DEMOCRATS DEBATE (AGAIN)

The Democrat candidates for President debated for two agonizing hours in New Hampshire last night. Tim Russert of Meet The Press moderated the event, and actually did a fair job of challenging the candidates when they parsed words or strayed too far afield. No real news was made, and once again we see that the number of candidates involved in both parties limits the amount of meaningful debate that can actually occur.
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Russert opened with the Iraq front (of course), asking the candidates what they would do if they were elected and there were still 100,000 American troops in Iraq in January, 2009. Hussein Obama went first, touting his early opposition to all things Iraq and promising a "phased redeployment". Allow me to translate: "phased redeployment" should be read as "gradual surrender". Billary complained about the lack of Pentagon planning for withdrawal, apparently demanding we plan our eventual defeat. Little Lord (Fauntleroy) Edwards pledged to immediately pull out 40 - 50,000 troops, and all troops within "several months". He then strangely proposed leaving a combat brigade of 3,500 soldiers to guard the American Embassy in Baghdad. Let's see, an American island in the middle of Baghdad with no ground support available: sounds like Custers last stand. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson proposed withdrawing all forces within one year, oddly leaving behind "light equipment". I'm not sure what he means by "light", but why would we leave anything to fall into terrorist hands? Senator Chris Dodd projected a withdrawal of two brigades per month, stretching his plan into an excruciating thirteen month retreat. Senator Joe Biden was the lone Dem to acknowledge that the only option Congress has under the Constitution is to cut off funding. Biden crowed about his Senate resolution passed with 75 votes today supporting a three state, Bosnia-style solution for Iraq. Again, it's wonderful the Senate let us know how they feel, but it is, constitutionally, NOT their job to set policy for the executive branch, no matter how much time or effort they expend attempting to do so. Wildman Ohio Representative Dennis Kucinich wants all troops out in ninety days, evoking visions of the Oklahoma land rush. Former Arkansas Senator Crazy Mike Gravel finished by suggesting legislators should shut down Capitol Hill for forty days and constantly vote on Iraq matters until they get their way, something of a Congressional temper tantrum on an issue that, again, is not theirs to adjudicate.
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Russert then got into a little verbal sparring with Billary over a potential Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. She acknowledged the basic facts behind a September 6 Israeli attack on a suspected Syrian nuclear facility after a fishy shipment from North Korea arrived. Billary essentialy refused the hypthotical, even after Russert demanded it to be "real world". The remainder of the field was questioned about policy toward Iran, and they all parroted that same old "diplomacy" line, with Richardson and Hussein Obama jousting over who could conduct "personal diplomacy" the best, whatever that means. Little Lord Edwards brought up the ludicrous idea of somehow gaining cohesive European support. Good luck with that.
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One odd question asked of the big three concerned the acceptability of allowing a story of two "princes" getting married to be part of second grade curriculum. Edwards and Obama said they had no problems with it, but oddly enough Billary stood up for the parental right to educate thier own children on sexual matters. My thought was that none of them mentioned the increasingly early sexualization of our children. Children in second grade are eight or nine years old. Do we really want kids of that age to have to deal with adult matters like homosexuality? Can't we let them just be kids until they're a tad older?
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After a yawner of a segment on Social Security, the candidates were asked if they supported a federal law banning smoking in all public places. Billary and Obama stuck to local law, but all the others supported it. Of course, a federal law will create yet another federal agency to enforce said measure, leading me to thoughts of the cigarette police chasing down smokers. Maybe we should let them get chasing down illegal immigrants right before they take on another pursuit.
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Russert then read an unattributed quote supporting the signing of an executive order authorizing torture in the unlikely situation of having a detainee with knowledge of a terrorist nuclear attack on an American city in three days. To their credit, all of the participants rejected the idea of torture in any scenario. Billary went last, and the "busted" moment of the evening came when Russert revealed the author of the quote: Bill Clinton. Billary responded, "He's not standing up here", but it still created a look in her eye suggesting it would not be a good night for Slick Willie. I shrugged off what little sympathy that created for him after briefly recalling his sleaze factor.
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Mike Gravel and Chris Dodd earned the only two KUDOS for the evening. Crazy Mike gets a small one for asserting those old enough to fight should be allowed to drink. Senator Dodd, however, gets a gigantic pat on the back for supporting an embargo on Chinese toys until safety can be assured, and he was aware of the current tidal wave of other tainted, toxic, and defective Chinese imports. Too few in our government are standing up for the American consumer on this immense problem. Senator Dodd has two young daughters ages six and two, so maybe this hits a little closer to home for him. In any event, he deserves at least a small nod.
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JINGOCON