October 8, 2004 by lonbud

Take My Wife; Please!

John Kerry and George W. Bush met tonight at Washington University in St. Louis for a town hall style debate with implications for the future of the United States and the entire world. Mr. Kerry came prepared to speak clearly and seriously to the fears and concerns of ordinary Americans, to defend his record as a legislator, and to offer his plans for addressing affairs both foreign and domestic. Mr. Bush came prepared for Open Mic at the Improv.

To be fair, the President comported himself with far less Charley McCarthy spirit than he did ten days ago, and he seemed genuine in his faith-based opposition to abortion. He made it reasonable to believe that he thinks his prosecution of the war on terror has been successful, and that he thinks his administration has done just fine by the American people on the environmental and economic fronts.

It is also clear that ninety minutes to speak on Iraq, Homeland Security, Medicare, Jobs, Nuclear Proliferation, Taxes, Abortion, The Supreme Court, Iran, North Korea, Global Warming, Wetlands, Prescription Drugs, Education, Energy Policy, Insurance and Tort Reform, Stem Cell Research, and the Constitution precludes much depth and nuance.

Agree with them or not, however, Mr. Kerry spoke cogently of principles and plans regarding each of those topics.

For his part, Mr. Bush stuck to his familiar mantra approach -the world is better off without Saddam Hussein, everything changed with 9/11, we ARE creatin’ jobs, there’s Pressures, my opponent’s gonna raise yer taxes, he’s a LIBERAL.

When all else failed, he tried stand-up comedy.

Has the job devolved, like that of the Queen in England, to one of entertaining the people while professionals go about the business of building up and tearing down and building up and tearing down again? Is our president supposed to play for laughs when inquiring minds want to know what the heck is goin’ on?

Mr. Bush was asked rather point blankly to name three mistakes he’s made as President. “I know what yer talkin’ about,” he said, “and we were right to go into Iraq.” Right to give everybody a tax cut, and right to stand firm, on principle, yes. “I’ve made a few questionable appointments,” he said, and he offered to let history judge his actions and his record.

There is little question to this observer that history will find Mr. Bush had the inferior makeup artist tonight, and showed his presidential and comedic skills to be on a par with one another.