Democratic Debate: Answers Better Than Tim Russert's Questions
MSNBC’s Democratic Debate Tuesday night showed Senator's Chris Dodd and Joe Biden at their best, delivering sharp, concise, no nonsense answers, to some touchy issues: immigration, Social Security, Iran obtaining nuclear weapons, in a way that overshadowed the robotic mantra viewers have come to expect from front runners Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards.
The fourth sanctioned Democratic debate at Drexel University in Philadelphia, clearly wasn’t Clinton’s best showing, the New York senator seemed on edge, tired with the Republicans ``obsession with her’’, and frazzled at Tim Russert for continuing to hound her if she would pledge to do everything in her power to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb.
Apparently, the Meet the Press host thought her answer evasive, enough to keep pressing for clarification; Clinton kept throwing the same answer back at him, drawing laughter from the audience, as if they were performing a comedy routine.
The debate wasn’t exactly Russert at his best either, why would he ask every candidate if they would pledge to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb? Was he expecting someone to say, ``it’s a done deal Tim, Iran is going nuclear, not much I can do about it?’’
It took Biden to put the nuclear bomb question into perspective, saying that we should be more concerned about an out of control Pakistan, than in Iran obtaining 2.6 kilograms of highly enriched uranium.
Then the NBC host decided to make Dennis Kucinich look silly and ridiculous, reminding the Ohio congressman, he once claimed to have seen an unidentified flying object over the house of actress Shirley Maclaine, his godmother.
Kucinich admitted he did, and thought more Americans did as well. Russert practically laughed in his face, saying only 14 percent of Americans believe in the phenomenon.
It would be interesting to know where MSNBC gathered their information from.
An Associated Press poll, released just a few days ago,reported as many as 48 percent of Americans believing in UFO’s, while the National Science Foundation in another survey, found 30 percent still believing in them.
Whatever Russert’s reason for asking the ridiculous UFO question, it turned the debate into a SNL skit in a blink of an eye.
And would someone please do away with these ludiricous lightening rounds. How do you expect candidates to outline important issues in 30 seconds? Sound bites are what political ads are supposed to do; I thought the debates were intended to showcase specific solutions to complicated isssues? How about being creative and combining more than one issue in their questions?
Clinton was challenged all night for dancing around issues, from her elusive answers on Social Security and the actuarial shortfall, refusing to endorse or criticize Rep Charles Rangel’s tax plan, and then being accused of moving away from the left, and to the center, now that, if polls are to believed, her nomination is practically signed sealed and delivered.
``First Senator Clinton is in primary mode, and then she’s in a general election mode. Why isn’t she in an honest mode’’, Senator Edwards asked.
The last firecracker of the night, and the one that might cost Clinton some traction 65 days before the Iowa caucuses, was her waffling on Governor Pataki’s plan that would allow driver’s liecense for illegal immigrants
No one was clear if the junior senator supported or condemned the governor’s plan. Dodd was quick to make it clear that obtaining a driver’s license is a privilege and extending it to illegal immigrants was ``troublesome’’
Biden continues to dazzle crowds with his firm grasp on the major foreign policy and domestic issues, and display a nice mix of humor, candor, and ability to cut through the muck, while his opponents continue to peddle their monotonous company lines.
Too bad the Delaware Senator isn’t likely to make it to the general election, even though his sentences are packed with more than just a noun, verb, and 9/11.
-Bill Lucey
billlucey@bellsouth.net
The fourth sanctioned Democratic debate at Drexel University in Philadelphia, clearly wasn’t Clinton’s best showing, the New York senator seemed on edge, tired with the Republicans ``obsession with her’’, and frazzled at Tim Russert for continuing to hound her if she would pledge to do everything in her power to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb.
Apparently, the Meet the Press host thought her answer evasive, enough to keep pressing for clarification; Clinton kept throwing the same answer back at him, drawing laughter from the audience, as if they were performing a comedy routine.
The debate wasn’t exactly Russert at his best either, why would he ask every candidate if they would pledge to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear bomb? Was he expecting someone to say, ``it’s a done deal Tim, Iran is going nuclear, not much I can do about it?’’
It took Biden to put the nuclear bomb question into perspective, saying that we should be more concerned about an out of control Pakistan, than in Iran obtaining 2.6 kilograms of highly enriched uranium.
Then the NBC host decided to make Dennis Kucinich look silly and ridiculous, reminding the Ohio congressman, he once claimed to have seen an unidentified flying object over the house of actress Shirley Maclaine, his godmother.
Kucinich admitted he did, and thought more Americans did as well. Russert practically laughed in his face, saying only 14 percent of Americans believe in the phenomenon.
It would be interesting to know where MSNBC gathered their information from.
An Associated Press poll, released just a few days ago,reported as many as 48 percent of Americans believing in UFO’s, while the National Science Foundation in another survey, found 30 percent still believing in them.
Whatever Russert’s reason for asking the ridiculous UFO question, it turned the debate into a SNL skit in a blink of an eye.
And would someone please do away with these ludiricous lightening rounds. How do you expect candidates to outline important issues in 30 seconds? Sound bites are what political ads are supposed to do; I thought the debates were intended to showcase specific solutions to complicated isssues? How about being creative and combining more than one issue in their questions?
Clinton was challenged all night for dancing around issues, from her elusive answers on Social Security and the actuarial shortfall, refusing to endorse or criticize Rep Charles Rangel’s tax plan, and then being accused of moving away from the left, and to the center, now that, if polls are to believed, her nomination is practically signed sealed and delivered.
``First Senator Clinton is in primary mode, and then she’s in a general election mode. Why isn’t she in an honest mode’’, Senator Edwards asked.
The last firecracker of the night, and the one that might cost Clinton some traction 65 days before the Iowa caucuses, was her waffling on Governor Pataki’s plan that would allow driver’s liecense for illegal immigrants
No one was clear if the junior senator supported or condemned the governor’s plan. Dodd was quick to make it clear that obtaining a driver’s license is a privilege and extending it to illegal immigrants was ``troublesome’’
Biden continues to dazzle crowds with his firm grasp on the major foreign policy and domestic issues, and display a nice mix of humor, candor, and ability to cut through the muck, while his opponents continue to peddle their monotonous company lines.
Too bad the Delaware Senator isn’t likely to make it to the general election, even though his sentences are packed with more than just a noun, verb, and 9/11.
-Bill Lucey
billlucey@bellsouth.net
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