This being a CNN, the Clinton News Network, moderated debate, shouldn't there be more suspicion as to whether this wasn't the only planted question?

CNN has lost all credibility.
Who is in charge of this zoo?

CNN continues to show their bias via their assumption that the type of questions they permitted were "expected" because the debaters where Republicans/Conservatives.

They, CNN, have lost what little credibility they have.

Here's where the credibility comes into question: oil is approaching $100 a barrel, the dollar is on the slide, we have no acceptable immigration policies, the war in Iraq is not over, Congress has been in gridlock for six years and CNN choses abortion and gay rights in the military issues from "undecided" Youtube questioners who, "surprise", are decided Edwards and Clinton supporters. The question then becomes whose issues are these. The answer: CNN's issues and by questioners political association, Democrats, and you wonder why no followup questions during Wolf's kissy, kissy session.

Having nothing but vetted supporters ask you softball questions (ala Hillary and Bush) is propaganda and is useless, but questions form the opposition are valid and important. This is supposed to be the President of the United States, not the predident of the Republicans or president of the Democrats. Perhaps we should have a whole Democratic candidate debate where all questioners are Republicans and vice versa.

Why are Hillary and the Dems so afraid that they feel they have to plant questions, not only at their debates, but also at the GOP debates? Of course the reason is simple... Americans don't want to hear the REAL Democratic agenda which is 1. Admit defeat 2. Raise taxes 3. Socialize our healthcare system 4. Appoint judges to re-write the Constitution, not defend it. Senator Clinton & her supporters should be ashamed!!

The last time I checked, citizens may vote for candidates of either party during the primaries. I certainly feel free to change my party affiliation and to probe candidates of both parties. Why should a televised debate be any different?

Uh.. the question by Grover Norquist wasn't 'planted'?

CNN has not had any credibility for years now, so this should not be any surprise to anyone. You can trust the National Inquirer more than you can trust CNN. I don't know why people even waist their time watching CNN. What really makes me mad besides the stupid questions and plants, is the way they made the average Republican look. 99.999% of Republicans do not have a rifle slung on their backs or a Confederate flag hanging on their bedroom wall.

CNN was expected to give Ron Paul more questions now that he has demonstrated that he is a real contender by his ability to raise funds from individuals. Instead he was given only 4 stupid questions.
Ron Paul had an astounding display of support in St Petersburg. Airplane and boat banners. A rented theater filled with cheering supporters. Ten tables in the park offering t-shirts, books, brochures, etc. Busses to transport the people from one place to another. All done by local volunteers. The papers have not reported any of this. It is being suppressed, like Christmas. He was not given a fair opportunity to express his views in the debate. The powers that be must be very much afraid of him and his ideas.

I was not surprised to find out the retired military man was a plant. I was also surprised CNN didn't pull the plug on him. I also thought most all of the YouTube questions ask we silly and a was of time for the candidates to answer.

Response to Fred:
All questions coming from members of the opposition party is a fine idea, Fred, as long as these people are properly identified in advance. Otherwise, the whole idea becomes unethical, at worst, and mischievous, at best.

Having opposing parties put "plants" in a primary or general election debate, in my opinion, shows how much candidates have become politicians instead of statesmen. When they face each other, they can debate each other. Each party has issues that are important within that party, that may not be so in another party. They all have plenty of opportunity to put "plants" in thier "town hall meetings" and such. The debates seem kind of set-up and simple to me. The advertisements for them on the radio sound like their more for a variety T.V. show than a serious debate about who will sit in the most powerfull seat in the world. Just a comment from a farmer/carpenter from Kansas.

there seems to be no people of class at cnn cerainly not those who moderate the debates.most of which are childish chatter.

Is politics getting better or worse? The questions asked helps us to address a problem that very few of our elected officials have done, work across the aisle.

McCain won the debate and has the experience to bring in both parties for a real solution to immigration, Social Security, the environment and foreign policy.

After all CNN is the controlled news network...it is their basic opperating premise conservatives are too ignorant to descern such blatant attempts to warp the news media to their extremist views. Honest debate scares liberals...they must have their worn out mantras and lock step scripts so their little herd of sheep can merrily run of the deep end of the cliff en mass. Individuals frankly scare them...gays in the miltary? Who would have thought? What rubbish...

CNN has one foot on a banana peel and the other in the grave when is comes to being "objective" in their news coverage.

I find it even more humorous when the Wash. Post begins to call them out on leaning too far left!!

HDNet Dec 1 DNC debate (Sat 7:30pm ET).
- all eight -

gravel kucinich paul nader

There seems to be an editoral split at TIME/Warner as to who they prefer as the Democratic candidate. CNN clearly has a bias towards Hillary, as evidenced by softball questions in debates and the continued propping up of her front runner status in articles. But their affiliate TIME frequently has flattering periodicals in regards to Obama, and the editorial tone there clearly is supportive of his candidacy in as opposed to Hillary. In regards to Republican candidates, I think they both want to maintain a "broken house" public image, and seem to be doing a fair job at it to date. The Republicans are also doing there part to help, the only way there will be consensus this campaign year is if Hillary is the candidate.

Lets not forget, this is a Republican primary, not a Democratic primary. If these people are registered Democrats, unless they are from states with open primaries, they have no say in who will be the Republican candidate. They will get their say during the general election. This is where CNN's lack of credibility comes into play. These are NOT Republican issues, these are CNN issues by choice and by the political association of the questioners, Democratic issues and an assymetrical tactic to sway indepedent voters.

A PLANTED QUESTION NOW
A PLANTED VOTE(S) LATER!!
ISN'T DEMOCRACY GREAT!??

Shouldn't a network hosting a debate at least try to be unbiased? The network should show no opinion, unless they are the one in the deate. They shouldn't pick questions that may support their opinion on anything, even if it is unrelated.