Friday, October 03, 2008

good times

I know if I say anything about the debates that people will get defensive/irate/insecure - but it's what I'm thinking as I sit down.


I actually enjoyed the debate.

Things I learned:

Bosniaks is a funny name.
Biden really doesn't like McCain, but he seems cool with Palin.
Palin really doesn't like Obama and she's frustrated by Biden changing his mind from his debates with Obama.
Biden came off as likable. Palin came off as competent. Neither of those two things were a forgone conclusion going into the night.
I write this because my rule of thumb is to just start typing whatever I’m thinking when I sit down. This isn’t an attack against you because we might disagree on who we’re hoping is the next president.   It's ok.  We can still play racquetball on Thursdays and take pictures of Alton while he's sleeping.

Life goes on.

22 comments:

  1. Anonymous7:41 AM

    It's easy to appear competent if you only answer the questions you've practised for weeks as opposed to the questions you were actually asked.

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  2. this sort of goes back to what I wrote about the other day. The moderator told both candidates that they weren't answering the questions.

    I'm guessing there are people on the extreme right that only heard Biden get called out - and people on the extreme left who only heard Palin get called out - it's just not what happened.

    I think most of us knew who we were voting for and only really got mad when the other person lied, exagerated or just ignored the question.

    it's become what team am I rooting for - and not - who do I think will best run this country.

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  3. i heart cereal and snickers

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  4. I respectfully disagree. I've never voted all republican or all democrat. In fact, I'm always somewhere right down the middle. Listening to the candidates and their VPs debate is enlightening to me-and not some sort of cheerleading pep rally.

    Look, Sarah Palin came off as rehearsed and unknowledgable to me. There were analysts who found her approach to be favorable because "real" Americans liked her simple, (non)-answers to questions as opposed to the factually and experience-supported answers of Joe Biden.

    I'd prefer to believe that there are "real" Americans who want a candidate (and a VP) who understand the complexities of our international relationships, the intricacies of our economy, the fact that the VP office IS in the executive branch. Sarah Palin does not.

    Bottom line-I'm a "real" American and I'd prefer a VP candidate not to dumb down their answers so that all we hear is the same rally rhetoric used at the Republican convention. I want to hear about specific plans on the issues. Palin failed to deliver on that.

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  5. Wait. We play racquetball on Thursdays??? Oh crud. Then I owe you a huge apology for never showing up once so far. To think you've been sitting there waiting on me in your goggles and sweatbands this whole time. My bad, Seany Boy. I'll be there next week!

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  6. Connie,

    I agree completely. Sean, using that same old "both side do it blah blah blah" doesn't work. Any unbiased person would see that Biden answered almost every question completely and intelligently. Palin avoided any question she hadn't rehearsed an answer to. I question the competence of anyone who thought she sounded competent.

    And why am I not invited to these Racquetball games? Is it because I publicly question your competence on your web log? Yeah, I guess that makes sense.

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  7. Read today's paper (I'll let you pick) you might be seeing this through the eyes of someone who really really wanted their guy to win...who knows?

    The claim: Biden said Obama did not say he would meet with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. "This is simply not true about Barack Obama," he said.

    The facts: At a news conference in New York City in September 2007, Obama was asked, "Senator, you've said before that you'd meet with President Ahmadinejad … would you still meet with him today?" He replied: "Yeah, nothing's changed with respect to my belief that strong countries and strong presidents talk to their enemies and talk to their adversaries."


    is this a complete and intelligent answer?

    No neutral undecided voter would see it as one.

    "Republicans are going to be reassured by Palin's performance. Democrats are going to be reassured by Biden's performance. Largely what the debate will do is reinforce partisan preferences."
    -- Kathleen Hall Jamieson, head of Annenberg Public Policy Center at University of Pennsylvania

    we pick sides and ignore our problem areas

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  8. Well said Sean. Reading the comments drives your point home. Have a good weekend

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  9. I will based my vote solely on the Murphy v. Fuller debate. I propose it be held at the IHOP on Kemper Road. (Pumpkin pancakes are back and they are uncanny in their deliciousness.)

    Reagan Milthaler will moderate.

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  10. Palin answered the questions she was coached on rather than the questions she was asked on several ocassions. But I was happy to see that at least the questions she did answer were related to the things that she said McCain would have her focused on as VP.

    Biden also confidently danced around a couple questions although not as many as Palin and he also flip flopped significantly from stances he had even in the primary.

    Nevertheless it was probably the most pleasant debate in modern history. I think Palin won by not losing what was supposed to be a first round knock-out.

    But when it is all said and done the democrats should pretty much win this election with a two word answer to every question and those two words are "George" and "Bush". Tarzan could win this election, "You George Bush. Me not". If the democrats don't win this time they should really cash it in. Biden seemed to understand that as he worked "dubya" into every answer.

    I still think they should have one "all in" debate where they let the likes of Ralph Nader in to stir it up with solid answers and real issues. These debates are the equivalent of watching people bat in a softball cage, which isn't unpleasant.

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  11. I would love to see a debate with a "moderator" who just sits back and lets the candidates talk to one another. Get all four in there - Obama, Biden, McCain, and Palin - and let them go at it. The moderator's job is only to bring up topics and to keep order.

    Also, in my debate with Murph that Joe has suggested, I would like to nominate Brad Wise as my running mate. And, well, my mate mate.

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  12. I think Jerry Springer would have to moderate that debate with that format.

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  13. Steve,
    You'll have to pray Brad from my dead cold hands.

    maybe we can debate while playing racquetball?
    clearly ping pong didn't work out so well for me.

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  14. Dave,

    You just took my idea to a whole new level of awesomeness. Well played, my friend. Well played.

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  15. pry him....you'll have to pry him from my dead cold hands

    that's way different

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  16. So I just wasted all those prayers for Brad? Crap.

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  17. so i should be buying leather chaps for this right....?

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  18. Sounds like Sean has his hands all over you and Steve would like to mate with you. Lucky dog.

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  19. Nice try, Brad. Like you don't already own leather chaps.

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  20. Brad, I have some leather chaps if you need to borrow them. They are backless. Hope that's okay.

    Saddle up, Cowboy!

    Seriously, I don't know what SPURRED me to say that.

    Okay, I'll stop.

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