Debate debacle

Was Maria Parra-Sandoval, a questioner in the last Democratic debate, really dying to know if Clinton preferred diamonds to pearls? Apparently not. She revealed on her MySpace page that CNN pre-planned and censored each debate question. Now bloggers are jumping on CNN for failing to better identify questioners and for slanting its post-debate coverage.

Catherine Jackson asked a question about Iran and mentioned that her son has spent three tours in Iraq. Dan Riehl identifies Jackson as an anti-war activist and former Harry Reid supporter. He says LaShannon Spencer, identified only as a member of the First African Methodist Church, is actually the former political director of the Democratic party of Arkansas. He also speculates as to why the crowd was so Clinton-friendly.

Classical Values found that Khalid Khan, a citizen concerned about racial profiling, is really a prominent Muslim leader previously featured on CNN. Classical Values says, "I have no problem with the president of any organization asking questions at a presidential debate. But shouldn't who he is be disclosed?"

The New York Times notes that CNN didn't identify another Clinton supporter: James Carville, who is a close Clinton friend and contributor, as well as one of CNN's post-debate analysts.