After criticizing Jim Lehrer’s quiet approach to moderating the first presidential debate, journalists on Twitter praised ABC News Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent Martha Raddatz for her moderation of the first vice presidential debate.
On “Good Morning America” Thursday, Raddatz told George Stepanopoulos, “I think I was a little surprised that I got in as many follow-ups. … Sure, I had a lot of followups written. I had a lot of questions written. But when you’re there, and you’re in the moment, you really, you really have to go with what’s happening.” She said after the debate both candidates told her, “You were tough, but good job.”
Journalists praise Martha Raddatz as debate moderator
ABC News Senior Foreign Affairs Correspondent moderated her first debate very effectively, journalists said.
Storified by Julie Moos · Thu, Oct 11 2012 20:48:44
Moderator walk-through for the #VPdebate, about ready for @PaulRyanVP & @joebiden to join me! http://pic.twitter.com/21CYxTQNMartha Raddatz
For every one student who attends Centre College in Danville, KY, there’s about two journalists credentialed to cover tonight’s debate.Matthew Keys
View of the press watching #vpdebate @ Centre College http://instagr.am/p/QqiPMZOwhj/Hillary Reinsberg
EEUU ELECCIONESmultimediaimpre
EEUU ELECCIONESmultimediaimpre
All kidding aside, I’m glad this moderator is actually moderating.Wil Wheaton
Martha Raddatz may emerge as the true #winner of tonight – those are the best questions I’ve seen this side of Jon Stewart #VIPdebateMarcus Demon
.@MarthaRaddatz has gained at last 6K twitter followers since I checked last.Amy O’Leary
RT @ASE: CORRECTION: @MarthaRaddatz’s account is gaining 1,000 followers a minute right now. With each REFRESH a hundred or so. #VPDebateNiketa Patel
That was quite a solemn ending on Catholicism and abortion. Credit Raddatz for penetrating questions, followups & keeping control of debateHowardKurtz
Praise for Raddatz was accompanied by criticism of PBS’ Jim Lehrer, who moderated last week’s presidential debate.
Get ’em Martha! I’m glad they didn’t use the replacement ref for this debate.Arsenio Hall
@BeccaSimpson Raddatz definitely was more assertive than Lehrer. She did a good job as the #debate moderator.Alex Theisen
There’s a reason why Martha Raddatz is on ABC and Jim Lehrer is on PBSDeborah
As rough as everyone was on Jim Lehrer, that’s how much everyone should praise Martha Raddatz. Nice work.Josh Greenman
In other news, Martha Raddatz took Jim Lehrer to school; I want to see how she handles #Mittens. "So, no specifics?"Bron
Yo, Jim Lehrer, This Is What Killing It Looks Like: the Martha Raddatz StoryVANITY FAIR
CNN’s Candy Crowley will moderate the next debate, to be held Oct. 16.
And @crowleyCNN just sent @Martharaddataz a room full of flowers.Veronica Arreola
Praise for Raddatz continued.
The verdict: Raddatz took control – Dylan ByersTonight’s winner: Martha Raddatz. Jim Lehrer she is not. Raddatz, the moderator of tonight’s vice presidential debate, served…
21 People Who Want To Vote For Martha RaddatzThe Vice Presidential Debate’s moderator is so popular that people are asking why we can’t just vote for her in November. "I plan to writ…
Martha Raddatz’s Approach Should Be The Standard For Future Debate Moderators | MediaiteJim Lehrer tried to defend his performance moderating last week’s presidential debate between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney by saying he w…
Martha Raddatz had damn near perfect pitch. And the debaters and she worked well off each other. She was great.David Coursey
Martha Raddatz is best moderator ever!!!Eva Longoria
I think ABC’s Martha Raddatz did a great job as a moderator. I like it when a journalist asks tough questions and challenges the answersJORGE RAMOS
Kudos to @MarthaRaddatz for an incredible job.Luchina Fisher
Seriously, @MarthaRaddatz, bravo. Rebuilt a space for vigor and journalism in debate moderation.Joshua Benton
Wish I could be there when @MarthaRaddatz sees all her @-replies after the debate. Especially the marriage proposals.Megan Garber
I vote for Martha Raddatz to moderate all the debates. #vpdebateRoger Ebert
Not everyone appreciated Raddatz’s questions or moderation choices.
This moderator is an embarrassment not telling Biden to stop interrupting.Phil Kerpen
@ilyseh Moderating would entail an instruction not to constantly interrupt. That’s a moderator’s core responsibility.Phil Kerpen
@ilyseh Disagree. Moderator should not try to judge the debate. That’s the audience’s job.Phil Kerpen
I think I yelled more at the tv during the debate than during a bad football game. Did we get replacement ref as a moderator? #VPdebate2012karen wise
Amazing how widely opinions on Raddatz vary. Not strongly correlated with partisanship, as far as I can see.Rachel Frasta
Hearing lots of Ryan surrogates gripe to @hreins about the moderator…McKay Coppins
@NBCNews #Biden smirked too much #Ryan sipped too much #Raddatz spoke too much. Where was Moderation?Marci Javril
Biden is out of control and Raddatz appears to have given up trying to rein him in! #debateKarl Rove
Raddatz final question was her own personal editorial. Debate deserved better. #debateKarl Rove
I miss Jim Lehrer. @NewsHour #debateKarl Rove
Prior to the debate, the Daily Caller raised questions about whether Raddatz was biased because Barack Obama attended her 1991 wedding to one of his law school classmates. The couple divorced in 1997.
Martha Raddatz is the worst moderator. Maybe next time @PaulRyanVP should invite her to his wedding #VPDebateSean Hannity
Ifill: ‘Can we stop already with attacking the moderators?’ | Poynter.PBS Anchor Gwen Ifill defended debate moderators on Twitter today, after her colleague Jim Lehrer was criticized for his lack of engageme…
“Asked whether the Ryan campaign has any concerns regarding conflict-of-interest or Raddatz’s impartiality, spokesman Michael Steel replied, ‘No concerns,’ ” reported FOX News producer Joy Lin to Greta Van Susteren:
This should END any complaints about ABC’s Martha Raddatz moderating tomorrow night’s VP debate – GretaWireBelow is an email from my FNC colleague Joy Lin. This should end the controversy. The Ryan campaign has NO CONCERNS about her moderating.
After the debate, Raddatz tweeted a photo with her family.
Thank you to my wonderful family for all the support! http://pic.twitter.com/XHUrXjZfMartha Raddatz
Alex Howard observed that while journalists loved Martha Raddatz, President Obama retweeted journalists when they praised Vice President Joe Biden’s debate performance. The President’s account retweeted journalists (see below) from Reuters, BuzzFeed, The Washington Post, NBC News and Huffington Post:
4 #VPDebate takeaways: who “won” fell along partisan lines. Journalists loved @MarthaRaddatz. #Malarkey trended. @BarackObama RT’ed journos.Alex Howard
Biden wins the debate by a mile. The next Presidential debate will break the tie.Anthony De Rosa
Joe Biden dominates debate’s first hour. http://www.buzzfeed.com/bensmith/biden-dominates-debates-first-hourAndrew Kaczynski
Wow. @martharaddatz to @PaulRyanVP "Do you actually HAVE the specifics or are you still working on it and that’s why you won’t tell voters?"Upworthy
So Ryan is straight denying that Romney wants to increase defense spending? There’s no shading this. That’s dead wrong.Ezra Klein
Advantage here is for Biden. Swarming Ryan. Throwing a lot of punches. Talking a lot. Debating.David Gregory
Biden with one of the better responses to the $716B Medicare cut attack I’ve heard from them. Talking to seniors about donut hole; smartChuck Todd
fair to say Biden is speaking with details and Ryan in broad platitudes. reflects their backgrounds on this subject matterSam Stein
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