The Great Debates
All along, I've thought that President Bush looked smug and superior, as if he found the debate process distasteful. As if he were above having to answer for his choices and decisions. Tonight as I saw him look at Senator Kerry, and through the camera lens at the American public, I saw something else.
It seems to me that he talks about important, debatable issues as if he's trying to explain them to a recalcitrant, not terribly bright eight-year old.
If I'm not clever enough to see how No Child Left Behind eliminates the need to raise the minimum wage, I must be stupid. (Because clearly, education will eliminate the need for minimum wage workers; that's why we have all the robots. Oh...)
If I don't believe that he has the right to legislate my personal, private choices, I must be stupid. (And, gosh, wouldn't my life be better if I were married, to a man of course, and had a passel of brats so I could benefit from all the tax breaks he has planned for me. I could give up my 76 cents to the dollar and stay home, barefoot and pregnant.)
If indeed I were a recalcitrant, not terribly bright eight-year old, I think I'd still see through his rhetoric. Fortunately, I'm a recalcitrant, fairly bright adult who will vote him out of office this November. Won't you join me?
And since it's become traditional, here are some of the AOL Insta-Poll results after tonight's debate.
During all the debates who came across as more Presidential? Bush 39%, Kerry 61%
With 20 days left, could anything move your vote? Yes 11%, No 89%
Overall which ticket won the series of debates? Bush-Cheney 38%, Kerry-Edwards 62%
It seems to me that he talks about important, debatable issues as if he's trying to explain them to a recalcitrant, not terribly bright eight-year old.
If I'm not clever enough to see how No Child Left Behind eliminates the need to raise the minimum wage, I must be stupid. (Because clearly, education will eliminate the need for minimum wage workers; that's why we have all the robots. Oh...)
If I don't believe that he has the right to legislate my personal, private choices, I must be stupid. (And, gosh, wouldn't my life be better if I were married, to a man of course, and had a passel of brats so I could benefit from all the tax breaks he has planned for me. I could give up my 76 cents to the dollar and stay home, barefoot and pregnant.)
If indeed I were a recalcitrant, not terribly bright eight-year old, I think I'd still see through his rhetoric. Fortunately, I'm a recalcitrant, fairly bright adult who will vote him out of office this November. Won't you join me?
And since it's become traditional, here are some of the AOL Insta-Poll results after tonight's debate.
During all the debates who came across as more Presidential? Bush 39%, Kerry 61%
With 20 days left, could anything move your vote? Yes 11%, No 89%
Overall which ticket won the series of debates? Bush-Cheney 38%, Kerry-Edwards 62%
posted by RJ | 11:12 PM
1 Comments:
My favorite exaggerations last night, courtesy of factcheck.org...
What was said last night:
Kerry: Six months after he said Osama bin Laden must be caught dead or alive, this president was asked, "Where is Osama bin Laden?" He said, "I don't know. I don't really think about him very much. I'm not that concerned."
Bush: Gosh, I just don't think I ever said I'm not worried about Osama bin Laden. It's kind of one of those exaggerations.
From a news conference posted on the White House's own web site (http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/03/20020313-8.html)
Q (March 13, 2002): Mr. President, in your speeches now you rarely talk or mention Osama bin Laden. Why is that? . . .
Bush: So I don't know where he is. You know, I just don't spend that much time on him , Kelly, to be honest with you. . . .
Q: But don't you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive?
Bush: Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him.
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To be fair, here's my favorite Kerry one:
Kerry claimed that "500,000 kids lost after-school programs," which isn't the case. A cut was *proposed* but Congress rejected it. The Department of Education's 2004 budget proposal called for a nearly 40% cut in funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, or a drop of nearly $400 million from about $1 billion in 2003. According to a report by the Afterschool Alliance, "More than 550,000 children would lose access to after school programs." But even assuming that projection would have turned out to be correct, it never happened because Congress kept funding at about $1 billion.
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