What Color is My Sky?

[akirlu]

As with the first presidential debate, we listened to this one on NPR radio. Afterwards, we hit the instapolls online, and then went out for a late supper at ye olde Steakback Outhouse. What surprised the heck out of me at Outback was that they had the debate rebroadcast on the bar teevee, turned up loud enough to be heard through the bar, and with what seemed like a lively and engaged crowd watching it. In fact, when my glance hovered on the screen as we were walking in, the hostess offered to seat us in the bar, but I wasn't feeling sturdy enough to reprise the entire debate so soon. But still, this on a Friday night, in a bar, right in the middle of the playoffs, or whatever they call them, in baseball. That seems to me to show a surprising level of political engagement on the part of ordinary folks. That's what I keep hearing, but it was good to see it live. Especially since the ejaculations emanating from the bar seemed to indicate a vociferous Kerry crowd. Go, team.

But the real surprise of the evening was that the NPR commentators, and apparently some of the televised cable pundits, were trying to claim that Bush had done well in the debate. What debate were they hearing? Does watching it on television make that much difference in impact? The debate I heard revealed a Bush who, after the first question or so, when he seemed much more pulled together, went off the deep end. Bush was a screeching, hectoring, shrill, desperate bully of a man, rudely interrupting everyone around, and giving the impression of being on the edge of hysteria. Later, catching glimpses on the Outback bar teevee, I could see that Bush did have moments of looking a bit like a talk show host, as he strutted around the stage, so maybe that's what they were seeing as his calm demeanor. But at the same time, even on teevee, there were some really strange quirks going on there. That creepy rapid eyeblinking thing, the staccatto, headbob mannerism that puts you in mind of an epileptic chicken, and a jerky, one-shoulder-only, flailing shrug that made me think of an audio-animatronic robot in need of a reboot. I feel certain that a really hillarious blooper reel could be put together of Bush's various jerks, tics, twitches, and spastic mannerisms. Am I the only person who sees this stuff?

Comments

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I only saw the last few minutes, being a tad wiped out, and 1: only caring from the point of view of the aftermath; 2: forgetting this was the town hall one, where the shills are semi-private citizens.

In the presentation: Bush finished well.

In the content... what a load of crap. His non-sequitors (he wants strict constructionists, who wouldn't have voted for Dredd Scott... which, unpleasant as it is to admit; and horrendous as Jefferson thought it was, was a pretty fair interpretation of the law), and his evasions... (stem cells... mistakes in appointments) and his arrogance (he knew the question the last lady asked was really being asked by proxy because, "When they say mistakes" they mean Iraq) were manifest.

But he looked sort of folksy (and the local broadcast didn't show him when Kerry was on) so all is forgiven.

We know the debates won't sway the faithful, we hope they will persuade the undecided (though how one remains undecided in this baffles me. I could understand it last time, when all one had was Bush's record in Texas [yes there was more, but it was harder to find] and not his immediate effect on the Nation, but with the past, almost four years... he ought to be running at 40 percent... tops), and we pray it will engergise the eloquent, to smash the opposition.

It's looking better, but it ain't over.

TK

Kibbitzing

[hal-obrien.livejournal.com]

When Bush made the comment about Scott v Sandford, I turned to Ulrika and said, "Wow. He's against slavery. What a brave, courageous guy."

{snort}

Actually, compared to Delay and his ilk, Bush have risked alienating his base.

Re: Kibbitzing

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Actually, as ObW points out, it was code for, "I'll appoint judges who are against Roe v Wade.

"Ronald Reagan: "Over the first two years of my Administration I have closely followed and assisted efforts in Congress to reverse the tide of abortion — efforts of Congressmen, Senators and citizens responding to an urgent moral crisis. ... This is not the first time our country has been divided by a Supreme Court decision that denied the value of certain human lives. The Dred Scott decision of 1857 was not overturned in a day, or a year, or even a decade. At first, only a minority of Americans recognized and deplored the moral crisis brought about by denying the full humanity of our black brothers and sisters; but that minority persisted in their vision and finally prevailed. They did it by appealing to the hearts and minds of their countrymen, to the truth of human dignity under God. From their example, we know that respect for the sacred value of human life is too deeply engrained in the hearts of our people to remain forever suppressed. But the great majority of the American people have not yet made their voices heard, and we cannot expect them to — any more than the public voice arose against slavery — until the issue is clearly framed and presented."

Rick Santorum: "“Roe v. Wade is Dred Scott II,” he said. “There is something inherently wrong and unjust here.” Just as the Dred Scott Case of antebellum America effectively put the rights of the slave-owner over the rights of the slave, Santorum argued that Roe v. Wade placed fetal liberties subordinate to those of mothers."

Gary Bauer: "Today, we mourn the anniversary of one of the two most damaging Supreme Court decisions in our nation's history. In 1857, the Supreme Court denied the personhood of black Americans in the infamous Dred Scott decision. Twenty-five years ago, seven people decided that a mother has a constitutional right to have her baby killed up until the moment of birth."

A statement signed by, among others, Chuck Colson, Ralph Reed, James Dobson, and various religious figures: "The crisis created by Roe and its legacy is not without precedent in our national life. Our present circumstance is shadowed by the memory of the infamous Dred Scott decision of 1857. Then the Court, in a similar act of raw judicial power, excluded slaves of African descent from the community of those possessing rights that others are bound to respect."

TK

[cluefairy-j.livejournal.com]

I just read about a poll where Bush is still leading the electoral college. *sigh*

[cluefairy-j.livejournal.com]

I just love it when he says, "duty", but it sounds like doodie. I'm so childish.

The thing that I'm hearing from Bush reminds me of one of the reasons why I'm no longer Christian and in the Lutheran faith: If you even think bad thoughts, it's the same as doing them.

As in, if you even think that I'm a bad president or making mistakes, you're questioning me and how dare you.

He was asked specifically if he has made any mistakes in his presidency and if so, what are they? And except for the last, weak statement of "i've made some bad appointments, but I'm not going to mention who.", he cannot admit he made a mistake on ANYTHING. Which is true of his entire staff and the past four years. Cause, after all, admitting mistakes is the sign of a weak leader. (No it's not.)

He's a strict dad who expects us not to question him and blindly follow. And he's such an arrogant bastard. Why can't people see that???