karma is sweet.
By steverino
November 29, 2007 5:05 PM | Link to this
Anderson Cooper, the light in the loafers moderator. ROFL-With Cooper as the moderator, the only real surprise would have been if a gay rights question had NOT come up. Good thing he lives in Atlanta, as he likes his fancy-lad friends to be of a darker hue. I ain’t judgin’, I’m just sayin’.
By al clark
November 29, 2007 5:22 PM | Link to this
i was a registered democrat for 40 years and have been so disgusted with what cable shows like you do to ambush people in regards to the debate last nite. it was quite obvious that you were trying to make the candidates appear in a bad situation, i challenge to ask the democrats the exact same questions, this just another reasone i have gone to fox news.
By Churchill
November 29, 2007 5:46 PM | Link to this
Whatever, Mr. CNN producer. Liar.
By Wackolibhack
November 29, 2007 5:50 PM | Link to this
Bush made CNN lose its street cred. Str8 Up.
By 1 Who Knows
November 29, 2007 5:54 PM | Link to this
The blame lies with one person: David Bohrman!
He produced a show that was more of a half-time show than a serious debate of the issues. No questions about healthcare, but a question about the Yankees? How does that help us understand the position of the candidates on issues that impact us?
He’s a tv hack that produces news as entertainment, badly.
Fire him and show that they are a “news” organization and not an “infotainment” channel.
By Brian
November 29, 2007 5:57 PM | Link to this
Would CNN be suspicious of the following question:
“What are you going to do to protect my right to kill babies, AND to make sure I do so safely when under the influence of LSD?”
By GaReublican
November 29, 2007 5:59 PM | Link to this
“The most Trusted name in News”, my A@@.
By Mark F.
November 29, 2007 6:00 PM | Link to this
Of course this was a plant, the producer knew it, this guy was on CNN 4 yrs ago stating that he was gay and to have this guy have a Question where 5000 questions came in? And then to have him in the Audience? They’re lying!!!!!!!!
By Freddie
November 29, 2007 6:06 PM | Link to this
Who Cares? I care. This is just another example of how bias CNN is. They can’t even put on a honest debate. If they did this to the dems there would be hell to pay. Hillary was whinning the last debate about being picked on for being the only women and not part of the good old boys club. If she was set up like this we all wouldn’t hear the end of it. I will spend everything I have and work as hard as I can, to make sure that witch is not elected and I am not the only one in this country who feels that way. Cnn soon you will be off the Air and it will be a great day in america……………
By Freddie
November 29, 2007 6:13 PM | Link to this
What a joke. CNN Off THe AIr SOON. I hope. Like they say in New England. If you aint’t cheating you ain’t trying. What a crock.
By Churchill
November 29, 2007 6:17 PM | Link to this
What kind of Carbon Footprint did that phony debate make last night? Flying that Clinton Hack from CA was too much. What? That would be, at least, 2 dead polar bears? It is time for Al Gore to protest CNN. CNN is killing the planet for ratings!
By Dooley
November 29, 2007 6:24 PM | Link to this
CNN = Communist News Network Why is everyone supprised?
By Bitter EX democrackkk
November 29, 2007 6:27 PM | Link to this
what a huge embarrassment for CNN and Mr. Cooper…and he was so well dressed for the event.
the favoritism to Mitt/Rudy was inexcuseable. the questions were juvenile. the moderator could NOT keep order. at least, Ron Paul got in a few intelligent words…
By Churchill
November 29, 2007 6:34 PM | Link to this
Ru Paul should be mad. They asked him about the “Trilateral Commission”. CNN assumed he was kook. Ru Paul was targeted by CNN, as well.
By GodHatesTrash
November 29, 2007 7:35 PM | Link to this
If the General is gay, no wonder that CNN thought he was GOP.
You silly bunch of poofs.
Trash.
By Churchill
November 29, 2007 7:43 PM | Link to this
Trash, Have you made the last 40 miles yet? I’ll still rent you the Prius.
Church
By Moe Fugga
November 29, 2007 9:01 PM | Link to this
Ahhh, CNN & liberals et al. Read the writing on the wall: your time is finished. America can see hwo distorted and weak we’ve become by allowing liberals a voice, and the tide is changing. To dumb it down to a game of musical chairs, if the liberals don’t pull their collective head out of their collective @ss, they’ll be the only one left without a chair when the music stops. I hope to the very fiber of my soul that Hillary gets the Dem nomination, because there’ll then be the easiest Republican victory this country has ever seen. There was a time when Libs and Dems could hold court, but now they’re a sickening memory of America’s darkest, weakest hours.
By Greg
November 29, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this
Allowing liberals a voice? Well thanks Moe for “allowing” people to speak their minds for a little while. You are exactly what is wrong with the republican party. Your post speaks volumes about what a backward idiot you are.
By Wacklibhack
November 29, 2007 11:33 PM | Link to this
Yeah, Moe Fugga, it is Bush’s fault that liberal do not own CNN, Hillary does. So there.
By Wackolibhack
November 29, 2007 11:36 PM | Link to this
Bush put Moe Fugga in charge of CNN!!! Down with Bush!!!
By wanna buy the Golden Gate bridge?
November 29, 2007 11:52 PM | Link to this
BS, and if it was a republican in question, and instead of CNN it was FOX News, the outrage would not end until a resignation happened, and anyone with an IQ of 20 (leaving out most liberals) would know it.
By wackolibhack
November 30, 2007 12:02 AM | Link to this
It is Bush’s fault that the outrage would be worse if Fox News would have rigged a debate. Bush loves dirty tricks.
By Mike
November 30, 2007 12:46 AM | Link to this
LOL yeah so he had no way of knowing his question was going to be used BUT he just happened to be in Florida even though he’s from Califorina! Why didn’t anybody ask him how he came to be in the audience and who paid for his ticket.
By Wackolibhack
November 30, 2007 1:19 AM | Link to this
Bush paid for his ticket. Bush is screwing CNN!!!
By Jimmy
November 30, 2007 1:51 AM | Link to this
It’s CNN….. I’m shocked they didn’t have EVEN MORE liberal plants. What funny, sad really, is that so few understand CNN, CBS, ABC and NBC have a 90% pro-liberal agenda.
By Wacko libhack
November 30, 2007 2:06 AM | Link to this
It is Bush’s fault that all those networks have a liberal bias. Bush is to blame for Anderson Cooper looking like a horses a$%. Bush is to blame!!! Hillary will win in 08 because Bush is the worstest ever.
By T. Hill
November 30, 2007 6:23 AM | Link to this
Everyone relax and be gay. CNN has an agenda and they merely want you to be a part of it.
By Dave
November 30, 2007 7:27 AM | Link to this
OK,The General lives in California and flew all the way to Florida not knowing he would be on the debate? Right!
By Dave2
November 30, 2007 7:39 AM | Link to this
“We had a team of about 10 people who were looking and looking and looking. No one at YouTube had any idea of what we were going to use,”
Ha ha, I’d love to see this “team” in action. Gay team member and hiliary supporter: Eeny, meeny, miny, moe… oh I like this one! Socialist, nose ring wearing vegan member, obama supporter: Oh boy, this is MY favorite question!
…well, you get the idea.
By Karen
November 30, 2007 7:42 AM | Link to this
CNN flew him to St. Petersburg, and paid for his hotel room. They literally paid a hack. The problem is the sysmtemic bias at CNN — the so called 10 staffers are all liberal lunatics and have no interest in having a fair debate. If we looked over the DNC YouTube debate questions that did not make the cut, I am sure you will find many by republicans. But CNN chose not to give air time to the opposition, but gave only pro DNC questions. CNN is a disgrace, and the liberal media cabal is messing with our elections.
By Karen
November 30, 2007 7:42 AM | Link to this
CNN flew him to St. Petersburg, and paid for his hotel room. They literally paid a hack. The problem is the sysmtemic bias at CNN — the so called 10 staffers are all liberal lunatics and have no interest in having a fair debate. If we looked over the DNC YouTube debate questions that did not make the cut, I am sure you will find many by republicans. But CNN chose not to give air time to the opposition, but gave only pro DNC questions. CNN is a disgrace, and the liberal media cabal is messing with our elections.
By Timothy L. Pennell
November 30, 2007 7:42 AM | Link to this
There’s no way that the gay guy was a Clinton plant. The Clintons never do that kind of thing. Next you’ll be saying that she plants the questions in the audience for them to ask her. Bill Clinton was ALWAYS against the war in Iraq. I don’t care what Google says. Peter Arnett is NOT a lying dirtbag and they WERE using nerve gas in Vietnam. You know, you don’t get the nickname;” the Clinton News Network” by accident. The whole concept of a you tube debate just shows how far we’ve fallen as a culture, What’s next? Are all the candidates gonna have to “RAP” their answers? The Republicans have no business whining about the obvious hit job by CNN. It’s CNN. It IS the Clinton News Network. You shoulda known what you were getting in to. What questions did you think you were going to get? “What do you prefer, diamonds or pearls”? Oh, wait, that was one of Hillarys’ questions. See what I mean?
By Michael Jackson
November 30, 2007 8:03 AM | Link to this
This producer is a tool for the Clinton campaign. CNN is just a mouthpiece for the Democrat Party. Of course, they invited the gay general. Of course, they knew he was part of the Clinton campaign. They probably got his name directly from Clinton lesbian lover.
By Gavin
November 30, 2007 8:13 AM | Link to this
It’s funny that all of you are so up in arms over an alledged plant. Were you upset when the gay porn dude Jeff Gannon was planted in the White House press corps to ask softball questions? Of course not. That didn’t count! If you’re not consistant with your outrage, you’re just hypocrites.
By Allen
November 30, 2007 8:38 AM | Link to this
“Sure, we gave him a plane ticket and a hotel room, but we had no idea he was a Clintonista. (The Rubes in flyover land will buy that one. Ooops, did I say that outloud”
-A. Cooper.
By Roy
November 30, 2007 8:49 AM | Link to this
If the Brig. General was a plant, so what? I could care less as this is not the first time CNN, Fox, & the dems, & reps have pulled this sort of stunt.
And as far as CNN goes, I used to watch Fox news but went back to CNN because I was tired of hearing how “succesful” the Iraq war was going.
By Dave2
November 30, 2007 9:09 AM | Link to this
Attention Roy: The Iraq war now going well. Go back to the truth at Fox.
By doctorfixit
November 30, 2007 9:22 AM | Link to this
Bee Blogger
I’m disgusted with the Republicans for humiliating themselves and their supporters by agreeing to participate in this CNN farce.
Why would anyone dignify these filthy liberals by answering their obvious setup questions?
Huckleberry Huckster is a liberal and a fraud.
By Wackolibhack
November 30, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this
It is Bush’s fault that Huckleberry is a Huckster!!
By Royisalettleboy
November 30, 2007 10:15 AM | Link to this
shhhhh don’t tell Roy, But the country is not going to hell. Not unless we elect “Her Thighness”.
By Roy
November 30, 2007 10:42 AM | Link to this
Royisalettleboy :
You are a God damned idiot if name calling is all you can come with. An FYI lettle is spelled little.
By JohnM
November 30, 2007 11:45 AM | Link to this
I can’t wait for Hillary to be sworn in next year.
The only thing that scares me is all of the exploding heads we’ll be seeing.
By Hillary Clinton
November 30, 2007 12:07 PM | Link to this
Relax Roy and try going back to watching Fox News so you can get a grip again!
By Grits
November 30, 2007 2:37 PM | Link to this
Don’t know, but bet that CNN producer Bohrman is a bigtime Demo and Clinton supporter. CNN is infested with new-age Nazis and Goebellan media mongering monsters. I can’t watch CNN because it makes me itch.
By Grits
November 30, 2007 2:38 PM | Link to this
Don’t know, but bet that CNN producer Bohrman is a bigtime Demo and Clinton supporter. CNN is infested with new-age Nazis and Goebellan media mongering monsters. I can’t watch CNN because it makes me itch.
By Wackilibhack
November 30, 2007 3:02 PM | Link to this
It is Bush’s fault that CNN makes Grits itch.
By Jimbo
November 30, 2007 7:25 PM | Link to this
Why do these Republicans choose to humiliate themselves in front of the CNN professional spinmeisters? I hope that all future debates are merely broadcasts of professionally prepared independent providers. What was wrong with the League of Women Voters?
By Raymond Snow
November 30, 2007 9:31 PM | Link to this
This pseudo heroic general? by the name of Kerr has embarrassed the entire country of America and especally the Military.
By Will Jones
November 30, 2007 9:54 PM | Link to this
He was a National Guard “general.” They’re political by states and have a long history of being lousy generals…particularly in WWII. Keep it straight. The genuine embarrassment is Petraeus: called an “@ss-kissing little chickensh!t” by his commanding officer, who left the Iraqi ammo dumps undestroyed and unguarded that were turned into IEDs for killing our troops. Bush did 9-11 and is a criminal. No legitimate officer would serve under him. We suffer from not having brought the generals and Congressmen complicit with GHW Bush and the Roman Catholic CIA in assassinating John Kennedy to keep us dying for the pope in Vietnam. They have continued to name others of their ilk to flag rank…probably closet-queens like W. Kerr admitted he is a flamer.
By Charles
December 1, 2007 5:17 PM | Link to this
’No way’ was the general a Clinton plant, CNN producer says ….. and the Easter bunny and Santa Claus exist, too … please, stop insulting our intelligence.