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Thursday, October 9, 2008

Bare Knuckle Depression Therapy

Depression - not the economic kind, but the psychological kind, that's what's going on. It's understandable after that mess of a debate on October 2. But was that a debate at all?

There are so many things to rail over about that event - it was a meeting of the 2 candidates, supposedly in "town hall" format, which was anything but. It was too locked-down, too formulaic. It just another stump speech event crafted to give the 2 candidates time to pontificate. The meeting should have been in a format that allowed them to speak openly to each other; that way we could have seen what they were made of. Instead it was just more of the same talking points. I am incredibly disappointed.

My big question is why would John McCain agree to such a format? He should have insisted that there was no moderator at all. Tom Brokaw, whom I respect, was clearly trying to adhere to the rules, but he's another of that ilk of journalist who love his profession to narcissism. It has been said that the difference between a reporter and a journalist is that the reporter does not become the hero of the story. So it was with this debate; Brokaw injected himself too often.

I also have to ask what's up with McCain? I like the "bastard" part of his personality. He's clearly trying to muzzle that, but I think when he does everything he says falls flat. Come on, John, get with your old self!

I can't really fault Obama; he is what he is - a Harvard-educated lawyer crafted to be wily and evasive. He speaks well, but can do nothing else, so no straight answers were expected from him. But if McCain would get with it, he could help cut through that legal-minded nonsense and make things understandable to us real people. Remember, McCain (and Palin, too) are not lawyers.

A point in history is instructive: Teddy Roosevelt did not seek a third term in office because it was not done; there were no term limits then, it was just unspoken that a president served no more than 2 terms. It was a point of honor. Roosevelt could have been easily reelected. Later, when he tried to return to the presidency, he could not, and was never elected to office again.

McCain is a likewise honorable man, but in trying to take the high road, he'll find the path littered with the remains of many honorable statesman.

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