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Toobin Caught Checking Facebook on CNN During Debate
Posted by Adam Frucci at 1:59 PM on October 16, 2008

During the last debate, we caught CNN analyst Jeffrey Toobin watching a live feed of playoff baseball while on the air on his laptop. Tonight's debate? Facebook. Either he's messing with us (are you messing with us, Toobs?), or he's really good at multitasking and really bad at being discrete. Either way, that's some fine reporting. Also: I just added him as friend on Facebook. Approve my friend request, Toobs! [David Cho]

Comments (AU Comments · US Comments)
There are currently no AU comments for this post.
lolec
Posted 3:43 PM 16/10/08
he should watch giz next time.
lolec
thedarkhorse
Posted 3:40 PM 16/10/08
don't they always check facebook and twitter for comments from the public on their talking points?
thedarkhorse
MBPro
Posted 3:38 PM 16/10/08
lawls. that's awesome.
MBPro
Kaiser-Computerhead's WALL-E n' Cookie references
Posted 3:32 PM 16/10/08
Or he could've been chatting away bugging people in AOL chat rooms while the boss is having a mini conference standing in your office. not that I've ever done such a thing.
Kaiser-Computerhead's WALL-E n' Cookie references
Overheal
Posted 3:31 PM 16/10/08
if he was joking he should have put a lolcat up.
"Oh Hai Im being watched"
Overheal
dapoktan
Posted 3:31 PM 16/10/08
CNN does a lot of twitter, MySpace, Facebook, etc. correspondence... maybe he was doing some of that?...
then again.. maybe not..
dapoktan
jakebathman
Posted 3:29 PM 16/10/08
@freecajunlove: that's what I was thinking, there are legitimate reasons to be on facebook and still be on track with your job...we'll see if they call him out again (I hope they do...HEAR THAT ANDERSON? CALL HIM AGAIN!!!)
jakebathman
snakepliskin
Posted 3:21 PM 16/10/08
He was probably just as bored as the rest of us.
snakepliskin
DesiBoi
Posted 3:20 PM 16/10/08
again? on the bright side, it wasn't some gay porn or anything. hopefully
DesiBoi
Jrsy is the dude, playing the dude, disguised as another dude
Posted 3:17 PM 16/10/08
In your face!
Jrsy is the dude, playing the dude, disguised as another dude
freecajunlove
Posted 3:17 PM 16/10/08
CNN has a facebook page; viewers post comments on it during broadcasts... He could be checking the comments.
freecajunlove
maxwaver
Posted 3:14 PM 16/10/08
This is no different from my facebook browsing while in class. You can still do research in one window while facebook keeps you occupied in another, I swear!
maxwaver
Stang70Fastback
Posted 3:14 PM 16/10/08
Fail. Lol.
Stang70Fastback
HonusWScruggs
Posted 3:13 PM 16/10/08
I've done my fair share of analyzing things, and it does get boring. I don't blame them.
HonusWScruggs
GiantEnemyCrab
Posted 3:11 PM 16/10/08
That's got to be a joke.
GiantEnemyCrab
AchtungYall
Posted 4:13 PM 16/10/08
CNN specifically had an article on cnn.com about Facebook-ers debating during the debate.
AchtungYall
xman31
Posted 4:02 PM 16/10/08
@MBPro: "two girls, one cup" is not porn. it's, well, it's just wrong.
xman31
MichaelScrip
Posted 3:58 PM 16/10/08
I betcha these CNN analysts wanna punch the Steadicam operator in the nuts.
"Go away!"
MichaelScrip
MBPro
Posted 3:56 PM 16/10/08
@DesiBoi:
because straight porn would have been A-OK? lol imagine if it was two girls one cup.
MBPro
dothedrewtoo
Posted 3:55 PM 16/10/08
hahaha, i love the giz hard-hitting investigative journalism these days.
dothedrewtoo
michaelleung
Posted 4:27 PM 16/10/08
Well, some people need to fulfil their urges, if you know what I mean.
michaelleung
Lightman
Posted 4:59 PM 16/10/08
@P3nnst8r:
*ahem*
Fuck the Phillies.
/cries in corner
Lightman
P3nnst8r
Posted 4:46 PM 16/10/08
I figured of all days he'd be watching the Phillies beat the Dodgers on MLB Pitch Tracker like last time.
Facebook must be more acceptable.
I didn't even watch the debate for one second because of that game, and I consider myself pretty politically charged. Thus is the curse of being a lifelong Philly fan.
P3nnst8r
behavin
Posted 4:44 PM 16/10/08
@Kaiser-Computerhead's WALL-E n' Cookie references: Or playing textTwist while pretending to take notes about some "important project" or something.
behavin
imaria
Posted 7:16 PM 16/10/08
Haha, that's the empty login page. He's totally messing with us ;]
imaria
MrBlahBlah
Posted 9:00 PM 16/10/08
fantastic
MrBlahBlah
Glare
Posted 10:02 PM 16/10/08
*Watches CNN for another Gizmodo mention*
Glare
scarbrtj
Posted 11:10 PM 16/10/08
At least it wasn't boobies.
scarbrtj
triggerx
Posted 11:24 PM 16/10/08
Hmm.. just did it to my post... plus sign, no reason for it... you click it and it disappears.
triggerx
triggerx
Posted 11:22 PM 16/10/08
Not to be off topic here... but does anyone else notice the horrific quirks in this new messaging system? For example, on Page 1 of these comments, the message: "@imaria: Haha, that's the empty login page. He's totally messing..." has a plus (+) sign in it.. I'm not really sure why, since it's not a reply that needs expanded, however, when I click on the PLUS icon, the whole message disappears and leaves a big empty space. Anyone? Just me? mmkay thx.
triggerx
zanella
Posted 12:07 AM 17/10/08
Toobin, I'm happy to buy you a privacy screen for that laptop if you wish...
zanella
EricAlder
Posted 12:31 AM 17/10/08
Toobin? Isn't that when you ride inner-tubes down a river (and drink beer, of course!)?
EricAlder
ripfire
Posted 2:01 AM 17/10/08
Ok, now I think he's just shilling.
ripfire
bpapa9013
Posted 1:51 AM 17/10/08
@dothedrewtoo: What does giz have against the Toob? I caught a glimpse of all of the correspondents computers and most of them were staring blankly at outlook, at least Toob was actively engaged in doing something rather than just waiting for something to happen...
bpapa9013
bpapa9013
Posted 1:47 AM 17/10/08
@Stang70Fastback: Your taste in cars is all kinds of fail, as well as your attempted comment. :P
bpapa9013
Curves
Posted 2:52 AM 17/10/08
Mess with them Toobs and stream CNBC or something. Then buy that privacy screen.
Curves
bpapa9013
Posted 2:41 AM 17/10/08
@Stang70Fastback: sorry I misread ur name as 07fastback... I can't argue with '70...
Still pretty weak on the originality front. Your post however is still fully fail.
bpapa9013
tabaks
Posted 2:37 AM 17/10/08
Hey, wait... Umm... Oops, I just realized I don't care what he's doing. At all! Ever!
tabaks
bbfreak
Posted 3:16 AM 17/10/08
@Lightman: There there, it's not like the Dodgers haven't been to the World Series since 1988! Oh, wait it is! Honestly though I'm rooting for the Rays!
bbfreak
xpaladocious
Posted 3:15 AM 17/10/08
I dumb, and I admit it so you don't have to...here's the definition that I had to look up -
recidivist: one who relapses ; specifically : a habitual criminal
xpaladocious
Toshie
Posted 3:10 AM 17/10/08
Adam, you know he's going to be including this Giz post as part of the evidence in his stalking trial against you...
Toshie
bosskev
Posted 3:09 AM 17/10/08
@scarbrtj:
* shakes head indignantly *
And if it had been a pair of boobies, what would be so wrong about that?
* can't understand all this snickering about seabirds *
bosskev
shinobi-wan
Posted 3:05 AM 17/10/08
he's not even logged in, i'm thinking it was a joke.
shinobi-wan
FredicvsMaximvs
Posted 3:01 AM 17/10/08
@ripfire: No, THIS is just S(c)hilling:
+ Watch video
FredicvsMaximvs
scarbrtj
Posted 3:36 AM 17/10/08
@bosskev: I mark that post offensive!
scarbrtj
Radical-J
Posted 3:26 AM 17/10/08
Adam, So what did Toobin say??? It looks like your update was cut off...
Radical-J
P3nnst8r
Posted 3:23 AM 17/10/08
@bbfreak: No lovin' for my Phils =o(
You guys must be BFF with John Kruk or something.
P3nnst8r
DeCerbo
Posted 3:22 AM 17/10/08
@Overheal:
Haha. Yes.
DeCerbo
pdditty
Posted 3:58 AM 17/10/08
@dapoktan: if he was he wouldnt be logged out. I think he was checking his personal stuff, log out, log back in to check then log back out, lol
pdditty
MFlick
Posted 3:50 AM 17/10/08
We should all add his as a friend on facebook now. imagine his surprise when he has 283,972 new friend requests!
MFlick
MBPro
Posted 3:49 AM 17/10/08
lol i like him now. i will have to dislike him if he ever goes to fox "news"
MBPro
General Halfshaftery
Posted 3:44 AM 17/10/08
Yeah well I caught him "checking his mailbox to see if he had any mail"
(nosepicking)
General Halfshaftery
ice_cold_irony
Posted 4:09 AM 17/10/08
@ice_cold_irony: What the CRAP!!!??
Original comment was "Too bad there aren't any more debates." With a bracketed "I think".
That is also what's missing from my next comment.
Strange, very strange Giz.
ice_cold_irony
ice_cold_irony
Posted 4:08 AM 17/10/08
@ice_cold_irony: How come my bracketed turned the next sentence into Italics?
ice_cold_irony
ice_cold_irony
Posted 4:07 AM 17/10/08
Too bad there aren't any more debates. You could ask for a shameless plug and have him surf Giz next time.
ice_cold_irony
tastypotato
Posted 4:32 AM 17/10/08
@maxwaver:
Or Gizmodo browsing in class... ;)
tastypotato
tastypotato
Posted 4:30 AM 17/10/08
Man, and he's using the same laptop as me too. :o
I like this guy too, but I feel sorry for his laptop because I know how bad this thing is. :(
tastypotato
Stang70Fastback
Posted 4:55 AM 17/10/08
@Stang70Fastback: I think it's pretty funny now.
Stang70Fastback
Stang70Fastback
Posted 4:54 AM 17/10/08
@bpapa9013: Maybe, just remember that I commented before the update.
Stang70Fastback
baglunch
Posted 4:52 AM 17/10/08
@Kaiser-Computerhead's WALL-E n' Cookie references: I put on my wizard hat!
baglunch
Trowble (XBL/PSN)
Posted 4:43 AM 17/10/08
As long as his head is in the right place...
Trowble (XBL/PSN)
bpapa9013
Posted 5:17 AM 17/10/08
@Stang70Fastback: Yeah, funny like a "First!" comment that is actually third.
bpapa9013
drewdoog
Posted 5:47 AM 17/10/08
I wonder if he is pissed at the new format too
drewdoog
TheMurderer
Posted 5:42 AM 17/10/08
@GiantEnemyCrab: I'm laughing.
TheMurderer
Raidah
Posted 5:30 AM 17/10/08
I analyze different kind of things in my job (software systems) but after I learn the facts it takes some distraction to fully process the whole picture.
Raidah
typeszero199
Posted 6:11 AM 17/10/08
What happens when he's caught checking gizmodo?
typeszero199
t-man152
Posted 6:28 AM 17/10/08
you guys do realize that CNN uses Facebook and myspace to see what people think about the debate. they accept coments through email, facebook, and myspace. so the fact that he was using facebook during their after debate chat isnt all that weird or unprofessional
t-man152
vasha
Posted 6:18 AM 17/10/08
I dont like him. I dont like cnn. Fascist pigs.
vasha
purple-pillows
Posted 6:18 AM 17/10/08
this is how everyone should treat things... jokingly... because who doesnt checkout espn, or facebook, or gizmodo, etc. at work when you're confined to an office all day... he is a normal person and he happens to be a legal analyst on tv... but is just like Us
purple-pillows
paul
Posted 6:56 AM 17/10/08
@bpapa9013: Giz has nothing against the Toob, they're becoming bestest of friends
paul
SableHemlock
Posted 7:22 AM 17/10/08
Hell, I want him to explain to my engineering economics professor that during our "professional meeting" it is ok for us to be multitasking and by that I mean checking Facebook, reading blogs, and doing the online crossword to keep us from yelling at him.
. . . . Might not work, but it would be worth a shot.
SableHemlock
berribrand
Posted 7:51 AM 17/10/08
@DesiBoi: You can take your gay bashing and shove it.
berribrand
spider2544
Posted 8:41 AM 17/10/08
5 bucks says next time you catch him watching something, itll be Gizmodo
spider2544
nuclearlove
Posted 9:21 AM 17/10/08
Rick Sanchez asks for commentary from viewers live on the air via Facebook and Twitter every day at noon (PST). What's the prob?
nuclearlove
MePerson
Posted 9:15 AM 17/10/08
Darn, the debates are over. You could have convinced him to load Gizmodo's home page when they did those camera shots.
MePerson
MadCow234
Posted 5:25 PM 17/10/08
@Overheal:
I Haz ADHDz.
MadCow234
Atriel
Posted 1:14 AM 18/10/08
@baglunch: I play minesweeper in meetings all the time. 32 second intermediate game in your face!
Atriel
RossAlastor
Posted 1:28 AM 17/10/08
i think they (CNN) conduct polls on facebook...this maybe a "reason" why he is on facebook...besides i'm sure it can get a little boring between commercials and breaks...
RossAlastor