was last thursday's Democratic debate COMPLETELY phony?

for reference, here is the CNN transcript.

a few weeks back, the Hillary campaign slammed Tim Russert of NBC for being too tough on Nurse Ratchet. then, last week rumor had it that Wolf Blitzer of CNN was warned by the Hillary camp to not repeat the Russert performance.

then you watch the debate last thursday and it was more or less a Hillary pep rally, with the audience cheering wildly for her and laughing at the answers given by her opponents, notably Obama's. was all of this staged?

i just read one of the most amazing pieces of investigative journalism i've ever seen..."CNN goes green, by watering plants", written by "Jenny Bea" over at the The War Against Political Correctness blog. she has taken the trouble to investigate the backgrounds of each and every "average voter" who got to ask questions of the candidates, and provides proof of their not-so-average backgrounds. she finds that these people were all political activists, congressional interns, the head of the Islamic Society of Nevada, etc, etc...

the fakeness of the whole thing, and the crushing blow to the notion that these questioners were anything but plants by the Democratic Party in concert with CNN was best illustrated in this exchange--

BLITZER: All right. Thank you, senator.

Let's go back to Suzanne.

MALVEAUX: We have Judy Bagley here with us. If you would stand for a moment.

You have been working in the casino business for some 27 years now, a cashier?

BAGLEY: That's right.

MALVEAUX: You've seen a lot of people come and go, obviously.

BAGLEY: Absolutely.

MALVEAUX: What is your concern?

BAGLEY: I'm a booth cashier and we moved here over 30 years ago. And I have three children, and as of yesterday, 8 grandchildren.

(APPLAUSE)

MALVEAUX: And what is your -- congratulations. That's amazing.

BAGLEY: Thank you.

MALVEAUX: And what is your question to the candidates?

...

okay, so we've established that this woman, Judy Bagley, has worked in the casino business for 27 years, currently at a cashier position. okay. now--Obama responds to her question, which is basically about how will the candidates deal with the coming crisis in social security...

MALVEAUX: Thank you very much. Very important issue.

(APPLAUSE)

Senator Obama? OBAMA: Well, first of all, Judy, thank you for the question, and thanks for the great work you do on behalf of the culinary workers, a great union here.

we have to assume now that Obama has previously met Ms. Bagley, the "cashier", or was at least provided this information. either way, it stinks of staging.

not to mention the girl that asked Hillary the really tough question which came near the end...

MARIA PARRA SANDOVAL (ph): Maria Parra Sandoval (ph), and I'm a UNLV student. And my question is for Senator Clinton.

This is a fun question for you. Do you prefer diamonds or pearls?

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

CLINTON: Now, I know I'm sometimes accused of not being able to make a choice. I want both.

(LAUGHTER)

(APPLAUSE)

MALVEAUX: Do we get to ask any of the other candidates or I supposed just Senator Clinton?

BIDEN: I'm for diamonds. Diamonds.

SANDOVAL (ph): It's the only thing -- it's the only thing shiny up there.

MALVEAUX: OK. Thank you so much.

"Maria Parra Sandoval", the "UNLV student", was/is an intern for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, as well as being an activist on many other fronts. Maria was miffed about being forced to ask such a frilly question by CNN, which she expressed on a blog at her myspace page. she wanted to ask about Yucca Mountain.

none of this is earth-shattering, because anyone with half a brain knows that politics is pure theater, but you would think that the Democratic party and their media accomplices at CNN would be a tad more careful about it.

UPDATE-
here's some wrestler dude covering the same ground here on YouTube...



the huffington post weighs in...
my live blog of the debate, volume 1
my live blog of the debate, volume 2