Man, did Sullivan nail the debates:
On Edwards: “Edwards revealed why he hasn’t caught on – not just the accent, but the exhausted and obviously phony Shrum-like rhetoric about “special interests” and lobbyists. I kept thinking to myself: the guy’s a trial lawyer. Who does he think he’s kidding?”
On Moseley-Braun: “Moseley-Braun is a complete embarrassment. She has nothing to say except “I’m a black woman.” She is, of course, an insult to black women, most of whom do not respond to life’s problems by reiterating ancient boilerplate about helping kids and moving forward.”
On Kucinich: “Kucinich was mesmerizing in his way, with his huge ears and beady little eyes. He kept arguing as if there were 170,000 U.N. troops sitting around, waiting to be told that it’s time to replace all those Americans in Iraq. Presumably he knows this is a fantasy. He doesn’t seem to be illiterate. He puts sentences together with correct structure and grammar. So how can he keep reiterating something that is as feasible as handing Iraq over to Martians? And why wasn’t he laughed off the stage?
”On Clark: “Clark was dull.”
On Sharpton: “But he’s a buffoon, another insult to black voters’ intelligence. He’s not a serious candidate for high office or any office. It seems absurd that real potential presidents have to stand on the same stage. It’s not a racial thing. He’s no crazier than Kucinich. But at least Kucinich has done something in elective office, if only bankrupt a city.”
On John F’ing Kerry, who, btw, served in Vietnam: “He’s the only candidate you just know for sure would be a terrible president – indecisive, vain, out-of-touch and incapable of rising to the occasion. Dean, Lieberman and Gephardt all strike me as men who could grow in the office. Not Kerry. He’s Gore, without the charm.”
The others got off with minor scrapes. The transcript, in its entire awfulness, is here.
Norbizness
Anyone else catch that there were nineteen questions before Koppel asked about policy?
Slartibartfast
No, I was just too stunned by Sharpton’s remarks about “bossism” to remember anything else.
I think it speaks volumes about affirmative action, that Sharpton’s race can actually work so much as a positive factor that it cancels out his stupidity.
Not to say he isn’t cunning. He’s just not very smart.
Moe Lane
Nearly swallowed my gum when I read this:
“But let me say, Ted, let me say — let me say that some of the best talent in American politics is on this stage right now.” (Kuchinich. Of course.)
Christ on His Throne, 2/3rds of these clowns would have to push themselves to make the B team. The really big Democratic guns are all behind the scenes this election.
greg
I agree with Slart and I think Sullivan is way too kind to Sharpton.
He’s not just a buffoon. He’s a dangerous race-hustler and anti-Semite who has destroyed people’s reputations and incited riots.
Simply calling him a buffoon plays right into the hands of the Democrats, who like having him around because he says the stuff they won’t say but wanna make sure gets said.
Democrats everywhere are bitching about Ted Koppel’s questions last night. I wish he would’ve asked Dean, Kerry and especially Lieberman why none of them have called Sharpton on his race-hustling and anti-semitism.
mark
Koppel was god awful, too. I think people watching would want to talk policy, not hear questions like:
What is Dean doing right?
Why is you campaign faltering?
Why don’t you drop out now?
But, at leasst he did not ask the candidates what their favorite song was.
John Cole
Norbizness- What is the point of discussing policy with 9 people. This debate formate is absurd. Furthermore, the last thing these guys up there want to do is talk about policy- then they might not be allowed to say only negative things about the economy and the rest of the administration.
Steve
Because Kucinich actually believes in Martians?
Norbizness
John: Fine, have Koppel ask them about their favorite ABC reality shows. It couldn’t have sounded any more trivial than the opening 15 minutes of the “debate” actually did.
HH
They’re complaining that he’s asking about polls, money and endorsements. Yeah, who needs those in a campaign, right?
John Cole
Norbizness: Which is why no one takes these debates seriously. I would rather have serious debates- but youneed serious people to have serious debates, and half the people on that stage last night do not qualify.
MommaBear
Now MB can see whence cometh that vulgar sleazy sicko ad; Kucinich looks like a vampire out on night-leave from his coffin.