Debate Cocktail Chatter
(With apologies to Moneybox)
1. "With so many debates, just about every conceivable question has now been
asked and answered repeatedly. The result is that the debates are turning
into press conferences on the latest headlines. Tonight's topics from Grand
Rapids, Mich.: Elián González (again), John Rocker, and the AOL-Time Warner
merger . A few more debates and Tim Russert will be asking these guys what
they think of that presidential race up in New Hampshire."
2. "The post-game analysis on MSNBC was that a newly conciliatory
John McCain sounded like he wanted to be George W. Bush's running mate. When I
heard McCain's opening spiel about the 'growing gap between the haves
and have-nots in America ' and his criticism of how Bush's tax cuts
favor the rich, I had a slightly different take: McCain wants to be Bill
Bradley's running mate."
3. "Bush had another brief spasm of anti-intellectualism when he
stopped a question that referred to a comment from a Harvard professor by
retorting, 'consider the source.' When Bush's father Harvard-baited Michael
Dukakis in 1988 , it was pretty disingenuous. But at least W.'s dad didn't
actually have a Harvard degree."
4. "George W. finished his answer to the John Rocker question by
saying that he appreciated the effort by the Atlanta Braves to get Rocker
psychological counseling. After a pause, Steve Forbes interjected a Gary
Bauer-like dig : 'And perhaps they should have psychological counseling for
some team owners as well--to rescind their statements they've made about
religion in America.' But Forbes is no Bauer. Bauer's 'God help all of us' line
in the Nashua debate made fun of Bush's intelligence, not his sanity or his
beliefs. And Bauer's line was funny. This time Piggy was
the only one laughing."
5. "Forbes is replaying his 1996 campaign exactly. Once more, he started the
race as an inept political amateur . And once again, he's ending it as a
destructive sore loser ."
6. "When Bush made his argument for continuing the boycott of Cuba ,
Bauer drove a truck through it by asking why the same logic didn't apply to
trade with China. Bush responded with a fatuous distinction: that trade with
China supports an "entrepreneurial class" whereas with Cuba it nourishes
only Fidel Castro . Bauer is right to point out the inconsistency, but wrong
in his conclusion that we should isolate both Communist dictatorships. Or does
Bauer think the 35-year Cuban embargo has been a big success?
7. "What's up with Bush always offering to 'share my heart '
with voters? I know what he means, but in English we usually say , 'I
want to share what's in my heart.' Otherwise it sounds like an
invitation to an Aztec banquet."
