ESPN's Berman: silly putty soft with Obama, McCain
There is free media, and then there is free media.
It is one thing to have a free shot at an audience of 12 to 15 million viewers, but to do so you have to field questions from a focused, well-prepared interviewer like Katie Couric or Charles Gibson -- or even David Letterman.
It's another thing when you get a free run at an audience that size on the eve of the election of a lifetime, and the interviewer is ESPN sportscaster Chris Berman asking questions so simplistic they sounded as if they came right out of a high school textbook on interviewing.
The questions Berman was shown asking the candidates during halftime of ESPN's Monday Night Football fell short of being softballs -- they were more like silly putty.
Question 1 for Obama: What did you learn about yourself during the campaign?
"I learned that I don't get too high when things are going well, and I don't get too low when things are tough," Obama said. "That has helped me and the organization stay steady."
Obama then connected the dots for his audience, saying things are tough for the country now, so he thinks being steady will make him a good president. He couldn't have had an easier path to a slam dunk if he had paid for a 15-second TV commercial.
The next big question for both Obama and McCain: If they could change one thing in sports, what would it be?
Obama said he thinks "it's about time we had playoffs in college football."
McCain said he'd like to see and end to "performance enhancing drugs."
It gets worse. Are you sure you want me to go on? OK.
Berman asked both what was the best piece of advice they ever got from sports.
Shock of shocks, both cited lessons learned from a wise high school coach against whom they once mildly rebelled in their youth.
Obama's high school coach told him it's about the team not him. And so, he learned to be a team player, which he also thinks will make him-- are you ready for this? -- a good president.
McCain's high school coach taught him to always do "the honorable thing -- even when you think no one is looking." And guess what he thinks that will make him? You guessed it.
I didn't expect Berman to grill them on their tax plans, health care proposals or qualifications of their running mates. And I understand he was trying to make the interviews work for his Monday night football audience.
But I really think Berman or someone at ESPN could have aimed a little higher in the kinds of questions asked -- and made more of an effort to extract useful information rather then just serving up beachballs and letting the two candidates whack them in any direction they wanted.
After all, this was an audience of millions on the eve of the election of a lifetime.
For the record, as Berman explained, the interviews were conducted earlier on Monday before Obama had heard that his grandmother died.
Comments
I don't know, I was pretty happy that for a change the questions were kept light and "entertaining" - that's what MNF is about, after all. I wasn't looking for anything substantive, figured it was more a gimmick than anything else.
Posted by: Steve | November 3, 2008 11:36 PM
People tuned in to watch football not interviews with the candidates.....digest that for awhile.
Posted by: Chris | November 4, 2008 12:05 AM
are you for real? this is a football game. nobody was expecting anything other than softball questions. is this your first election cycle? your reporting as never risen above the level of sucking. ever.
Posted by: brandon | November 4, 2008 9:06 AM
It is true that Bommer isn't the political analysis of our time and moreover it is MNF. Looking at the Football airtime and other free advertising the candidates have received; its all pretty similar. Looking at SNL, Daily show, Colbert Report and some radio shows the candidates weren't challenged to even think. I think this is a proper structure for political social structure. Leave the serious political reporting to the people who are trained and payed to do it.
Posted by: Jusitn | November 4, 2008 10:00 AM
YOU SIR ARE A RETARD
Posted by: THE GUY THAT WROTE THIS IS ARTICLE IS A RETARD | November 4, 2008 12:35 PM
I wouldn't worry yourself too much, 90% of that audience of millions most likely pressed mute, got up and went to the bathroom or switched channles anyway.
Posted by: Ed | November 4, 2008 1:00 PM
Man Dave, this blogging thing's been rough for you. This is MNF. We were well past vetting the candidates at this point. One more shot to reach the audience, that's all.
I don't mean to be mean, cause I'm sure you're a genuine guy, but between your old Wire Season 5 blogs and your recent "TV" blog (which it's not of course, it's a new media blog), I wonder if you're a bit off the mark with this whole blogging concept.
Posted by: GMan | November 4, 2008 1:26 PM
"and made more of an effort to extract useful information rather then just serving up beachballs"
Should anyone listen to a guy who doesn't even know the proper context for "then" and "than"? I don't think so. Perhaps if you get an education and try real hard you might reach the stature and notoriety of Chris Berman, but I won't hold my breath.
Posted by: Bob | November 4, 2008 1:42 PM
I enjoyed the half teim show! However, this will be the first and last time I read you silly rants.
Peace Out Fool
Posted by: G-Reg | November 4, 2008 2:36 PM
Chris Berman did an excellent job of keeping the questions light and sports-related, and considering the viewing audience it was perfect for the situation. Watch the debates again if you want meat and potatoes.
Posted by: Jared | November 4, 2008 3:20 PM
Did he at least refrain from his practice of giving everyone wacky middle names?
Barack "And Roll" Obama
John "Insane in the" McCain?
Posted by: Adam Annapolis | November 4, 2008 3:21 PM
What did yo uwant him to ask? About tax policy? About energy?
You have to play to the croud, Berman knows the fans could careless about that interview and asked easy questions.
I would have rather seen the Fastest 3 Minutes personally.
Posted by: Mike Mac | November 4, 2008 3:33 PM
I think that if you're looking for positive feedback, you need to tone down the sarcasm a bit. As many others have said, this wasn't about grilling the candidates, but was merely a chance for them to say "Vote for me!" Better luck next time :-)
Hi, I couldn't care less about positive feedback from the folks who don't want reality intruding on their games. Thanks. Z
Posted by: Jane | November 4, 2008 3:52 PM
I think the comments were more interesting than your blog. Nice job Z you gave me something to smile at today... your failure
Posted by: Z is garbage | November 4, 2008 5:55 PM
Keep the political crap off MNF. Don't we get enough of that garbage the other 21 hours of the day.
Posted by: john barnes | November 4, 2008 7:07 PM
Interesting that McCains handling was lengthier and more "personal" than Obama's. Fortunately it did not affect the outcomes. Chris Vermin should stick to sports. Screw espn.
Posted by: swan | November 5, 2008 9:49 AM
Z, you criticize CB for not torching the candidates on the night before the election?! It's MNF for god's sake, not Hardball! I hope you read these comments because, as tough on you as they are, you earned them.
Posted by: nick | November 6, 2008 7:50 PM
Did you seriously expect some hard hitting interview from a sportscaster during halfime of a football game? I knew what it was going to be a week before the interview aired. If you were surprised at all you must be very naive.
Posted by: Chris | November 6, 2008 7:58 PM
This was not the forum to drill the Presidential hopefuls. MNF was used as an opportunity to see the lighter side of the candidates. They were beat on for months. No one cared about their declining 401k balance, or patrolling the borders for iellegal imigrants. It was MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL MORON! You, my friend, are clueless.
He did not have to "drill" them. He just had to make responsible use of the time instead of asking grade school questions. "Tell us, Senator, how you will lead this nation out of the terrible financial situation in which we now find ourselves if you are elected president?" Or, is that too upsetting to have some reality intrude on your game? PS Let me help you out with some grammar: I think there should be a comma between football and moron. Oh wait, I'm sorry, it's FOOTBALL and MORON. I see you didn't let any schoolwork intrude on your games either. Z
Posted by: shuffs | November 6, 2008 11:02 PM
Yer an idiot. Chris Berman works for ESPN not CNN.
Posted by: Joe | November 7, 2008 9:33 PM
Chris Berman is an idiot, along with Stuart Scott and ESPN is ruining sports like all the other TV networks.
Sometimes, I have no idea where to watch the games because everyone wants their piece of the pie and doesn't care about the fans anymore, just lining their pockets.
With the economic downturn, I hope these greedy team owners, players and TV networks heed the warnings.
As far the interview, yeah...it was a lighthearted one, but maybe one tough question.
That's not Chris Berman though, or anyone on ESPN. I am surprised none of their announcers have suffocated to death, as much as they have their heads up each player, coaches and owners butts' on any interview they do.
Fire Chris Berman, Staurt Scott and Amy Andrews (she does college football on Saturdays....can't even get the scores right half the time...when they are written down right in front of her!)
Peace,
Hi Roberto, Thanks. Z
R.A.
Posted by: Roberto | November 8, 2008 12:42 PM
Iam disapointed that Berman did not give them nicknames.
How about
Barack ko ko the clown Obama
And
John Mutiny on the McCain
Posted by: TERRI | November 8, 2008 8:46 PM
come on, man. You can't give Berman grief for lobbing softballs. If you want substance you had the previous 18 months of the never-ending campaign. Secondly, if you didn't have your mind made up and you were looking for insight from a MNF interview, you're beyond hope.
Posted by: chris | November 9, 2008 2:40 PM