Holt’s Debate Night: Mod Gives Clinton Pass On Scandals, Health Problems
Lester Holt’s debate night performance was flawed, and it is now likely to be used by Donald Trump supporters to point to as evidence of “mainstream media bias,” as Holt failed to ask Hillary Clinton about the most recent revelations of the long-festering email server scandal, subsequent veracity problems following big revelations, and the health problem which she said impairs her memory.
From moderator Holt’s own words, this would be a debate to “explore” several topics, as viewed in an annotated transcript provided online by the Washington Post.
“We’ll explore three topic areas tonight: Achieving prosperity, America’s direction, and securing America… The questions are mine and have not been shared with the commission or the campaigns.”
But there was no exploration of the possible national security issue Clinton may pose from Holt. As Holt’s debate night opportunity to help Clinton explain her time as Secretary of State was so remarkably shunned by the moderator, perhaps voters might have missed the story.
The Inquisitr has previously covered the problem of the scandal, of course, as in the report wherein Clinton advised the FBI that she “… told the Federal Bureau of Investigation agents that her concussion in 2012 while Secretary of State in the Obama Administration makes her incapable of accurately remembering if she ever got any briefings on how to handle confidential or classified documents while in office….”
The FBI report brought forth press statements from her rival Donald Trump and his campaign, but did Holt’s debate night opportunity cause him to ask Clinton about the health problem which impairs her judgment? No. Lester Holt took a pass on that big important question. The Trump camp knows there is a problem, as they have questioned Clinton’s impairment.
“Clinton’s reckless conduct and dishonest attempts to avoid accountability show she cannot be trusted with the presidency and its chief obligation as commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces.”
Apparently, the BBC had some issues with Holt’s debate night façade of fairness too, per this first tweet.
Even THE @BBC is calling out Lester Holt for his biased moderation! #TrumpWon pic.twitter.com/W4sYvUkWKG
— Democrats for Trump (@YoungDems4Trump) September 27, 2016
Another tweet mentions the “historically-awful” Clinton.
.@TheDemocrats, don’t come at me#TrumpWon bc ur historically-awful candidate @HillaryClinton was making her bed long before #debatenight pic.twitter.com/4uehdq3yLk
— Zach Haller (@zachhaller) September 27, 2016
Beyond those, it seems even CNN’s Tom LoBianco was expecting better from journalist Holt’s debate night questions. Also let down were viewers who must vote in the November general election, it seems, and regarding Holt’s debate night moderation, a few unsure voters may be selecting a new leader purely reacting to the issue of media bias after Monday night.
Where was any question on the information contained in the FBI notes in the Clinton private server/email investigation? And while Holt brought up Trump’s big issues, he failed miserably on the Clinton issues voters also care about.
Right after the Holt debate night partisan performance, Trump was interviewed by Sean Hannity, and voters can check out the YouTube video below.
https://youtu.be/PXDjwi0zbO0
Meanwhile, Dan Riehl over at Breitbart has posted his story on an interview with Democratic pollster Pat Waddell that explains even though Trump seemed “mediocre” to some, he likely helped himself anyway in the Monday night debate.
Caddell was connecting the dots on viewer reactions and impressions of the candidates.
“First of all, ninety-five percent of the people who watched the debate and we had pre-interviewed, of almost 900 interviews, said they didn’t change their minds. Of the small number of people who did, Trump ended up with a slight advantage among undecideds to him.”
And a Boston Herald story, partially re-posted over at RealClearPolitics online by writer Chris Cassidy, underscores some of the notions voters in America have regarding the media bias by folks just like Lester Holt.
“Rampant mainstream media bias against Donald Trump could play right into the GOP presidential candidate’s hands, sparking a sympathetic backlash from voters who see unfair press hits as a heavy-handed shadow campaign to boost Hillary Clinton, experts said ?yesterday.”
Even though Holt’s debate night performance was flawed, voters will head to the polls to decide for themselves which candidate they trust more with the Office of the President. Those moderators who will follow Holt perhaps will take note.
[Featured Image by Joe Raedle/Pool/AP Images]
