Here are a few scattered thoughts on the presidential debate this evening. Keep in mind that I start out intently focusing on the candidates and as time passes the cats, the sound of the ac kicking on an off, and assorted other things distract me.
1) When Joe Biden mentioned that he has been tested for AIDS and that Barack Obama had as well Obama felt the need to point out that he and his wife had been tested together. (He didn't mention it but they had this done on a visit to Africa to encourage more people there to get tested). Biden then felt it necessary to say that he had been tested after having had a number of transfusions. On a personal note let me add that I had an AIDS test and these days it is often part of a standard pre-conception health check. If we want more people to get tested we need to let people have the test without feeling they have to explain why. I noted that none of the other candidates spoke up to say they also had had an AIDS test. It would have been great if all the candidates had said they had been tested with the moderator and panelists chiming in as well.
2) Was it just me or did the answers the candidates provided imply that all minority people in the US were poor, experienced with the prison system, substance abusers, poorly educated, and unprepared for parenthood? Those were the themes I heard over and over again. Did I miss it or were the importance of strong families, encouraging small business ownership, lower interest student loans for college, more mentoring programs, and an emphasis on strengthening father / child bonds not mentioned? I did hear talk of quality affordable child care and good schools. These are good things. Reforming the judicial system and needle exchange programs are also good ideas.
3) I thought Edwards, Obama, and Dodd did well but I liked them going in so it is hard to be objective.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Not That There's Anything Wrong WithThat...
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5 comments:
I am sorry, but it's just TOO EARLY for all this debate stuff. Give me 2007 off from national elections, please.
We have the possibly the worst most dangerous administration ever in power. We need to focus on brining them to heel and to justice and not on presidential debates.
I didn't see the debate, but I got the impression elsewhere that Obama might have explained his reasoning for getting a test as a kind of complex zinger. Biden's mentioning of their both getting tested had sort of introduced the possible construal that it was because *they* were in some kind of relationship...so Obama's clarification was to both dispel and actually bring into focus the 'taint' of homosexuality. I got that impression from Digby's account: http://tinyurl.com/2eplvd
Obviously your point is still a good one.
Andrew,
Thanks for your comment. I'm quite pleased to find that someone who reads Digby also stops by here. It's glory by association!!! Interesting take on Biden / Obama. I hadn't thought about them worrying people could assume a relationship between the two of them. But you never know ...
Whats horrible on my part is that I did not even know there was a debate. Thats the problem with watching some of the cable news networks, they wont let you know anything thats going on a competing network.
Sparky,
Don't feel bad. I wouldn't have known about it either if I hadn't received a press release about it. Maybe since there are so many of them so early they don't get much press. I haven't even noticed any newspaper articles about the debate. Mostly just blogs and online sources. There should be a better way.
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