debating debating
by Ryan Porter
Published: April 29, 2008
Welcome to the latest installment in “What Hilary Clinton Won’t Shut Up About Now.” This week’s talking point: why doesn’t Barack Obama want to have another debate and does this mean he hates democracy?
If there is one thing Hillary Clinton is good at it is that she can kick a dead horse with the best of them - all the while pretending to be productive. The latest horse kicking concerns Obama’s refusal to participate in one of these so-called “debates.”
According to Clinton the American people would greatly benefit from seeing these two go at it for the 22nd time this campaign season. In an effort to shake things up, she has proposed a debate structure like that of the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 where there would be no moderator. Just 90 minutes of purposeless, soul-crushingly boring mud slinging. Sounds like Christmas morning come early, no?
Despite the seeming idiocy of this proposal, one must take the time to hear Clinton’s rationale behind the idea to truly appreciate how desperate she really is.
The first reason she offers for wanting another debate is that there is a lot to discuss and Indiana deserves a chance to hear Obama and herself confer. The major flaw in this reasoning stems from the fact that these so-called “debates” are nothing of the kind. To have a debate on issues implies that there are meaningful differences of opinion. Sure they can nitpick at each other over minor healthcare discrepancies, but policy-wise they are practically the same person. Because of this when they get together for “debates” all they have to talk about is the latest fabricated scandal or simply restate their platforms. Ergo, your television time is wasted when you could have been watching reruns of Golden Girls. Disappointing, I know.
Secondly, Clinton references the historic Lincoln-Douglas debates in which Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas held seven one-on-one debates all over Illinois in the span of two months. Somehow this is supposed to justify having another “debate” when really it has no relevance to our current campaign. Lincoln and Douglas held so many debates because that was the main way people learned about candidates back then. If only we had some new kind of network where people could access information via some sort of interweb so we didn’t have to rely on personal encounters to meet candidates. But hey, if Clinton wants to go back to the way things were back in 1858 I would be happy to revoke her right to vote… and talk, for that matter.
True debate can be worthwhile and meaningful and definitely needs a place in American politics, but these candidates have given us no reason to think that they are capable of having a reasonable discussion about differences on issues. There is a potential that debates between John McCain and Barack Obama may prove civil and purposeful as they both have the ability to refrain from mud slinging, but cheap shots and dirty politics are synonymous with Hilary Clinton and Obama is doing well to not join her in the gutter.
But then again, while having another “debate” may seem like a waste of time, you have to ask yourself, would it really be American politics if someone wasn’t wasting your time?
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April 29th, 2008 at 10:57 pm
My man hits it right on the money with this one! High quality analysis.
April 30th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
Hillary Clinton is gunning for the United States presidency and doing an excellent job of it considering that no one wants her there. She’s a winner and Obama needs to understand that or he’ll soon be a loser.
April 30th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
How could she be doing an excellent job if no one wants her there? Apparently some people do…just not enough people.
As usual the Clinton squad is playing the victim…
May 9th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Thank you for being a friend and pointing out why I can’t vote Clinton. There are times when I think…”hmmm, maybe I can vote for Clinton.” Then, she opens her mouth again, or refuses to ball-gag Bill and I am reminded once more that I can always write in the name of my favorite Golden Girl.