The Final Debate
I must say, I really did enjoy last night's debate. I though the questions that NBC prepared were much more substantive and diverse than those picked out by CNN last week. It's those questions that ordinary people don't think much about---like Kosovo, and Putin's successor---that really say a lot about the candidates running for office. No offense meant to Sen. Clinton or Obama, but how much skill does it take to debate Iraq or healthcare these days? They have debated them 100 times before and I think the American people get where they stand. But these unexpected questions, which highlight the challenges facing the next President, give us a great insight into these candidates' minds. One thing I will note, and maybe it's just me, but when Tim Russert asked about Putin's successors, he did, in fact, ask it openly---giving both Sen. Clinton and Obama a chance to jump at the question and answer it first. The look on Obama's face said it all---he didn't have an answer, or, atleast, a decent one. Sen. Clinton, on the other hand, paused, and then, dare I say, when Obama didn't answer, came to his rescue. Now, if I was in Sen. Clinton's shoes, I would have said something like, "I think we should let Sen. Obama answer." But she didn't, she took the question and then allowed Obama to, in essence, copy her answer, almost exactly, and pass it off as his own. That could have been the moment where Obama slowed his momentum, not being able to answer a very important foreign policy question. But she chose to help him...make of that what you will, but I find it interesting to say the least and I'm surprised the MSM hasn't picked up on it. Other than that, the debate was, as I said, very substantive and very formal. I thought that both Sen. Clinton and Obama performed well and both, I can confidently say, would beat McCain in a debate this fall.
For Once, I Have Something Nice to Say...to a Republican
Yep, that's right, but I must warn you, don't get used to it. I just want to take this time though to commend Sen. John McCain for decrying the actions and words of Bill Cummingham, a conservative radio host, who had some less than appropriate things to say about Barack Obama. I just hope that McCain keeps his attacks up on those who engage in these type of tactics. They are completely unnecessary and McCain needs to keep up the pressure on them. Let's have a clean campaign based on the issues and facts at hand, not dirty tricks and falsehoods.
Speaking of Dirty Tricks...
I'm really get sick and tired of this whole Barack "Hussein" Obama and Muslim thing. Number one, Barack Obama is not a Muslim. Number two though, it shouldn't matter if he was? Seriously, does someone have to be a white, male Christian with a simple 1-2 syllable name to be President? Maybe America should just focus on electing the right person for the job, regardless of gender, race, religion, or anything else. Sure, Obama isn't a Muslim, but the religious right is practically insulting every person who isn't a Christian, essentially saying that they're unqualified for public office. What's that document that says there shall be no religious test for office? O, yea, that's right, it's the U.S. Constitution, the document our entire democracy is founded on. Maybe the Republicans should take a look at it once and a while. With that being said, this is my request for the religious right (even though they couldn't care less): 1) Stop lying about Barack Obama's faith and 2) stop demeaning people who might not follow the Christian faith----news flash: there's nothing wrong with that.
