What a suprise. The liberal media planting a guy like that in the crowd. I knew something was up with that. And by the way, they DID answer his question with a big fat no.

Psh, who cares if he's worked with Clinton before? His question had nothing to do with that. If he didn't ask it, they would(or at least should) have found someone else to.

Good response from CNN. Now watch the GOP spin this until everyone in the room is dizzy. It's a non-story, CNN is keeping it that way. But something tells me the conservative airways are going to be mentioning this quite a bit.

wow CNN made this mistake?? No shock there.

I guess I don't see the problem here. I mean, is CNN so afraid of not steering the debate that they won't let any real questions be asked? Is CNN just pulling a "Bush" and stacking the audience with lame, predictable people with lame, predictable questions?

How can we, the voters, possibly determine who is best under fire if every debate has pre-selected questions where the candidates can forumlate a response before the question is even asked?

Well, how did the candidates answer? Forget who asked the question… what were the answers????? Loser media - you don't know what really counts

Why should CNN apologize?? It was a perfectly valid question. As far as I'm concerned, there should have been far more pointed questions. For example, instead of just asking if the candidates would veto any tax increase, the question should have been "would you veto a tax increase if doing so means another huge increase in the federal deficit?" You let those men off the hook. They could give answers that satisfy the right wing but do not address the important issue of consequences. Shame on you. I live with CNN on my TV and computer, and I expect better of you.

So what!!! The general's question was extremely fair and non-partison. I am disgraced that a party I support, I am a registered republican, refused to properly answer and address the general's question. I am personally not gay and do not condone or support that lifestyle. I am aslo not a soldier, never was a soldier, and hope never will voluntarily be a member of the United States military. If I was in the military during a time of conflict or war, I would certainly be more concerened for a soldiers ability to protect and have my back on the battlefield more than his sexual orientation.

Hillary "planted" the question in Las Vegas now she's pulled off a more daring and outrageous stunt : planting a Youtube video in the Republican debate ! Is CNN complicit ?

A more accurate title:

"General from GOP debate linked to Clinton campaign"

The question was a good question regardless of its source and the answers were pathetic! Also, I seriously doubt the Clinton campaign planted this question. It is totally the responsibility of the individual to have full disclosure, which he did not do and apparently even lied to CNN about his affiliation.

the guy is a member of a republican club, so what's the big deal?

for that matter, so what if he wasn't? he served our country and soldiers deserve some respect for their service.

it was a legitimate question.

Makes sense that he wasn't vetted. He also got more time to talk then the candidates!

Wow. I hope this gets blown up. The Clinton New Network strikes again.

I don't understand how anyone can possibly take CNN or Hillary Clinton seriously.

When asked if the candidates answered his question, he said no and no. In reality both of the responders gave him an answer and it was clearly "NO" and "NO" (well maybe Romney was a little muddy in his response. Just because he didn't hear the answer he wanted doesn't mean they dodged his question in anyway - he just was too close minded to listen.

What difference does it make? He's an American voter with a question. Let's focus on the ANSWERS to a very important questions - and once again, the Republicans came down on the side of bigotry and nonsense. Under "don't ask don't tell" 12,000 qualified people have been drummed out of the military - and this at a time when we need good people. Outrageous.

Duncan Hunter et al answered the question. Period. If Kerr did not like the answers - too bad.
Why did CNN introduce only Kerr to the audience and not the others? Because CNN is still biased. Lykens: you should thank your lucky stars that our US soliders protect your freedom of speech.

So many potted plants. Who knew Hillary had such a green thumb?

Regardless whether or not the General was connected to the Hilliary camp, his question was valid and deserved an answer, which it did get. Personally whether you think homosexuality is right or wrong, when a man or woman is willing to serve their country and possibly die, sexual orientation shouldn't be an issue.

Im sure not mad! Someone had to call the Republicans out on their homophobic agenda!!

I Knew that gay military man's elongated airtime was fishy–but he was able to vett yet another Romney Flip flop with his underhanded appearance. Huckabee won the debate Hands down. He is the most articulate, humble, real candidate out of all of them-after all the verbal stumbles of the Bush presidency we have finally discovered someone who can communicate republican principles with wit & wisdom. McCain came out ok. Romney just got a beating..wow..definitely NOT his night. I wonder what Hugh Hewitt and all those who were so ready to give Romney the mantle of conservatism are doing after this one. HUCKABEE is a force to be contended with, and tonight he showed WHY he is on the rise in Iowa. The Underdog is poised to take a bite out of Rudy McRomney on Jan 3rd. The others were all a distant..3rd…Duncan Hunter had some ok stuff and Fred is frankly coming across as kinda like..hey man ..someone please pick me for VP so I can sport my hot wife around DC. And what was with the INQUISTION Style question the crackpot youtuber asked about the Bible(As if he has ever read it)(and all the man on man gay questions…and the rebel flag…weird..there had to be some better questions that those…but wow did the gays in the military question make Romney look like a TOTAL flip flopper…what a bad night for him. (I just found out that the gay ex military man that they gave all the air time to in the debate is on Hillary's sterring commitee..(really cheesy).hmmm interesting…bet Mitt wished he hadn't shown up.

Apologize to the Americans who didnt get to have their voice heard because you chose to air this question instead…and while your at it apologize for planting Democratic activists (plural) and posing them as "undecided voters" Its not a mistake now …Its a trend

LOL. CNN apologized to the Republican candidates for having a gay man ask them a question? How ridiculous.

How about CNN apologize to it's viewers for being so wimpy and pathetic.

Are you kidding me? I watched Anderson Cooper take the words of Williams Bennett as fact. How dare you edit the video and now we won't see that in the replays? You better no play that game CNN. How dare you. Check your facts and get over it. It was a legitimate question and answered honestly.

"Hillary "planted" the question in Las Vegas now she's pulled off a more daring and outrageous stunt : planting a Youtube video in the Republican debate ! Is CNN complicit ?"

Yes, aj! It's true! It's a VAST, LEFT WING CONSPIRACY!!

Funny, Democrats are complaining that it was a fair question and should have been answered and it was, however, how many real questions were asked of Hiliary Clinton and the only one that has been asked (immigration) when she answered it she labeled it as "gotcha" politics.
Hiliar ious, that her campaign would attemot to stack another "fake" question.

CNN alleges: "Keith Kerr posed a powerful question about gays in the military." "[P]owerful question"? Try: "Boilerplate leftist kook talking point." "[P]owerful" to whom? CNN? Evidently, CNN considers something "powerful" if it agrees with its fundamentalist leftist agenda. CNN also states that Kerr "had been invited to attend the debate …." "[I]nvited" by whom? CNN? "[I]nvited" for what reason? To promote CNN's agenda? Also, why did CNN give a homosexual activist like Kerr "an opportunity to address whether his question was answered" unless CNN considered this "Republican" so-called "debate" to be a forum for homosexual activists to argue in favor of CNN's preferred ideology?

It doesn't matter who he works for! His question was completely fair! It affects Hillary in no way. He didn't plug for Hillary - the question had nothing to do with her.

The REAL story here is hateful Republicans booing a 43-year military veteran because of his sexual orientation. That just fills me with disgust.

Cooper needs to exit his closet, under fair disclosure rules. He pushes the gay agenda way too much, it's all he can get his voice up for.

General Keith Kerr just happened to be in the audience tonight and CNN didn't connect the dots? Convenient. Also, the selected YouTube questions featured: a man waving a Bible, threatening NRA member, Confederate flag defender, etc. Wow. Convenient Republican stereotypes.

If you guys are suprised about the planted question from Hillary then I am ashamed of you all. You should be more worried about what this act says on CNN in her pocket and what to expect if she becomes POTUS which i pray won't happen.

I know slick Willy is the master of triangulation, but there is no way in HELL Hillary would have voted for the war in Iraq if Bill felt it was wrong. What is really going on with the Clintons? They are not yet back in the White house and they are pulling all these stunts that makes HollyWood a rookie.

And you guys want to send them back to the White House? You gotta be kidding me.

It was a legitimate question, so who cares if it, or the questioner, was a plant? What's bizarre is that David Bohrman felt compelled to apologize for it. If this merits an apology, then the unethical skewing of air time among the candidates merits hari-kari. Someone hand the man a sword, please.

LOL. I suppose CNN is building a nice track record of overlooking disclosures when it comes to Clinton

It was the failure to disclose James Carvil's involement two weeks ago and now this. Surprise, surprise.

I think that CNN, its executive and Hill are in the same bed as far as I'm concerened.

Typical, concentrate on the nature of the person asking the tough questions, rather than the issues they bring up.

Kerr is a citizen, and has every right to ask the question he did.

The fact that no one on that stage was willing to answer the question meaningfully is the real story here.

Huckabee must want company on mars… he was way out there trying to speak around the question by the you tuber who questioned why he gave education breaks to children of illegal aliens… we don't need another holier than thou… self righteous… sympathizer who will please the illegals who are here to vote for these guys.

CNN the most busted news network; fails to mention the other plants from the DNC debate on CNN YOU TUBE!

Fairly tilted, Balanced attacker of all non-leftist!

The fact that the gentleman in question reached the rank of Brigadier General, says a great deal about both his character and his fitness to serve in the military alongside of straight-laced 'christian'(?) youth. Obviously, his competence to command shone brightly.

What is the evidence that Hillary planted the question? A general is quite capable of asking a very obvious question. If other Judeo-Christian countries like Israel and Great Britan can have openly gay soldiers, why can't we?
Who cares anymore about a person's orientation other than dogmatic fundamentalists? Don't we have separation of church and state here anymore?

Oh, God forbid a non-softball question should be posed to this Seven-Dwarf-ish crowd of clowns! Perhaps a non-buddy of the candidates should ask a hard question of them.

After seven years of the Cheney/Bush Presidency/Vice-Presidency (yes…in that order), I'm ready for a major change in leadership; none of these cretins is that change. Pah!

Thank God we have people like Kerr in this country. He's served with pride and deserves to be recognized. His question was a very important one, unfortunately the answers were shameful.

The gay general planted by the Clinton’s and CNN is no surprise. The Clinton News Network and the Clintons will do anything to cast a bad light on republicans. Bull Crap on you is your weak disclosure Cooper. You knew it all along.

Just goes to show that leading questions, steering the direction of conversation,and planting ringers in the crowd to provoke a resonse the media can run with is more important then asking questions that really matter

Who can be surprised that the Clinton Crime Family duped the CNN (Clinton News Network) to plant a question. ***People get real, do we really want to return the Clinton's and their corrupt morals and values back in the whitehouse. Haven't we suffered these crimainals enough???????????***

Why Apologize? This is exactly the type of question that should be asked. It exposes bigotry. The candidates couldn't even answer the question!

Great question (the rant while he was in the audience was unacceptable) wrong person to ask it. Come on CNN, you just severely discredited yourself. Need to shake the label of the Clinton News Network, this didn't help. Get back to your former glory.

aj huntington ny I keep repeating myself….you are trashy period, have a more educated comment or comments.

As far as the question, why an apology, there should have been more of them to cath those empty suits off guard and see if they can truthfully answer the questions…any way, the circus was in town.

Did Hillary physically ask the man to ask that question at the debate or did he ask the question because that is what he is interested in. It's amazing how the news coverage is. Is this the scenario I am to believe. Hillary Clinton asks the man to ask the question on gays in the armed services, of course, knowing that CNN would select that question from that particular person out of how many questions. No one could be that lucky. By the way, it was a legitimate question.

CNN has a habit of 'planting' questions it seems and gives the Clinton campaign a leg up. Kerr got more airtime than a couple of the candidates themselves.

The questions chosen for this debate were extremely disappointing and left out a plethera of important issues. Many of the questions appeared to come from liberal democrats than republicans. As a matter of fact, after the democratic debate, CNN talked about the debate for hours it seemed. CNN had a disappointingly brief panel following the republican debate and let the liberals in the panel speak more than the republicans. CNN - here's a tip. If you have conservatives watching, they would rather hear from Bill Bennett and other conservatives about their candidates. Not the radical left-wing, or is this by design????

Who cares? If it was a good question and one that needed to be answered, why should it have been prohibited?

Big deal. This was the only issue that CNN allowed to slip through that had any relevance on candidates opinions on any domestic issues. And the GOP hot dogs chastised them. So they vetted 99% of the substantive questions related to domestic issues, the economy, and infrastructure. Obviously CNN caved in to any issues that would really make the Republican candidates sweat. How about the other 1000 questions related to health care, jobs, trade deficits, education–that never made to the floor!!! Give me a break–this couldn't have been anymore staged if the GOP had scripted it.

Total shock. Why would the (un) bias CNN and Clinton's allow such a thing?

We have to be careful not to believe evrything people say… espeacilly on the news… they should have done a better backround check… and why cant gays be in the millitary? it wasnt until after WWII that blacks were DEsegreated… each situation is the same… getting fair rghts for ALL americans especially millitary personel

There were two plants in the crowd sent in by the Clintons. The Gay General and Anderson Cooper.

There was a liberal bias in the air all night. From the setup questions to the supposedly Ron Paul fans that filled the audience booing Rudy. And let's not forget CNN's post political analysts, it certainly didn't match up to the ex-Clinton administrators gushing about Hillary after the dem debate. In fact, 5 of the 6 political analysts on Anderson Coopers show, if you actually called Campbell that, were liberals who trashed the candidates platform without any analysis of the debate at all…

Exactly what we come to expect from the liberal monkey group like CNN. NO LONGER the most trusted name in news..

You need to apologize to the American people that your Debates are set up and twisted to suit certain candidates and they are so unprofessional. I wonder what is going on in America.

I was annoyed that CNN chose to give a member of the audience a soap box during a Presidentila debate, and then, when it was revealed he actually was associated with the Clinton campaign everything fell into place. With the many questions submitted for inclusive, I find it difficult to accept the idea that he was randomly chosen to appear in person.

Now I know why my friends call CNN the Clinton nextwork and the democrat candidates don"t want Fox News to host one of their debates. It might actually be fair and balanced.

Yeah, it doesn't matter who he works for.

Anyone can ask questions. Although I think the republicans answered correctly, the audience was terrible to him.

I'd smack each and every one of them for their non-patriotism.

Unfortunately, all the Republicans will just use this information to dodge the larger issue. It just so happens that Kerr is absolutely right and has the credibility that none of those candidates could ever hope to match, and that conservatives are just plain wrong on this issue. They were wrong about women's rights, racial issues, slavery, and they are wrong about gay rights.

So many Democratic plants, one has to wonder about CNN these days. I mean, who else missed the "Concerned Young Undecided Person", questioning on abortion, who just happened to be wearing a John Edwards 08 shirt? Honestly, CNN, do you think you could make your plants a little less obvious?

He's listed on her LGBT steering committee.

Either he is lying or Mrs. Clinton is lying.

Who do you'all think is telling the truth?

Can CNN stop apologizing please once and for all! Who are you trying to please other than republicans trying to switch the topic from answers to questionners? It's already plastered on other republican websites that one of the questionners supports Edwards and another supports some other democrat, so no amount of apologizing about anything will do anything to stop republicans saying you are nothing ut democratic supporters. It was a legitimate question, he was given the same opportunity to say whether his question was answered like another questionner in the audience was. I don't see people complaining you selected Grover Norquist to ask a question… and in case I missed something, I don't ever remember seeing it listed that anyone who wanted to submit a question had to be a registered republican supporter?????

this is why the debates are a waste of time I think Newt said it best "its like a bunch of seals waiting to be fed." By the way Newt would be a great candidate for president.

I think the question was valid. I am in the military, and if a homosexual wants to serve his or her country so be it. They can take a bullet just like the rest of us. But if you ask me, why would a homosexual serve a country that will not recognize their rights. Just like during the Civil War, many African Americans served with great honor and valor, but yet they had no real rights. More power to them! Just something to think about.

I feel that CNN knew retired brigadier general Keith Kerr work for the Clinton campain

Funny thing is that the greatest, pure military leader of all-time was a bisexual…Most likely a true homosexual…

No one questions his military prowess, his ability to motivate a small army across the known world to India, nor his ability to make peace among those he conquered…

Let any of those on the stage claim that manlove hindered the abilities of Alexander the Great…

Still a silly wedge issue that the "base" loves to talk about…Haven't we had enough of the "base" over the past few years?

give me a break…

Well, that and has noone found it slightly odd that the guy who asked the last question to Ron Paul, out of those 5000 submissions recieved, also asked a question in the Democratic youtube debate as well?? What are the odds of that? And when will you guys in the media get it through your thick skulls - he has no intention of a third party run. You ask him that a million times and he'll tell you one and the same. Paying someone to pretend to submit a question that the media asks repeatedly is just lame.

For the life of me I can't understand why CNN continues to blatantly take sides in political races. Is CNN a news organization or a propaganda arm of the left? Do the guys at CNN still not see the link between their ratings and the obviously correct impression of their political bias. As a news consumer I want to hear the news not be manipulated by it!

WHY ARE YOU SURPRISED AT CNN?
WE ALL KNOW THEY ARE IN THE TANK
WITH HILLARY!
ANDERSON COOPER HOSTING????????????????

Hello America. I watched the debate last night. One question(of many I could ask!) eh, what does a person's sexual orientation have to do with how well they do their job? Also, if the bible is a 'revelation' from god, why shouldn't we 'humans' expect to understand all of it? Sorry America, but your 'modern' politics, look very 'third world' to me…and I beg you, no more Republican governments for a while, please, you need a break…and so do we!

So many embarassments, so little cred. No wonder CNN is losing the ratings battle.

Who cares who asked the question - if it is a good question then why would you hesitate to use it?

Of course, Fox News and all conservatives convinced that the media is partisan are crowing about this mistake. However, this is no big deal. I found the debate as a whole to be well done, and I especially enjoyed watching the candidates answering this gays in the military question with non-answers. Seems the Democrats aren't the only politicians guilty of issue evasion. One more thing for you neo-cons. This question revealed Romney to be a flip-flopper. So maybe you should cross him off your list as a serious candidate for the Presidency. At least if principled positions really matter as you say they do.

Another reason why CNN is referred to as the Clinton News Network

As an independent I would like to know is CNN admiting to incompetence or just trying to cover up the nonbelievable odds of so many of the questioners from the Democrat and Republican debates being known Democrat Party advocates.

I can't believe a self-respecting homosexual would support the Clintons after "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." He should be ashamed of himself.

"Someone had to call the Republicans out on their homophobic agenda!!"

Um, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was Bill Clinton's baby. I'm surprised that you think Bill Clinton is a homophobe, but he does fit the profile.

If lies and deceit are what it takes to get your political point across , what does that say about Hillary and her campaign and her supporters?

Everybody has obviously forgot that this is a REPUBLICAN PRIMARY debate. These should be issues that REPUBLICANS are interested in. That's what primaries are about.

It was a very good question. Guess what? has any noticed that all the men up there on that platform are all WHITE? What kind of message is that sending our country. At least on the democratic side we got half black, half mexican and ALL WOMAN.

Please hold these people accountable for these actions or lack of knowledge(Mr. Cooper) as they say. It is not that the Candidates were asked these questions, but they were asked by a supposedly Republican audience, that was very deceptive and bad politics. This is simply unacceptable and more needs to be said about this stunt! This is exactly why the American people are losing trust in our media. How stupid do they think we are, there were three people who were obvious Democrats that questioned the Republican candidates(not undecided voters), possibly a few more, what does that say about CNN?
When the general was asked by Mr. Cooper if his question was answered, what did he not understand about the candidate's answers, they said the current policy is working, just because the general didn't like the answers does not mean they didn't answer, he does understand english, right?ps. I didn't know audience members were given follow-up questions and a YouTube question? If that isn't biased I don't know what is? And the supposedly Republican undecided voter who is going to vote for John Edwards, that was a nice touch.

This is a complete joke, only thing is we as Americans are not laughing, I will put my money where my mouth is and start looking for other news channels to get unbiased information as best I can.
Good job CNN, no wonder you keep losing more viewers!

-

Kerr has been an activist against the military's don't-ask-don't-tell policy for years. He appeared on CNN twice in 2003 to discuss his opposition to a policy that dismisses men and women from service for revealing that they are gay.

Kerr said that CNN "never asked" him about his parties preference so he "never told" them he is a member of Hillary's campaign.

Image that, and coming from the very ones that are complaining about "don't ask, don't tell" policies..

There is more fraud involved here. When the "General" was being introduced, he made it sound like he was a retired One Star Army General who served for 43 years. My wife and I immediately knew that the statement was false — the numbers don't add up. But the majority of Americans don't understand that. If you look up his name on the internet, you will see his resume and soon find out that he spent 7 years as an enlisted man in the Army during the 1950s. After that, he spent years in the Army Reserve until retirement as a Colonel and then in the California National Guard (in the San Fransico area, by the way) where he achieved the rank of Brig General. Now I hate to say negative things about the National Guard, especially with how well they are now performing in Iraq and Afganistan, but anybody in the know understands that the way to General in the National Guard is through politics and time — period. So the bottomline is that — although I had never heard of this guy until last night — the combination of "Brig General", "43 years" and "openly gay" told me what this guy's real background was before he had even uttered another word about the question he wanted to ask.

Shame on you once again CNN for another attempt at trying to fool the American people. And beyond that, to act as if you had no knowledge about who this guy really was. He's all over the internet.

Well, since all was fair and above board I will be interested to see the Dems debate on a news outlet with better ratings than CNN. It will be interesting to see them on FOX. Won't happen though because the Dems cannot answer tough questions that are not scripted and planted. This format with CNN and you-tube is a joke for anyone serious about our political future.

"Prior to the debate, CNN had verified …that he had not contributed any money to any presidential candidate."

Yeah, CNN should have been been more stringent in its vetting of campaign affiliations, just to avoid this kind of dust-up. But debates, live or YouTubed, SHOULD be open to anyone. I'd hate for only hand-picked Republicans to be permitted to ask questions of Republican candidates. It would look to much like a George W. Bush "townhall" event!

That's twice CNN. You have lost all credibility as a news organization.

Way to go CNN! You have a real knack for losing your credibility with viewers and therefore continually erroding your viewership. Maybe you could export this skill on cd to Al Jazeera, do you think? Or maybe you wouldn't want to hurt their viewership as they're not in that evil America country.

Does anyone find it troubling that CNN had this General on their network at least twice in the last 5 years, yet they didn't know who he was? What about the other three that worked for other Democratic candidates?

I applaud the Republican candidates for going on a CNN sponsered debate. We certainly don't agree with everything they say, but at least they are willing to subject themselves to this sort of bias. The Democratic candidates won't go to a Fox sponsered debate because they are "to biased".

It just goes to show you that the Republican Party is still the party with answers. They may not be the right answers all the time, but they are still answers to questions from both sides of the aisle. Shame on the Democratic Party for not having the courage to do the same.

What's the big deal? It's the content and quality of the questions (and answers!) that matter. Who cares the person is a Democrat, Republican or "Log Cabin Republican?

Much ado about nothing.

Bill Reed

it might also look like a CNN democratic Hillary love fest debate. CNN has no credibility when it comes to political news. I was disappointed I wanted to find out what the candidates like most diamonds or pearls. Now I don't know who to vote for. arrrgh.

The issue is not should these debates be only open to Republicans. While they were all valid questions, what CNN did was not tell us (the public) who the people asking the questions really were! CNN should accurately represent who is posing the question. If they are a Hillary campaign supporter or have declared that they will support a specific candidate, say what they really are. Don't say the question is from an "undecided voter". If they are supporting a candidate, be honest. This is why CNN is losing it's credibility and ratings.

everyone keeps asking why this is an issue. sure the question was valid and extremely important, but equally important is the structure of the debate.

if planted questions were allowed to be asked, then it is reasonable to imagine that ALL future questions would come from the opposing party. at this point in the campaign, Reps and Dems are NOT debating the other party — they are debating each other. in plain terms, such questions are inappropriate workarounds to the nature of the debate.

so if you're not a fan of the process, let's just throw out all the rules, skip over examining candidate differences and go straight to a 15-head battle royal! tragedy and bloodshed always makes good television — better television, at least, than the "boring" presidential debate that you all must suffer through.

So the opposition can't ask a question? Who cares who's asking it, if the question is a valid question, and this one certainly was for millions of Americans, removing it from rebroadcasts is censorship, plain and simple.

Why do you ask about professionalism?

Our troops are every bit of professionalism which WE understand.

The reason we were so long to allow women among those troops arraigned on the fronts, is the same reason. These professional are not asked to deploy with gays.

Women, within our forces are not asked to shower with men. Women within the forces are not asked to be sexual objects within their ranks.

It is not about our services not being professional enough. It is about about the professionalism we attribute to our servicemen.

Our men deserve to not be held as sexual objects, by those others in the shower.

All,
Why's a former president pressing his wife's presidential nomination?? What legal ramifications will/have developed given he's acively using USG and US Tax Payers $$ to further his spouse's presidential initiaties??