Dems Political Correctness
... is costing them dearly. They've come to the realization that having televised debates with all 9/10 candidates is nearly useless because they are so unfocused. John Kerry says, "I think the crowded field allows the most shrill, conflict-oriented, confrontational voices to be heard... and not necessarily the person who might make the best candidate or the best president. They're very superficial."
The best way to handle the problem? Probably to limit the number of candidates that can participate in the debates by eliminating those folks that are polling at horrendously low numbers.
Except the Dems are afraid to cut candidates from the debates because it would mean eliminating their two minority candidates - Al Sharpton and Carol Mosley-Braun (probably along with Dennis Kucinich). And that would seem non-inclusive - maybe even racist. Well, they made this bed. I guess its time they had to lay down in it.
For all the criticism, Democratic Party officials defended the debates, saying they provided increasing national exposure for Democrats while giving them a forum to go after their ultimate target, President Bush.
And as long as Dem debates are simply attack grounds for going against Bush - the Dems will never win. These debates ought to be about 2 things - the issues of the day, and what each candidate wishes to do about them. What we get instead is just a critique of the Bush administration and some vague promises to 'do things differently', or 'change the tone', or 'restore respect for America'.
Thats useless. These are serious times, and Bush is in a great position because of it. Americans can see his policies played out - they can see the results, warts and all. And unless something goes horribly wrong (no WMD in Iraq isn't going to be bad enough), I cannot believe that a majority of voters will trade the known quantity of Bush in for some vague promise to 'do better'.
The best way to handle the problem? Probably to limit the number of candidates that can participate in the debates by eliminating those folks that are polling at horrendously low numbers.
Except the Dems are afraid to cut candidates from the debates because it would mean eliminating their two minority candidates - Al Sharpton and Carol Mosley-Braun (probably along with Dennis Kucinich). And that would seem non-inclusive - maybe even racist. Well, they made this bed. I guess its time they had to lay down in it.
For all the criticism, Democratic Party officials defended the debates, saying they provided increasing national exposure for Democrats while giving them a forum to go after their ultimate target, President Bush.
And as long as Dem debates are simply attack grounds for going against Bush - the Dems will never win. These debates ought to be about 2 things - the issues of the day, and what each candidate wishes to do about them. What we get instead is just a critique of the Bush administration and some vague promises to 'do things differently', or 'change the tone', or 'restore respect for America'.
Thats useless. These are serious times, and Bush is in a great position because of it. Americans can see his policies played out - they can see the results, warts and all. And unless something goes horribly wrong (no WMD in Iraq isn't going to be bad enough), I cannot believe that a majority of voters will trade the known quantity of Bush in for some vague promise to 'do better'.
# | October 24, 2003