Tonight's debate had two fundamental flaws:
One: Your mum. And -
Ttwo: it was stupid.
The two candidates for the presidency lounged on what looked like bar stools. This caused us problems as we immediately started to discuss what lounge-singery type things they would best sing as a duet.*
Things were further complicated by fkob suggesting that this 'Town Hall" format would be enlivened if the moderator had an "Everybody dance now!" button, which, when pressed, would render the candidates unable to speak and under obligation to throw some shapes in the church of sound.
This is because this type of debate was basically an 'emote-off'. Who best connects with the American people? Bah, I can't tell you - I honestly don't think I understand what the American people want in the executive they are electing. I don't understand why Americas' massive anxiety about bigger government in the areas of healthcare and education being a terrible thing, though, so clearly I'm not going to get it. Heh. I mean, I know why historically they might have that kind of anxiety built into their worldview. But I don't understand how people still can think stuff like that. Oh well.
I'm not really the one with the answers or the insights, tonight.** Tonight's debate left me cold, I'm afraid. Now it's down to the spinmeisters. One thing I'll commit to: I'll be surprised if McCain's reference to Senator Obama as "that one" doesn't come back to haunt him at some point. I'm fairly sure he was being 'folksy' and trying to 'connect' with the people there, but it certainly came across as dismissive and disrespectful to me - and I'll be interested to see if it does to Americans, also. The Obama camp are, apparently, trying to spin it for all it's worth. I'll be interested to see which angle the McCain camp work.
*If you watched this and didn't even think of that possibility, I am not sure we can be friends any more.
** This could be because I am disgracefully sober. Have to teach tomorrow, so couldn't do our usual wine: Europeans ratio to help us understand the politics of it all.
Ttwo: it was stupid.
The two candidates for the presidency lounged on what looked like bar stools. This caused us problems as we immediately started to discuss what lounge-singery type things they would best sing as a duet.*
Things were further complicated by fkob suggesting that this 'Town Hall" format would be enlivened if the moderator had an "Everybody dance now!" button, which, when pressed, would render the candidates unable to speak and under obligation to throw some shapes in the church of sound.
This is because this type of debate was basically an 'emote-off'. Who best connects with the American people? Bah, I can't tell you - I honestly don't think I understand what the American people want in the executive they are electing. I don't understand why Americas' massive anxiety about bigger government in the areas of healthcare and education being a terrible thing, though, so clearly I'm not going to get it. Heh. I mean, I know why historically they might have that kind of anxiety built into their worldview. But I don't understand how people still can think stuff like that. Oh well.
I'm not really the one with the answers or the insights, tonight.** Tonight's debate left me cold, I'm afraid. Now it's down to the spinmeisters. One thing I'll commit to: I'll be surprised if McCain's reference to Senator Obama as "that one" doesn't come back to haunt him at some point. I'm fairly sure he was being 'folksy' and trying to 'connect' with the people there, but it certainly came across as dismissive and disrespectful to me - and I'll be interested to see if it does to Americans, also. The Obama camp are, apparently, trying to spin it for all it's worth. I'll be interested to see which angle the McCain camp work.
*If you watched this and didn't even think of that possibility, I am not sure we can be friends any more.
** This could be because I am disgracefully sober. Have to teach tomorrow, so couldn't do our usual wine: Europeans ratio to help us understand the politics of it all.