by Andy Weddington
Wednesday, 16 December 2015
"How sad it is that we give up on people who are just like us." Fred Rogers
Pre nor post debate did I watch though every moment of the two hours.
A few thoughts (not comprehensive review nor in-depth analysis but first and lasting impressions)...
Red ties and flag lapel pins the image of choice. No harm selling self as a patriot, particularly these days.
CNN put on a decent show. Mr. Blitzer did a respectable job moderating and keeping the candidates in order. Fair enough it seemed to me though some will ever find fault and complain.
No real issues with the supporting duo - Hugh Hewitt and whatshername.
The Facebook questioners? Stupid.
Common perspective or statement from all, "The Obama administration keeps getting it wrong." Dumb. Naïve. Stupid. Ignorant. Cowardice. What else must the president and administration do, short of claiming outright enemy status, they are not working for the best interests of America? Is it not time (past) to say they're getting it exactly right, purposely, to do harm? Call them on it!
As the debate focus was terrorism, 'The Ralph Peters Factor' in play. That is, for the retired Army lieutenant colonel's recent reference on live TV to President Obama being a "total pussy" for failing to face and destroy our enemies, there was not, at least evaluating their words, a pussy on stage.
Candidates facing audience, starboard side...
Governor Kasich. Mr. Knife Hands. That's what Marines do. Not governors. Not presidents. Probably a decent joe. But.
Mrs. Fiorina. The candidate who vows to answer any question, from anyone, anytime, anywhere. Still I wait. Nope.
Senator Rubio. Looks the part. Dodges questions (as do all others). Double speaks. Can he be trusted? Having to so much as ask that question problematic.
Candidates facing audience, port side...
Senator Paul. For the audience, the GOP let in some Paul cheerers and Trump hecklers. They sounded like the same group. Seriously? The low bar gets lower. Like Kasich, probably a decent joe. But.
Governor Christie. Several, including Christie (if memory serves me correctly) remarked, "If we're going to beat Hillary Clinton..." What? The governor reminded viewers time and again what a great federal prosecutor he was waging war on terrorism. Well, governor, why did you not speak truth, "Hillary Clinton is a lying, murdering, traitor and should be hanged till dead, cremated, and buried just to make sure. But I'd accept a plea bargain of life in prison." That's Jersey speak. Debate over! But he blew it. And so did the other eight tip-toeing around Clinton. Sickening.
Jeb Bush. He has an odd man-crush on Donald Trump - an obsession. Loser - of which Mr. Trump reminded him of poll standings and he'd soon be off stage. Undoubtedly.
That leaves the middle three...
Senator Cruz. Serious. Polished. Wordy. Awkwardly stiff at times (maybe it just seemed so on TV or, too, the late hour). Imaginable as president.
Mr. Trump. Serious. He makes a lot of faces. Audibly sighs. Impatience and intolerance, for custom of a life having his way, does not ooze but gushes. Add barbed quips and he makes for great entertainment. Says "very," "extremely," and "a lot" a lot. President? Why not. Rationale? If Barack Obama, anyone. Nationally, per polls, no other candidate is close to him. And no one in the business can figure out why. Want to know why? Ask the folks - Mr. Trump is their weather rock.
Dr. Carson. Serious. Mr. Rogers (as in Fred McFeely), though smarter, sans sweater. Calm. Thoughtful. In contrast to the other candidates' passion, faux or not, hastily misread. He genuinely seems the candidate most like us (what the Founding Fathers had in mind for representation). Imaginable as president.
In closing...
Still waiting for astuteness, brevity, and clarity - the ABCs of debate and that expected in, of, and from a president.
Many will disagree but last conscious thought before falling asleep last evening was keep the middle three and discard the others. Let's get serious!
This morning that thought is still. Why? They strike (me) as being able to handle the job. And they are as diverse as any candidates competing could possibly be. The others not so much and that includes the four duking it out in the pre-primetime session.
The good news - more to come.
That's my civil two-cents. A penny for your civil thoughts.
Post Script
Looking forward to the polls - to see who's up, down, and upside down and inside out.
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3 comments:
The stages should have been 9 at 6:00 and 4 at 8:30. The larger group thus trying to unseat #4 and get to the big stage vice candidates 10-13 trying to unseat #9 to do so. Too many talking heads. Think Michigan State unseating Iowa.
Exactly.
I have come to believe that the master politician would be a graduate of a "Magician College" where misdirection and illusion have been honed to perfection. What makes Trump look good is that he seems to have no reason to suck up to the political norm. After all - he, Carson and Carly have a job to go back to. The others have fed at the government trough and probably have no useful skill set in the normal world. I do not consider lobbyist, TV talking head or eyecandy to open doors in private industry the world that most of us live in.
I would like a President to use the same communication skills the Docs at my VA facility use - if there is something wrong - they tell you so there is no misunderstanding, using short sentences and not really concerned about hurting your feelings.
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