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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Final speaking times

Posted: Thursday, January 24, 2008 10:55 PM by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Lauren Appelbaum
While Paul did speak the least during tonight's debate, he was given the last word, answering the last question of the debate.
 
Times During Segment Three
Romney: 8:48, during five times
Giuliani: 4:14, during four times
Huckabee: 4:02, during three times
McCain: 3:00, during three times
Paul: 2:57, during two times
 
Total Times
Romney: 21:11, during 13 times
McCain: 16:00, during 13 times
Giuliani: 13:50, during 11 times
Huckabee: 12:11, during nine times
Paul: 6:31, during six times

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ROFL, you mean MSNBC admits it own bias against Paul when they do not even include him in the "debate" and I use that term lightly. That was the worst "debate" I have ever watched. It was more like a love fest questionnaire than any sort of debate. During the section where candidates are supposed to be asking each other questions, Russert got to talk more than Paul did. I was hoping one of them was going to ask Russert when did he start his campaign for president? This "debate" was a total waste of my time and Romney owes me my 90 minutes back.
Romney had the most time and said the least.
One word, deplorable. The bias was obvious, it was simply a McCain/Romney lovefest and I was astounded it was so one sided.
Were Ron Paul and Huckabee's mics malfunctioning, or was it being assumed that the voters only wanted to hear from Rudy, John and Mitt?

I would like to see a fairly timed debate, just once.
Speaking Times:


McCain: 27.6%
Romney: 27.0%
Giuliani: 20.4%
Huckabee: 17.3%
Paul: 7.6%


I'm sorry, but that was NOT fair, for any of the Candidates.
I heard the whisper as well. I taped the debate.
Pretty funny how McCain claimed to have great understanding of economics...and then, when Ron Paul asked him an economics question, he dissembled immediately into talk of his economic advisors.

That's high-level politics.  Only the most pathological survive, with one exception.
I think that every canadate should at least have the same amount of time...I felt that the moderators were concentrating on one canadate and it was unfair to the others..Thats what a debate is to try to give the equal time to all..I think the debate was good but didnt others to answer the same question that 3 ofo the canadates did but not the others...I guess we all can be somewhat critical but its important that the strain of running takes a lot of time and they should all have the same opportunity...Im not a rommey supporter or any canadate yet but i thought he did a good job...Mr McCain seem to spend a lot ot time shooting off endorsements..The mayor no way...Ron Paul makes a lot of sense of some issue and wish that he wasnt sometimes in space.  Huck pretty good seems to be very relaxed does a good job.  Who lost the Debate CLINTON.........WE WILL NEVER HAVE A KING AND QUEEN IN THE WHITE HOUSE
It was on the live video feed to the internet as well.  I heard it all the way from Germany...

Why was Romney allowed to ware  a wire???

Who else was wired???
That is alright, just don't censor out Dr. Paul's few minutes during the rebroadcast.  OK?  Thanks.

...
Not sure what I'm talking about? Have a reporter hit youtube or Dr. Paul's site for further details.
This just further angers the Ron Paul Revolution.  We don't ask for special treatment, only EQUAL treatment.  Every single debate Dr. Paul has had the least time, EVERY SINGLE ONE!  Yet he raised the most money in the fourth quarter with $20 million from October to December.  He's beaten every candidate on the stage in at least one primary, and Rudy in all but NH.  He has more than earned his spot in this debate and more than earned to have fair treatment and speaking time.
Was this a Fox debate? Shame on you MSNBC!
"He was given the last word."  Gee, thanks MSNBC, I was almost convinced he was included in the debate.
Equal time is the only way to go in these circuses.

Jeez, it isn't like MSNBC doesn't get to fawn over its favorites the rest of the time.
The bias is disgusting, and reminded greatly of Fox.  The funny thing is with the least amount of time to speak, Dr. Paul says more relevant information than the rest of them.  No wonder you can't give him a fair amount of time, he'd probably convert the whole nation in one debate.
So.. how was this fair, at all, to any candidate?
Total Times:
Romney: 21:11, during 13 times
McCain: 16:00, during 13 times
Giuliani: 13:50, during 11 times
Huckabee: 12:11, during nine times
Paul: 6:31, during six times
I have watched every GOP debate thus far and it makes me sick to see the MSM continually manipulate the format, the topics and the time so their choice of candidates look good . When will they ever really debate issues like the economy,immigration, foreign policy,individual rights,taxes,national debt, etc?
Listen All Ron Paul Supporters...

We Need To Vote Now. It is more crucial than ever. There is obviously a media bias here. Don't even get me started on what happened in Louisiana. If your primary has not happened yet, do that right thing and vote and show the country that UNDERDOGS CAN STILL WIN!!!!
"He was given the last word." Are you kidding me? This debate was horrible, and this "post-debate" is even worse. The MSM is exposing itself for what it really is and that is propaganda.  
You call this fair and balanced? This was the most biased debate I've ever watched. Deplorable.
These debates are a joke and becoming ever increasingly so. The only statesman on the stage in either party is Congressman Ron Paul. It's kind of like Albert Einstein hanging out with a bunch of high school drop outs. The media just exacerbates the perilous issues facing America that go unaddressed in these sham debates with the type of shallow issues the media focuses on. There's a phrase in northern Maryland..."Who struck John?" It refers to people sitting around talking about inconsequential stuff... who insulted who... what's the latest personal conflict... rather than what are the problems facing America? What are the real solutions? Ron Paul is going to have to go on TV with his own town hall format in order to enlighten the voters and give them real solutions to some very troubling problems facing us now. You can bet that his supporters are presently putting together just such a national televised campaign, without the distraction of the media and political pundits.
GOP debate could be crucial for candidates

Who Won the MSNBC Republican Debate in Florida?

http://www.youpolls.com/details.asp?pid=1629

.
MSNBC, you should be effing ashamed of what happened tonight.  This debate was a disgrace, it was unfair (pretty obvious who was excluded tonight), and I will not be watching your network after this crap you pulled tonight.
This is a perfect example of controlled corporate propaganda. Thank you MSNBC for making it so obvious to everyone in my home watching it, you made my job easier.


RON PAUL 2008!!!
All the news networks are complete and total frauds. How about letting the American people make up their own minds with equal treatments of all candidates. Are we too stupid or does this have to do with your own interests? Shame.

Hey!!! MSNBC You are nothing more than "a tool of the man" How does it feel to be spineless?
No offense, but Ron Paul is "painful TV" for outlets like MSNBC.

Whenever he gets a question

1)  He cannot answer it without appearing to whine about something else.

2)  He gets far too specific, far too quickly.  Paul loses his audience in this manner.

Whenever he was asked a question about his position on something, he either spent his time complaining about everyone else's position, or he jumped in too specifically immediately, almost like he wanted to communicate a 30 minute explanation in 30 seconds.

It would be far more effective for him to first BROADLY OUTLINE his positions, when asked a question, then back it up with a more specific example, when talking to a national audience like he was tonight.

I'm not being overly critical of Paul, I personally believe that he may have a scary high IQ compared to any of the other Republican and Dem contenders, but he can't articulate it to the general population.
The Main Stream Media (MSM) has continued to show it's bias toward Dr. Ron Paul. All it does is backfire! The country is waking up!! GO RON PAUL! GO RON PAUL! GOD BLESS RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT IN 2008!
Given the bias against Ron Paul in alloting him so little time when other canditates who had nothing to say (or at best, when the other four canditates pretty muchall say the same thing), I chose not to even bother myself with watching this farce. MSNBC is, as it seems, no different from FAUX news.
Ridiculous. But really nice that you guys have shown your own bias! That way I have a tool to send to people and print and show them how biased the media really is. What are you guys afraid of? Why couldn't you let each candidate have the same amount of time to the  same questions. Let the people decide!
Be ashamed...6.5 minutes for the least-asked candidate vs. 21.165-ish for the most?  No wonder the people are rapidly losing faith in the media.
The bias was so evident in this debate that it was mind boggling. It's a good thing that the MSM is becoming more irrelevant day by day.
Shame on you MSNBC. Even though you shut Ron Paul out, he distinguished himself. On economics, he nailed McCain, who appeared foolish and evasive. On the war, Paul was the only one who said clearly it hasn't been worth the blood and treasure (which positions him better than any other Republican candidate to face the Democrats on that issue). MSNBC, the American public caught that despite your disappointing facilitation. I expected better from you.
I thought Al Gore was dreamy!!
When there were 11 candidates running, it didn't look so bad. I was thinking there were just too many candidates.  Now we are down to only five, Paul still gets conspicuously short-changed.  It makes NBC really look bad. I wouldn't object to this inequity if the time spent on McCain or Romney were all of substance, but this is embarrassing. *sigh*
Currently the markets are correcting from a bubble created by the historically low interest rates in 2001-2002.  Lenders were literally passing out loans to anyone who would sign on the line. They were careless, and eventually interest rates rose slightly. Many people defaulted on the loans. The story here, interest rates can cause bubbles, but those bubbles will ultimately be corrected. So yesterday, to correct a downturn, the FED cut rates by 75 basis points. This should cause another bubble, which will again cause another eventual slide. Ron Paul is offering solutions to shaky monetary policy and long term economic growth, while minimizing inflation. (which, is supposed to be the point of the fed) Go Ron Paul!!
Romney wouldn't even answer how much he was spending on his campaign, yet they let him talk and talk and talk.  Typical politician, to misdirect and dissemble when the truth would have served him better.
Let's hope the electorate in Florida can see through this smokescreen and support Ron Paul!
I tried to call MSNBC tonight during the debate to comment on the bias. I got transfered to a voice recorder. Clearly they are following in the footsteps of FOX News. Please MSNBC don't complain about Fox News any longer you are two peas in a pod. Go Ron Paul!
I thought the debate tonite was a bit boring at times.But we did learn who J.McCAIN has coffee with.Also  would like too hear more from Huckabee and Ron Paul.Ican do without Rudy Giuliani's crap.
Ron Paul is a complete lunatic. How can someone who has raised so much money do so bad in every contest? Someone stated that Romney owes them their 90 minutes back, well Paul you owe me my 6:11 back because you were a complete waste of my time. Of all the candidates, Huckabee was the only one who submitted the true leadership qualities and ideas to move our country to change.
Ron Paul had the least times with the most cheers.  Shame on you MSNBC!
All these debates remind me of high school, everyone wants to know what the popular people are doing.  If you aren't popular, nobody really wants to hear what you think.  I guess MSNBC has a little growing up to do.

Let me know when you are ready to vote for me..seems
like you already have..do you need to borrow my voter
registration card? You should be ashamed..blatant bias. Fair time for all candidates, that is all that needs to be said.
MSNBC,  I would guess that most people watching the debate tonight were Ron Paul supporters based on the feedback on this blog....  Amazing how you are angering THE MAJORITY OF your audience by being so biased AGAINST Ron Paul.  As you can see, we are now going to the internet for our information, and are forgetting about you and the rest of the tainted media who just don't get the Ron Paul revolution and the impact it will have on America, with or without your coverage.  You are loosing a major buying force by your bias, but so be it.  The internet is my friend and will be the saviour of freedom and liberty for all, rendering you and the other pundits worthless and irrelevant.  ALL WE ASK FOR IS EQUAL TREATMENT, AND WE GET NONE!!  SO LONG MSNBC!!!
GFG MSNBC   Bias as all the other networks........ what did MITT ROMNEY promise you so that you would stroke him off all night ?

Not hard to "win" a debate when you are the only one talking......... GFGFGFGFGFG
Oh wait! It's actually 6:31...20 more wasted seconds of my time.
I am so damn angry right now I could just scream.  It angers me that the media has hi-jacked our political process.  They give Romney the most time, declare him the "winner", then spew a bunch of BS about the most important thing said tonight was Hillary Clinton.

Little time for Paul, fewer questions for Paul, no post-debate replays of Paul.  Honestly, come on now. But honestly, I think what angers me more are voter who vote for lesser of evils and who the pundits say can win.
Good job on giving Ron the least amount of time by far. You're doing a great job at sabotaging the republican's chances at getting the white house. Splendid job from a liberal media outlet!
I can't believe that Ron didn't ask McCain why Ron  has to pass a law to release all classified documents relating to our POW/MIA issue. Why would 269 congressmen have to co-sign it as they have? Ask him if he has read "Enormous Crime" specifically the "Fragging" chapter. I can't believe that John Rambo supports McCain when it's clear he doesn't care if we left "them" behind. Wake up people! Your government and your media lie ALL the time. Go Ron Paul!
You can make it up by doing at least one story in prime time about the PPT and how McCain wants to get rid of it and just use his own advisors.


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