It would be too easy to get caught, in the manner that televangelist Peter Popoff was caught by James Randi getting audio fed to him during a faith healing performance.
Let’s hope somebody is backstage with a scanner for the next debate, just to make sure.
All I know is, that if Bush WERE cheating that way (i.e. with an earpiece), he needs to get someone better on the other end. :smack:
My Occams razor says that Bush had no ear piece…and Kerry needed no notes. Simple as that.
-XT
According to the NYPost, they looked at the feed and seemed pretty confident that it was a pen, which is what the Kerry campaign says as well. This is technically a breach of the rules, but I hardly think anyone without an axe to grind is really that concerned over it. So I think that’s the end of that.
As for the earpiece thingy, I’ve heard that during a press confrence with Chirac, several networks picked up the voice of someone prompting Bush as well as Bush himself talking. I don’t know how creditable this is though, but if its true then I’d be a little more inclined to belive the earpiece story. Anyone know anything?
I watched the video, and he still has 30 seconds left when he asks not to be interupted. He looks like he’s talking to Lehrer, but it seems unlikely that Lehrer would’ve made a move to interupt somebody when they had time left. I don’t think he was shown doing that at any other time during the debate. Similarily the audience was well behaved during the rest of the debate, so I doubt he was talking to one of them.
The earpiece is still probably the least likely explination, but it was a really wierd verbal tic.
Well, to be fair, later on in the debates Lehrer did in fact get into the business of interupting even while time was left.
Or how about if they started feeding him their own lines and letting him repeat them like the trained chimp he is?
“I have poopy pants! I lied about WMDs! Go fuck yourself, America!” 
Good idea, but Carl Cameron is on *his * side.
So it could be that Bill Clinton is not the expert extemporaneous speaker he’s said to be and that hearing aid isn’t really a hearing aid and he spent eight years being fed answers by Carville?
I’ve heard that “Let me finish” is a common mannerism for Bush, who blurts it out whenever he’s talking and feeling pressured to make sense. Someone on the internet has cited several instances of him using “let me finish” in press conferences and interviews where he had as much time as he needed to make his point.
As I quipped in another SDMB thread on the topic, I’m boggled just trying to imagine what Kerry could have produced out of his pocket that would have made a difference in the debate. Am I supposed to believe he had some magical device that – had he not produced it – would have changed the outcome of the debate, with a well-spoken George W. Bush reducing an incoherent John Kerry to tears? Short of a Dr. Archeville-style hypno-chip Kerry could use to zap Bush, I can’t imagine what it could be that would be worth any agitation over.
Are you sure it’s a breach of the rules? I thought I’d read that candidates were allowed to bring a pen and blank paper, both of which would be subject to examination (to make sure, e.g., that they didn’t contain secret microfilm charts, or laser guns, or something), but that they were explicitly allowed to make notes.
Daniel
Thanks for leaving me with that visual!
Based on his performance, I’d say that if Bush did have an earpiece, either something was wrong with the reception or Karl Rove was really drunk that night.
I hate to be the one to bring this up, but *please * try a little harder than that, okay, friend?
Nah. Bush wears the leash in that couple.
Daniel
“I suggest the suppository configuration”–Dilbert.
Not sure if it proves anything but I was bored and Googled * “let me finish” -mcclellan site:www.whitehouse.gov*. This gives the following instances where the President appears to use that phrase sans any interrupting questions or applause:
Of course, it’s not unlikely that the President was reacting to a perceived imminent interruption from a reporter. Which is, FWIW, what it looked like to me was happening in last week’s debate. (Although I’m a bit amused to see that “let me finish” wound up in such close proximity to “bring it on.”)
Kerry was signalling for a rebuttal.
30 seconds left is when the first lights start flashing to let the candidates know that they’re running out of time. President Bush is talking, the lights start flashing, he thinks that means he hast to stop, and says “Let me finish.” Simple enough.
Yes. The pens and paper were to be given to the debate organizers who would place them on the tables.
From the debate agreement, rule 5, section D (I got the copy I used from johnkerry.com (PDF)):
That makes sense–thanks! I knew they were allowed to take notes, but I didn’t realize the staff would be the ones placing acceptable pens on the podium.
Daniel
Should this actually get some real press, Kerry should offer Bush Bush a 4 pack of Bic pens before the next debate, if only to level the playing field.
The cynic in me assumes that this WILL get press and that we’ll be hearing about it on all the major networks, to which kerry will ignore it and it’ll spiral out of control.
I’m a pessimist that way.