No debate about it

I am as big a fan of West Wing as the next guy, but NBC was wrong, wrong, wrong to run a bug in the corner of the screen proclaiming tonight’s fictional debate to be a live "news" event.

Beyond the false label, viewers of the fictional program were further confounded and befuddled to see the show hosted by network newsman Forrest Sawyer, who played himself.

With the news media in low public esteem, the network didn’t do itself -- or any of its peers -- any favors by presenting an entertainment program as news.

It was a cheap stunt. Shame on them.