CNN alters debate transcript

CNN's Democratic debate last week -- hosted by Wolf Blitzer -- appears to be nothing more than an infomercial designed to shield Hillary Clinton from tough questions. All six of the "ordinary people, undecided voters" who were selected to ask questions appear to be Democratic operatives.

For example, ordinary citizen LaShannon Spencer was a randomly selected participant in the Democratic debate on Thursday. She was described as one of several "undecided voters", but her presence has now been utterly purged from CNN's transcript of the event.

Her debate performance now lives on only in my mind. Oh, and also in the International Herald-Tribune version of the transcript.

CNN identified her only as a member of the First African Methodist Church and not as a director of political affairs for the Democratic Party of Arkansas. Spencer was also associated with the Kerry-Edwards campaign and a member of the Arkansas Democratic Delegation in 2004. But she's just another ordinary citizen, just like you or me.

As Dan Riehl says, you can't spell Clinton without CNN. But what's their point in altering the transcript? It's all too little, too late.

Update: Received an anonymous message that deserves attention:

I guess in a city of almost 2 million, CNN couldn't find just one stay-at-home minivan mom, a cocktail waitress, an insurance salesman, a plumber, a bank manager, or even a librarian in the audience to ask their scripted questions.

What a sham. This was nothing more than an over-produced infomercial. No genuine exchange of political ideas.