600 words
There seems to be some confusion amongst the pundits about who ‘won’ the first presidential debate on September 26. Winning a debate was once about demonstrating intellectual command over the facts and logic surrounding an issue. Americans are trained to look past the depth of arguments, however, to the shallow ad hominem jabs, and the talking heads reinforced that once again. So, all right. In an attempt to look toward actual, predictable effects of a McCain victory, we key off the debate to five notches in the key of catastrophe being cut and buffed by McCain.
One: McCain is ossified. Almost before he finished his second sentence, John McCain was saying, ‘Again…,’ as though he had no fresh thoughts beyond his rote response.
Two: McCain is reckless. He tut-tutted Obama about the latter’s measured if militaristic statement that if he were president and received actionable intelligence about bin Laden operating at a specific location in the tribal areas of
Tom H. Hastings (pcwtom@gmail.com) teaches in the MA/MS Conflict Resolution program at
2 comments:
Kudos for Obama for pointing out that the war was WRONG and McCain was WRONG for supporting it. Enough of the surge - let's hear some responsibility for going over there in the first place!
The debate discussion highlights how political commentary can focus heavily on who supposedly “won” rather than examining the substance of the candidates’ arguments and proposed policies. For students studying government, constitutional law, or public policy, analyzing these debates can be useful for understanding how political rhetoric, evidence, and policy positions are presented. If coursework becomes difficult to manage, students searching for take my online law class support can seek legitimate academic assistance with understanding course materials, researching topics, and preparing for assignments and exams.
Post a Comment