Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Democratic Debate: Living in a world all their own


Last night in Vegas, Hillary Clinton shouted that all Americans should stand up to the NRA., which is odd, since the people at the NRA are Americans, and are supported by millions upon millions of Americans. What does she think the NRA is, the mafia? They are just a group of people standing up for their second amendment rights, much like the many journalistic organizations that stand up for first amendment rights.

The debate last night some several moments of real arguments between the candidates, such as when Clinton went after Sanders on being weak on gun-control. But perhaps the two biggest and important moments in terms of the horse race of who will be the Democratic Nominee was two times when there was no argument at all on the stage. The biggest was perhaps when Sanders shouted that “The American people are sick and tired of hearing about your (blank) emails.” To resounding applause, and the second one was when Clinton simply said “no” when asked if she would like to respond to Chafee’s attack on her over her emails.
But the main theme of the night seemed to be a spirit of divisiveness while pretending that anyone to the right of those on the stage, indeed, anyone who cares about the email controversy, is an idiot or a partisan player. Clinton calling the attacks on her politically motivated, even while Anderson Cooper tried to remind her that despite the thunderous applause in the room many Americans do care about the emails, as shown by Hillary’s plummeting poll numbers.
Clinton obviously has pulled left in recent months, if anyone was still wondering, as evidenced by many of her stances in the debate. She talked about being someone who can stand her ground, despite the fact that she flip-flops so often she makes Mitt Romney look like a steady guy.
Sanders had an ok night, but he is much like Donald Trump in that he is already spouting so much nonsense, (or common sense, if you are a Democratic Socialist, whatever that is, it doesn’t sound very American), that his base will stick with him no matter what.
As for Vice President Biden, the debate showed that he needs to hop in soon if he is to have any chance of winning the nomination. The debate is already shaping up, and not only are voters making up their minds, but bundlers, donors, staff, and good political managers are being taken, and Biden will need all of those if he is to launch a successful campaign. The hour is late, and Joe is still absent.
The three other guys that were up, mainly to fill the airwaves, Chaffee, Webb, and O’Malley, were little concern. They didn’t do much, and didn’t get much, and their dials aren’t likely to tick upwards that much.
As for CNN and the moderators, Cooper probably did the best job we have seen so far in the debates with the possible exception of Megyn Kelly’s stellar performance under pressure from Trump at the first GOP Debate. Cooper managed to keep the discussion going while explaining important subjects to people at home, while at the same time not engaging in any Candy Crowley moments.
Bill Clinton consistently says those who have been attacking him and his dynasty for years have been in their own world. But last night we saw so much anti-capitalism, so much denying of science when it comes to the right of an unborn child to live, we saw so much cowering before the big anti-gun lobbies and their money and activists, we saw so much denying that the former Secretary of State did anything wrong or that anybody should even care if she did, that it seems the ones living on their own planet were Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders.

Andrew C. Abbott

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