SORRY, JIM: Moderator Jim Lehrer, also a PBS host, wasn’t spared from Mitt Romney’s list of budget cuts last night. (
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WASHINGTON — Mitt Romney’s spending cuts got personal in last night’s debate.
He didn’t shy away from wielding his budget ax directly at debate moderator Jim Lehrer of “PBS NewsHour,” although the Republican did it with expressions of sympathy for the seasoned reporter.
“I’m sorry, Jim, I’m going to stop the subsidy to PBS. I’m going to stop other things,” he told Lehrer during the debate in Denver.
“I like PBS. I love Big Bird. Actually like you, too,” professed Romney. “But I’m not going to keep on spending money on things to borrow money from China to pay for [it].”
Lehrer, who has moderated 12 presidential and vice-presidential debates during his five decades in the news biz, wasn’t fazed. He didn’t visibly react or respond, but let the debate continue to unfold.
That was Lehrer’s style throughout the contest between President Obama and Romney, who repeatedly ran over their allotted time and brushed aside Lehrer’s attempts to rein them in.
The candidates used up so much time that Lehrer, unable to control the debate format, was left with just three minutes for the final debate topic. It was scheduled for 15 minutes.
At one poignant moment, Romney told Obama he’d cut his signature legislative accomplishment.
“I’ll get rid of it. ObamaCare’s on my list,” he vowed. “I apologize, Mr. President. I use that term [ObamaCare] with all respect, by the way.”