Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Debate night

Yes, I'm aware the first Presidential debate is tonight. No, I will not partake in the festivities for a couple of key reasons.

a) It will not change my vote for President.

b) Everyone (especially the mainstream media) views these things through their own political prism anyhow. There's no point in trying to glean any insights regarding either candidate's performance.

One thing that has always bugged me about these debates: What is the criteria for "winning?" Is it the candidate who makes the most persuasive arguments or the candidate who actually has grasp of the issues and facts?  Unfortunately, those two traits are often mutually exclusive. For instance, President Obama can make a compelling case for why 3+2 = 6 (and given his budget proposals, that scenario may not be so hypothetical). While that's factually wrong, the chattering likely to ensue in "spin alley" after the debate would lead one to believe that Obama wiped the floor with challenger Mitt Romney.

Here's a question I'd like to pose. What would be your dream outcome of an Obama-Romney debate? I know how I'd like to see it play out. After Romney makes a compelling and fact-based case for his becoming the next Commander in Chief (thus leaving the thin-skinned Obama flustered), I would love to hear him make an allusion, in his closing statement, to Operation Fast and Furious, an ATF "gun walking" scandal that has riddled the current administration yet hasn't received nearly enough media scrutiny.

Specifically, I'd like to hear Romney refer to slain U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry, who was killed with a gun planted (and subsequently lost) in the operation. He could start off saying something like "You know, if I had another son, he'd look like Brian."

My night would be made!

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