I’ve learned three things from the three debates so far.
- Senator Obama doesn’t understand.
- Sarah Palin winks and talks funny like one of my creepy, touchy-feely elementary school teachers.
- John McCain knows how.
But, I press on.
Because the machinery of this campaign and the structure of these so-called debates has been laid out for so long, there is little chance that the debates will change anyone’s opinion. That very much favors the front-runner, Barack Hussein Obama.
I have a splitting economic headache (more on that front tomorrow), so I didn’t take extensive notes tonight. This analysis will be composed more of vague impressions and things that stuck with me. That’s probably more representative of what people take home with them after a debate, anyway.
I much prefer this town hall setup to the disengaged candidates with lecterns setup. It’s cozier, more familiar, and it allows the candidates to interact with real people-even if the audience has been strictly screened-and candidates should interact with people. This format would be much improved by allowing an unscreened crowd and free-wheeling debate between the candidates, complete with audience reaction.
Senator McCain loves to talk about nuclear power. I’m never sure if he’s talking about fission reactors to generate electricity, or nuclear weapons. I’m not even sure if there’s a difference in his mind. His militaristic bent is more than a little unnerving.
I was once a proponent of getting electricity from fission reactors. If you read the old-school propaganda from the 1950’s to the 1970’s, it seems like a perfectly reasonable idea. It’s cheap, safe, and clean! YAY! The only problem is, and I suppose this is a major concern, is that nuclear power is not cheap, it is not safe, and it is not clean. In fact, it’s an enormously expensive menace to the health and welfare of the entire world.
It makes sense to me that John McCain is a proponent of a land covered with fission reactors and radioactive waste. He is a conservative. He continually talked about energy independence and the future, while continuing to bring up this dead technology. As a conservative, he looks ahead while lauding, celebrating, and advocating the technology and economy of the past. That gives me a headache.
I had heard so much about McCain taking the gloves off, that I was getting ready to giggle at the devastating rebuttals from Senator Obama. That never really happened. I was left wondering if McCain, with his history, was smart to not get into the character issues, or if he’s a chicken shit who’s scared to fight. And I mean scared to fight on a personal level. I have no doubt that he wouldn’t hesitate to send a bunch of young Americans into a hopeless situation to make himself look tough.
McCain called Barack ‘That One’.
It may just be me, as I am predisposed to not like McCain, but that came across as really condescending and offensive. That’s McCain’s personality, though.
Or maybe he meant ‘The One’?
Barack, after having been repeatedly chastised, continued to go well over his allotted time. That pissed off the Dakota Kids, they being me and Tom Brokaw. Watch the lights, Barack, and wrap it up when your time expires. We know you’re smart and well-prepared, please don’t add rude and long-winded to that list of attributes.
Senator McCain mentioned insurance plans that were like gold-plated Cadillacs, probably the preferred method of transport of the people we just bailed out on Wall Street. Then he tried to insult Joe Biden by saying those plans cover hair transplants. Then he quickly tried to cover by saying he might need one, too. The following paragraph from Cliff Schecter’s book The Real McCain clearly outlines McCain’s feelings about his hair…and about women.
Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain’s intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain’s hair and said, “You’re getting a little thin up there.” McCain’s face reddened, and he responded, “At least I don’t plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt.” McCain’s excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.
But, gold-plated Cadillacs and hair transplants all sounds like midlife crisis stuff, although it’s occurring very late in life.
They talked about health care, and Senator Obama said health care is a right! Holy shit! McCain said it’s a responsibility. Oddly, I agree with both of them. Everyone has a fundamental right to health care. And, we all have a responsibility to provide that health care.
McCain keeps asking about the size of the fine Obama will levy on employers and people who don’t provide health care. I don’t know if McCain is a size queen, or if he has a Napoleon complex, but clearly there’s some obsession with size here.
Senator McCain mentioned at least twice that we need either a cool hand or steady hand at the tiller. Given Senator McCain’s temperament and history, I took that as a clear endorsement of Senator Obama, who is obviously more cool and more steady than Senator McCain, who comes across as quirky, at best.
Oh, I remember! McCain also mentioned his hero Ronald Reagan. That’s not surprising from a Republican. They’ve been worshipping Reagan-which, by the way, is idolatry-since the 1960’s, if not from the heady days of Bedtime for Bonzo.
McCain talked about gold-plated Cadillac health coverage, and Reagan talked about the welfare queen driving her Cadillac. There’s an unhealthy obsession with Cadillacs among old, conservative, white men. And, frankly, they can have them.
McCain had a weird statement about exacerbating our reputation and ability. I didn’t understand, but I suppose he meant that we’re worsening our reputation and abilities. It’s not important; it’s just stuck in my head.
Then McCain said his hero was Teddy Roosevelt. I’m confused. Is his hero Teddy Roosevelt or Ronald Reagan? McCain scolded Obama for speaking loudly rather than softly, while saying his hero Teddy Roosevelt spoke softly and carried a big stick. Reagan spoke rather loudly and at great length while wielding his big stick ineffectively. Maybe he needed Viagra. It’s a conundrum.
But, as an aside, doesn’t this speech by Roosevelt contradict everything John McCain believes in? That sinister alliance between crooked politics and crooked business, I mean, which has made John McCain wealthy and unimaginably powerful.
On a policy note, after attacking Obama about his policy of going into Pakistan to pursue bin Laden, McCain now agrees with it but says we shouldn’t say it out loud. It would seem preferable to give Pakistan the warning now, and see if they’ll clean their own side of the street, so we don’t have to do it for them.
On this Pakistani issue, McCain is scrambling like an Alaskan wolf on ice being pursued by Sarah Palin in an airplane.
Near the end, I think grandpa got tired and put his microphone down.
Tags: Biden, Brokaw, Cadillac, debate, McCain, nuclear, nucular, Obama, Palin, Reagan, Schecter, Tennessee, welfare queen
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