Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Please Let That Be "The Last Debate"

Barf.

I watched tonight's "debate" (I use that term loosely) on ABC between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton as study prep for my radio debut next week.

First, if I had to call a "winner" tonight, it would be Hillary. She just looked better, for one thing; healthier, more relaxed and yet more animated, more concise and more interesting. Barack looked pretty damn tired, and he got off to a terrible start. Charlie Gibson threw his "bitter" quote from last week back at him and said, okay, you've said now you chose your words poorly. What did you really mean to say? Barack's response tonight frankly made less sense than it did the first time around.

Honestly, though, who cares? This was the 21st debate for the Democratic nomination. We know Barack can debate. We know he can speak eloquently and concisely and be inspiring. He can be funny and substantive. Tonight just wasn't his night. I don't think that changes the game.

I wish he'd been more on, and could have given a more forceful rejection and indictment of the idiotic "questions" thrown by George Stephanopoulos and Charlie Gibson; they exemplified the politics of distraction which has disenchanted -- indeed, embittered -- voters across the country and the political spectrum. No wonder he looked exhausted: here he is campaigning to take over the White House from the criminal idiocy of the Bushies, and he has to keep swatting away these manufactured scandals.

I mean, my God, people. We kidnapped people from around the world, spirited them away to secret jails, never charged them with a crime, never granted them access to an attorney, gave them no opportunity to speak in their defense or see any evidence against them, we tortured them and some of them have died. And you want to ask, again, why Barack Obama isn't wearing a flag lapel pin?

Andrew Sullivan
encapsulated my despair during his live-blogging coverage of the debate: "9.32 pm. No questions on the environment, none on terror, none on interrogation, none on torture, none on education, none on spending, none on healthcare, none on Iran ... but four separate questions in the first hour about a lapel-pin, Bitter-gate, Wright-gate and Ayers."

6 comments:

Jeff said...

It was the most dispiriting debate of the whole season.

Gino said...

didnt they already debate on terror, torture,interogation and the environment?

damn, after 21 debates, what is left?
how bout debating the stuff americans really care about:
like, american idol or survivor?

DJRainDog said...

I loathe what this country has become, and I want all of its talking heads CUT OFF! I mean, seriously. My people (and when I say "my people", I mean that I am a direct descendant of people who were here in the 1600s) founded this failed experiment! How horrified they'd be if they could see it now! All that time, thought, and energy spent on creating something new and good and useful, all that blood spilt getting free from the controlling interests of far-off masters...For what? For THIS not-even-steaming pile of excrement?! Surely, you jest!

Anonymous said...

I think you all miss 2 points:

1. There is almost no difference between the 2 on any issue. Remember the boring never ending back & forth on universal health care? How can you debate when both agree?
2. I sure there is a % of Dem voters in PA that were insulted by his bitter comment. I use to live in one of those PA towns--I know. We will see how this turns out Tuesday.

I don't call 2 hours of Republican bashing by 2 DEMS who agree on everything (except who should be the nominee) a debate.

Andy said...

You want to see Republican bashing? Get me a bat!

DJRainDog said...

Oh, please, Andy; you're GAY! When was the last time fags bashed back? (Hint: It should happen a fuck of a lot more often...Grr...)