The Debates

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

You knew it wouldn't be long... ::)

What are your impressions of the presidential and vice presidential debates?  Who do you think presented a more compelling case for their perspective cases?  

I'm not saying this out of any political commentary whatsoever, but John Kerry handed George Bush his lunch in their debate.  Bush seemed agitated that he even had to be there.  He repeated himself many times and sounded as if all he came with was "it's hard work" and his ongoing obsession with Iraq.  

What's your thoughts?

[marktwain]

I wish there was a rule that if candidates are to cite any specific figures during the debate, the figures must be submitted to the moderator prior to the debate (not necessarily to the other candidate, though).  That way, the moderator could call these bastards out on their exaggerations and outright deceptions.

Lacking that, I encourage everyone to go to //www.factcheck.org.  Cheney mentioned it last night, but called it a dot com.  and he suggested that they defended his tenure as CEO of Halliburton, which they did not.  Fact Check is non-partisan, and good at pointing out the lies, and documenting their sources.  They've already posted about the debate last night.  They are doing what all TV news anchors SHOULD be doing.

My impression:  they are all liars, but some lies are much more serious than others (for example, suggesting that Hussein was linked to 9/11 is more insidious than claiming the war has cost $200 billion instead of $120 billion)

Let's defeat Bush (again)!

[Coltrane]

of course they're all liars, just looking for the next election.

Cheney emphatically denied ever connecting Sdam Hussein to 9/11 last night during the debate. But on "Meet the Press" last year, he said the exact oppossite. And when NBC showed the tape to one of the Bush/Cheney cronies later, he just ignored the question and rambled on about some catch phrase he was trying to drill in everyone's head.

Bush should be defeated simply because he wants to ban gay marriage. That's just evil and wrong!!!!

[peanut butter puddin surprise]

funny how cheney has a lesbian daughter but wants to ban gay marriage.  funny how that works out in life.

gay marriage is a red balloon issue used to distract the voters while they rob the country blind.  what is the big deal?  civil unions aren't marriages per se;  they are a civic arrangement rather than a religious one.  

as we still live in a secular society (so far), morality is kind of absent.  this is bad because...

[Coltrane]

but civil unions aren't recognized by the law in the same way as marriage is. It's a civil rights issue. In the same way that people tried to ban interracial marriage. Why can't the law recognize two commited people??Any attempt to block a gay or lesbian marriage is simply discrimination. Civil unions are a cop out. They mean nothing. this issue is about equality for all Americans.

[marktwain]

It's also funny that in 2000, Bush wanted to leave the gay marriage issue up to the states.  Flip-flop, anyone?

[lfish]

God, I love those debates!

All the way Kerry!