During ABC News' coverage of the January 5 ABC News-Facebook debate, ABC News correspondent Bianna Golodryga cited a Facebook “debate group” question asking respondents, “Could a Democratic president keep America safe?” Golodryga continued: “66 percent of you said yes; 27 percent, no.” Golodryga did not cite a question asking whether a Republican president could “keep America safe”; indeed, no such question (registration required) was asked on ABC News' Facebook “debate group” page. Golodryga introduced her discussion of the responses to the questions ABC posed on Facebook by asserting, “Now let's go to what surprised us,” but did not say why the results of the “keep America safe” question were “surpris[ing].”

As Media Matters for America has documented, other media figures have asserted that Republicans have an advantage on issues of national security and terrorism, despite polls showing Democrats either tied or at a slight advantage against Republicans on that issue. For example, a Washington Post/ABC News poll conducted September 27-30, 2007, asking, “Which political party, the Democrats or the Republicans, do you trust to do a better job handling the U.S. campaign against terrorism?” found that 41 percent of respondents favored the Democrats, while 40 percent chose the Republicans.

Following are the questions ABC posted (registration required) on its Facebook “debate group” page on January 5, the day of the Republican and Democratic debates:

• Did the ABC News/Facebook Debates give you a better sense of whom you will vote for?

• Based on the debate, do you think a Democratic President could keep America safe from foreign threats?

• Which issue do you wish the Democratic candidates spent more time on? (Environment, Economy, War in Iraq, Immigration, or Health Care)

• Which Democratic candidate appeared the most “presidential” during the debate?

• Which of the following surprised you most about the Republican debate? (Huckabee rarely discusses religion; McCain stays restrained during debate; Romney says drug companies aren't the “Bad Guy;” Thompson stays cool, calm, collected; or Giuliani joins attacks on Romney)

• Which issue do you wish the Republican candidates spent more time on? (War in Iraq, Environment, Immigration, Health Care, or Economy)

• Do you feel more informed about the Republican candidates' positions on foreign policy after this debate?

• Which Republican candidate appeared the most “Presidential” during the debate?

• Do you agree with Barack Obama that Hillary Clinton is “likable enough”?

• Is a Presidential candidate's national “electability” a big factor in deciding your vote in the primaries?

• How much confidence do you have about the US economy in 2008?

From ABC News' January 5 broadcast of the ABC News-Facebook debate:

SAWYER: But of course, the evening isn't just about what the candidates and their forces say. It's also about what you feel at this pivotal moment in history, and for some instant reaction from those watching and taking part on Facebook, we go back again to Bianna Golodryga. What are you hearing, Brianna?

GOLODRYGA: We're hearing a lot, Diane, actually thousands of people are debating the debate, and we picked a few key issues right now we want to talk to you about. Charlie brought up foreign policy, and so we asked people: “Are they more informed about the candidates' foreign policy?” Sixty-seven percent say yes; 33 percent say no.

Another interesting issue: “Is tonight's debate giving you a better sense of who you will vote for?” Some people must be saying the right and the wrong answers, because 75 percent of the people answered yes; 25 percent answered no.

And lastly, this could be the most interesting out of what we found thus far: “Which issue do you wish the Republican candidates spent more time on?” Overwhelmingly, the economy came up as first: Forty-five percent said the economy; 13 percent said health care; 10 percent said the war in Iraq. Now the economy is a big issue right now. Of course, we got a weaker than expected jobs report -- the worst unemployment level in two years. Recession was not even brought up during this debate. We'll have to see what the Democrats say, as far as the boards lighting up to their response on the economy.

[...]

SAWYER: We're going to turn now to the Facebook command center, co-sponsors, of course, of tonight's debate, and Bianna Golodryga is there. Now that both debates have concluded, what are you seeing from the audience participating on Facebook?

GOLODRYGA: Well, a lot of people weighing in right now. I want to start with your question on what people's responses were to the surprises in the Republican debate. The one thing people were saying is that Romney -- they were surprised at how beaten up he was a lot throughout the debate. Another person said, “I was surprised at how much mud-slinging there was going on, stemming from this Romney.” And another person said, “I'm surprised at how out of touch these politicians are. They have no understanding of poverty.” Lastly, a person said, “I'm surprised there was no more talk about the environment.”

Now let's go to what surprised us. We're going to start with the Democrats' response. On to the charts now, “What issue do you wish the Democratic candidates spent more time on?” This surprises because, still, just like the Republicans, the economy was a key issue here: Forty-four percent said the Democrats didn't spend enough time talking about the economy; health care followed that by 13 percent.

Moving on -- “Could a Democratic president keep America safe?” -- 66 percent of you said yes; 27 percent, no. And lastly, “Is tonight's debate giving you a better sense of who you'd vote for?” Eighty percent said yes; 20 percent said no. Diane, this is just beginning. And of course, people can weigh in on Facebook until the elections in November.