What if the bogus N&O Live really was live?

JinC regulars know the liberal trending left Raleigh News & Observer has an Online Q&A show called N&O Live.I've posted on it here and here.

Only N&O Live isn’t live. Questions are submitted in advance to N&O staffers for review. Selected questions are then passed to a “Moderator” who “asks” them of another N&O staffer who’s the show’s “guest.” Sometimes The N&O itself makes up questions used on N&O Live. No kidding.

Editorial page editor Steve Ford was N&O Live’s “guest” recently. The questions were just what you’d expect: softballs. Example:

Moderator: Would you walk us through the process of writing an editorial?

But suppose N&O Live really was live. It might work like this.

Moderator: Caller from Durham, you’re on the air: Hello, Steve. Why all those Abu Ghraib photos, but not a single Mohammed cartoon? I’ll hang up now so you can answer.

Moderator: Caller from Cary: Hi, Mr. Ford. We get 15 or 20 of your editorials every week. And then on Sunday, you run your own column and place it smack in the center of the editorial page along with your picture.

Why don’t you free up that space for outstanding columnists whose writings never or almost never appear in The N&O: Daniel Pipes, Kathleen Parker, Victor David Hanson, Michelle Malkin, and Michael Barone, for example?

Moderator: Go ahead, Apex: The N&O regularly publishes Maureen Dowd, Molly Ivins, and Ellen Goodman’s columns. They all lean to the left.

Why don’t you regularly publish any women who lean to the right?

A previous caller mentioned Kathleen Parker and Michelle Malkin. There’s also Mona Charen, Star Parker, Debra Saunders, and lots more. How about it, Steve?

Moderator: Our next caller from Chapel Hill says she’s a “Love Steve Ford Democrat: Hello, Mr. Ford, I’m thrilled to be on the show with you.

I loved your editorial, Cheney, ducking; especially when you said:

The truth is, the White House should have released the details of the incident immediately, whether Cheney wanted them released or not.

You’re sooo right!

Cheney says he was concerned about the guy and making sure his family members were notified before they heard about the accident from the media.

Who’s he trying to kid?

Cheney should’ve immediately notified important MSM people like The White House press corps, yourself, Katie Couric and ...


Moderator: What’s your question, Chapil Hill Democrat?

My question? Oh, my question!

Yes, I’d love to know what you think of Al Gore’s speech Sunday in Saudi Arabia. You know, the one where he said America had committed "terrible abuses" against Arabs after 9/11. I was so glad Gore had the guts to admit to an Arab audience that America "indiscriminately rounded up (Arabs and held them in) unforgivable conditions.”


Moderator: We’re running out of time.

OK, OK, but can I say just one more thing?

Moderator: Be brief, Chapel Hill Democrat.

Sure. It’s just this: A big thanks to Mr. Ford and all the N&O editors and reporters who give us their slant on the news.

I’ll hang up now.

Moderator: I see we have a lot of callers waiting, so we’ll be sure to have Steve back soon.