By Selwyn Duke

Despite all the scrutiny placed on debate moderation, Candy Crowley
nonetheless managed to stoop to the occasion Tuesday night at Hofstra
University. Yet, although she gave it her best effort, the 2012 debate record is
still Democrats and the media 0 for 3. Unfortunately, the truth has been
a casualty as well.

“‘Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool….” You know the
rest. When Crowley “corrected” Mitt Romney after he rightly said that
Barack Obama didn’t declare the Benghazi attack an “act of terror” in
the Rose Garden on Sept. 12, she sounded like a mother defending her
little son’s lie in deference to emotional attachment. And while she
would have to admit her error post debate, she had a rationalization at
the ready: Romney used the wrong word. Yes, that’s right up there with
her son Barry’s copout that gas prices were far lower four years ago
because the economy was collapsing. But the problem wasn’t the wrong
word — it was the wrong moderator.

Even with Crowley’s thoroughly modern mea culpa, however,
much of the damage was done. What about the viewers who didn’t watch the
post-debate coverage and are only as informed as Crowley herself?  

The truth is that Crowley’s meddling was as inappropriate as was her
presence itself. It was much as if Angelo Dundee had been the referee
for the first Ali/Frazier fight and jumped on Smokin’ Joe’s back because
Ali couldn’t hack it that night.

Read the rest.