[October 13, 2000]
Sean observes:
Beware! Today is Friday the 13th with a full moon. Either an asteroid will hit the earth and destroy all civilization or wierd people will just run around tonight causing mischief.
Probably not the best night for me to be hopping on a plane to meet a bunch of my fraternity brothers and go out carousing. But I'm going to anyway. W
Since I'll be out of town until Sunday night, there won't be anything for you to see here. Guest blogging, if any, will be undertaken by Dineen, but I suspect she has better things to do with her time. W
Please... please... award me a legacy! W
I'll be in Evanston this weekend. Maybe I'll have a chance to meet this guy. W
[October 12, 2000]
If you can't do it, Cam will. Call 1-866-RING-CAM. W
Much of what I wanted to say about the debates has already been said by the National Review:
George W. Bush clobbered Al Gore in the second presidential debate. What's more, Gore knew it by the end: He seemed rattled in his closing statement. Bush knew he was doing well, too: He seemed to gain confidence, and get better, as the night went on.
Also, I agree with Sean's assessment:
While not the clearest speaker, he sounded comfortable with the issues and comfortable in his own skin. Gore had to be on constant guard over his mannerisms and looked stiff.
For the most part, Bush did much of what I thought he had to do last night, and then some. He ditched the zingers. He told the truth, except one relatively innocuous error about how many of James Byrd's killer got the death penalty. He calmly and clearly articulated his ideas - educating most people on details the media hadn't shared with them. For example, I had never heard of his Community Health Center plan, and that seemed to impact some of the "undecided" drones in the networks' focus groups. He saved his sharpest attacks for Gore's policy proposals, and the one time he addressed Gore's exaggerations was in response to Jim Lehrer's question on the issue. Finally, and in sharp contract to his opponent, Bush relaxed and obviously enjoyed himself.
Gore, whose mistakes last week have crippled his campaign, came out determined not to make a mistake. He qualified nearly every comment. He visibly bit back any spontaneous sound or facial expression. In short, he was a different man than we saw last week. ABC’s David Gergen went so far as to comment that voters might see this as yet another form of dishonesty – Al Gore presents himself as the man he thinks we want him to be, while Bush is seemingly incapable of being anyone other than himself.
Even more important, however, is that Gore’s handlers practically neutered him. Gore’s reputation as an invincible debater has rested mainly on the skill of his attacks – and Gore found himself, except on child health insurance, practically unable to attack. By screwing up so badly in his first debate, Gore effectively disarmed himself for round two. I don’t know what he has in store for round three, but it’s a safe bet that the Al Gore you see next week will be neither the one we saw this week nor last. W
Some MetaFilter users must be those darn rich people Al Gore keeps talking about:
My entire office ran their numbers through the refund calculator. Most wouldn't even get a refund under a Gore administration, unless they bought an electric car or installed a solar panel on the roof of their house.
I didn't know so many of the top 1% were on MeFi. W
I've got lots to say about the debate - you'll see it sometime during the day. W
Fox News Makes Factual Blunders on Web Site [warning - 200k graphic] - I captured this because I'm sure they'll take it off within minutes. The caption of the picture reads:
Oct. 11: Gore waves as Bush walks to his seat before a debate at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, N.C.
But... oops! That's a podium. And Gore's wearing a red tie. Hey, that was last week! W
[October 11, 2000]
Heh. Someone ended up here on a search for "liberal hereoes." Fat chance, unless you had Thomas Jefferson in mind, pal. W
Lura plays the question game, too:
Imagine that you are a yuppie jackass who has had the world pat you on the back all your life. You run for President of these United States. Fewer than half of the citizens vote, and you don't even get a majority, but you win because of the archane rules of the Electoral College. How would you feel?
I'd feel just like Bill Clinton did when he did it twice. W
Tonight’s debate: Despite media consensus that he won the debate, Al Gore ultimately turned out to be the loser when his fabrications came back to haunt him. Gov. Bush has now enjoyed a double-digit sea change in poll numbers, from a several-point deficit to a small lead. Here’s how he needs to take advantage of that tonight.
1. Forget the zingers. They’re badly written, sound childish, and undermine the good points. Look to Dick Cheney as a model – but don’t try to ad-lib.
2. Clearly and confidently explain the Bush position on taxes, Social Security, Medicare and prescription benefits, and education. Prepare to offer specific rebuttals of Gore distortions, without using the term “fuzzy.” For example, explain how the wealthiest taxpayers get a 10% cut, but the ones at the very bottom get their taxes slashed by a third, and some will even drop off the taxpayer rolls entirely. Look to Dick Cheney as a role model in how to clearly present the Bush-Cheney position.
3. Attack Gore’s policy ideas, not Gore. Remind voters that the last time Gore “targeted” taxpayers was when he cast the tie-breaking vote in 1993 to raise their taxes and impose a new tax on Social Security. Save that one until Gore brags about casting the vote- he did it last week, and he might do it again. Explain to voters, most of whom don’t know, that most voters aren’t eligible for relief under the Gore plan. Point out that Gore’s plan for easing the marriage penalty effectively excludes all married homeowners because it only goes to folks who take standard, rather than itemized, deductions. Tell America that the Bush plan is for every American who pays income taxes. Look to Dick Cheney as a role model for how to do this.
4. Gently, gently, gently remind the media and the debate watchers who won the foreign policy issue last week by correctly assessing the role of Russia in the transition of power in the Yugoslavian elections, and who badmouthed the idea. Look to Teddy Roosevelt as a model of speaking softly, because that correct answer is the big stick.
5. For God’s sake, tell the truth at all times. Look to Abe Lincoln as a role model for how to do this.
6. Relax and have fun. Surely George W. Bush needs no role models for that.
If you're still with me, look more for annoying political commentary after the debate.
W
By my calculations, Steve is less than 1000 feet from my house, and I have DSL. But:
Well, many weeks later (Verizon strike delay, yadda yadda) the Bell Atlantic/Verizon dude comes out, tests the line and declares that it's 19900 feet from the C.O., well outside all tolerances for getting a decent DSL connection speed.
Ooops. For what it's worth, Bell Atlantic told me I was out of its range, too, but Flashcom was able to provide service. Eventually. W
Bret, angling for a debate moderator job, poses a question for tonight's debate:
Remember Bernard Shaw's "pretend your are a black victim of racial profiling - how would you feel" question to the VP candidates last week? What if he asked the candidates to "pretend they are a 2nd trimester fetus about to be aborted by their mother - how would you feel?"
As Bret illustrates, this question can be twisted to support just about any notion or idea. Here's some of my own:
- Imagine you're a taxpayer and you realize that the government will overcharge over $4 TRILLION over the next four years. What would you want?
- Imagine you're a salmon whose river has just dried out because Al Gore had water released for a campaign photo op. How would you feel?
- Imagine you're a guest in the Lincoln Bedroom of the White House and you find out that the folks staying in the Holiday Inn downtown paid a tiny fraction of what you did for their lodging. How would you feel?
- Imagine you're the federal government - bloated, sprawling, gargantuan, oppressive. You hear that the next President wants to cut your size significantly. Would you fight back?
As an exercise for the class, I'm sure you can write your own. W
[October 9, 2000]
From NeoFlux: Who's too stupid to be President? Al Gore blew the Milosevic question, but Gov. Bush got it right.
But after Mr. Bush explained he naturally wouldn't have Russia intervene if the Kremlin wasn't going to agree with the United States, Mr. Gore added sharply: "Well they don't."
By any estimation, Mr. Gore was unwise to make such a categorical statement about a situation still in flux. The vice president was almost begging to be proved wrong, which, as fate would have it, he very soon was. Perhaps the next time around Mr. Gore should summon some humility.
This just begs the question: was Gore just wrong, or did he make up a story to make his opponent look bad? W
Steve: No pressure. No pressure at all. W
[October 8, 2000]
The Virginia Bar Exam results are in. I'm number 1196. W
Bobby admitted to some coaching errors, the defense gave up a last-minute touchdown, and oh yeah - two missed field goals, the last of which went - you guessed it - wide right, as the Seminoles came up three points short of Miami, 27-24. To be fair, this game really slipped away on turnovers, play calling, several dropped passes by normally nimble Travis Minor, and other key failures in execution. But two kicks could have saved the game, and FSU's kicking game is abysmal this year - just over 50% on field goals inside the 40 yard line, and a gut-wrenching, shameful 80% on extra points.
If you have a leg injury, you might miss the extra point. If you have a bad snap, you might miss the extra point. If an earthquake strikes just as your foot hits the ball, you might miss the extra point. Munyon and Gwaltney have no such excuses. They miss extra points, and they don't deserve to be on the team until they can hit those more than 95% of the time.
In better news, the Northwestern Wildcats gave the Indiana Hoosiers a Knight-esque thrashing, wrapping their hands around the Hoosiers' throats and just not letting go, video cameras rolling all the while. Not-so-secret weapon Damien Anderson tallied almost 300 yards despite sitting out most of the fourth quarter. Thanks to Anderson and QB Zak Kustok, the 'Cats broke the 50-point mark, which they have not done in decades. They now share the Big Ten Conference lead with Ohio State, who they will not play this year. W
Former Senator Alan Simpson tells how Al Gore sold his vote on the Gulf War to the highest bidder in TV time:
"'Damn it, if I don't get 20 minutes tomorrow, I'm going to vote the other way!'" Simpson said Gore said to Greene, who left the Senate in 1996. Greene could not be immediately reached for comment, though both Dole and McCain have told the same story.
If Alan Simpson, Bob Dole, and John McCain all say something happened, and Al Gore says it didn't, who would you believe? W
Janet Poppins - Flash required. Worth it. W