I also have a caveat here. My comments are from notes I took as I was watching the debate, but I didn't have the time or the willpower to write them out and post them until now. So while I may be stating the obvious in places (in light of the news coverage since the debate), these were my impressions as I was watching.
Who came across the worst? Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos. The first half of the debate concerned questions about Obama’s “bitter” remark, Rev. Wright, Shrillary’s “sniper” exaggerations, and Obama’s alleged refusal to wear a freakin’ American flag pin on his lapel. I mean…really? With all of the issues facing us, we have to spend half of the debate talking about these trivialities?
ABOVE: Shrillary and The Dalai Obama ponder important issues for the future of our nation, such as why Obama doesn't wear an American flag pin on his lapel
I posted about the Rev. Wright issue awhile ago. That one does raise some substantive questions about Obama’s philosophical worldview. That is relevant. But the rest of it? Those moldy stories had already run their course in the news cycle. Both candidates had addressed them, opponents had capitalized upon them, and the pundits had pontificated on them. Why dredge them up again in the debate? Because Gibson, Stephanopoulos and their puppetmasters wanted some sparks. Obama was getting visibly impatient, and I don’t think it was only because the questions were uncomfortable. I think it was also because he was feeling the same as many viewers were. Let’s get to some substance, please.
Readers know that I am a supporter of Juan McCain, so I have no strong feeling either way other than a natural dislike for anything Clinton, but at times it was as if it were three on one, with Obama fighting off the moderators as much as he was battling Shrillary. True, they did go after her on her claims that when she visited Bosnia she flew her airplane through enemy fire, crash-landed on an airstrip laced with mines and fought her way into prison camps and liberated POW’s and orphans, but it was a brief respite before they continued their assault on Obama.
On the “bitter” remark, I think that Obama meant exactly what it sounded like he meant (vs. his subsequent explanation). He is an elite (-ist), but so were our founding fathers. They weren’t your average George or Thomas. I don’t understand why we celebrate this virtue of averageness so much in this country. Yes, alot of working class folks cling to simple things like religion and guns. He was just stating the obvious. And then Shrillary’s Everywoman act is hardly convincing (I enjoyed Obama’s making fun of her sudden love of firearms a few days ago, calling her “Calamity Jane”). But what else can she do at this point? She’s got to attack him on anything she can.
ABOVE: Stephanopoulos - Didn't he used to work for the Clintons? On Wednesday night, it appeared that he was still on their payroll
Gibson redeemed himself somewhat when he went after both of them on tax and economic issues in the more substantive second half of the debate. When Gibson pointed out that historically lower capital gains taxes bring in more revenue to the government, Obama really had no answer for that other than it wasn’t “fair”. Shrillary definitely got the upper hand in the economic discussion. Then Stephanopoulos tried to get them both to “make a ‘read my lips’ promise” (his actual words) on taxes, not even hiding the fact that he wanted to pigeonhole them for their entire terms in office, or alternatively set up a "gotcha" to use years down the road, regardless of what circumstances might arise in the next 4-8 years. What a jackass. Kudos to both candidates for not playing along.
They are both dead wrong on Iraq. Obama was noticeably taller than Shrillary.
4 comments:
He also called her Annie Oakley the other day, which made me laugh out loud.
It's also very funny that you call him the Dalai Obama. Awesome.
I think you are correct. It was "Annie Oakley" that I was thinking about. Oh well, either one is funny.
I must admit that I did not create The Dalai Obama. I heard it elsewhere, and copped it because it was the best of the nicknames I've heard. It fits the almost religious conviction many of his supporters have.
I picked up the debate at the end of the flag pin debate. I thought Gibsonwas great at the end on the tax and economic question. Definitely exposed how illiterate obama is on understanding the issues.
Obama: I will not raise taxes on the middle class
Gibson: How do you plan to increase revenues?
Obama: One way will to increase/eliminate the cap on payroll tax.
Gibson: Isn't that effectively a tax increase on the middle class?
Obama: Uhh . . erm. . .did I mention that I was black and articulate. People love me!
Taxes is one issue where I clearly favor Clinton over Obama. I still think I favor Obama overall, but his position on taxes is a real concern.
It's a shame they spent so little time on relevant issues in this debate, but maybe they thought the issues had already been beaten to death in the other 247 debates.
Some of the questions were just silly, though. "Will each of you commit right now to be the other's running mate if you don't get the nomination?" Wouldn't it have been funny if they both said yes? Or even more so if one said yes and the other said no.
I thought the question to Clinton regarding whether Obama could beat McCain was a good question, though. Amazingly, she chose the high ground for once and had to honestly say "yes, yes, yes".
Post a Comment