So like many of you I emailed WFTV.com after the biased interview Ms West had with Joe Biden. I am sure you all remember the ridiculous interview.
My email:
I just watched the 'interview' Barbara West had with Joe Biden. You are kidding us right. That was the most biased, uninformative,
interview I have ever seen. Who wrote those ridiculous questions? What
a waste of my 5 minutes. I guess we can assume we know who WFTV's
owners favor for president. So much for fair reporting.
Today I received a response.....
Dear Viewer:
Thank you for taking time to contact us regarding Barbara West's recent
interview with democratic Vice Presidential candidate Senator Joe Biden.
The Obama campaign contacted us last week offering Senator Biden, via
satellite, for a short interview. Barbara West, one of our most
experienced anchors, was asked to interview Senator Biden, just as she
had been on previous occasions.
It is our goal at Eyewitness News when interviewing any political
candidate or public official to ask them a direct question about an
issue currently in the public debate. Last week, when much of the
political discourse centered on Senator Obama's statement to 'Joe the
Plumber' that he thought 'sharing the wealth' was a good idea, Barbara
decided to ask Senator Biden just how far an Obama-Biden administration
would go in 'sharing the wealth'. What followed was very pointed,
provocative question. We allowed Senator Biden to answer, fully
unedited.
We tell our reporters and news anchors to ask the questions that one of
our viewers might ask. For example, when Senator Obama visited Lakeland
recently, Barbara (knowing her time with a presidential candidate would
be limited) asked Senator Obama two questions: first, about drilling for
oil in the Gulf of Mexico; and, second, about his position on the space
program. The Senator's answers dominated the news cycle for the next
day.
You can see all of Barbara's interviews with political candidates at
WFTV.com including one she just did Monday with Senator John McCain.
Perhaps more than any other presidential election in recent memory, this
current election has stirred passions - some of them quite partisan - in
many people. Through it all, we believe our mission is to address vital
issues that we will face together, regardless of our own personal views
with thorough, even handed reporting.
Again, thank you for taking the time to contact us.
Now I don't know about any of you, but I find that the lamest attempt at defending that interview.
I wanted to share this with all of my fellow Kossack's as to me it assumes that my message was 'quite partisan' whereas her interview was just 'addressing vital issues that we will face together'.
Thank God there are only 8 days left or I will lose my mind!!