22 January 2008
Well, the presidential debates are really getting down and dirty. While I know that is often how politics are, it doesn’t mean that I want to listen to it. That kind of debating really turns me off. It also limits my being able to look beyond it. Bickering makes makes it hard for me to find admirable aspects of those engaged in that kind of politics. The competitive bickering has been going on for several weeks. Clinton was jeered by the crowed for some of her remarks. Since the Democratic nomination could be decided in the next six weeks this debate was used to fire their sharpest barbs. There is only one more debate in the primary season. Now they are both spending time airing each others supposedly dirty linen. Clinton and Obama implied that voters could not trust the opponent’s words.
John Edwards, had to fight to get a word in edgewise. He portrayed himself as the only candidate who was honing in on the real issues and criticized the others for fighting among themselves when important issues like health care and others go unresolved. He appealed for his electability in November against a Republican candidate. Edwards won the South Carolina primary in 2004. In the three previous contests, Edwards did not end up in a leading position so in the debate he sought to connect with his fellow Southerners. (He was born in South Carolina but lives in North Carolina.) He jokingly referred to himself as the “white male” candidate, running against a woman and a black man.
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