Friday, April 18, 2008

Hypocrisy on all Sides Post Debate

Introduction: First, I didn't see the debate so take anything I say with that grain of salt. I did however catch the highlights, and I caught the jist. The moderators spent an awful long time on questions that had nothing to do with the issues, and they were much tougher on Obama than on Clinton.

In the post debate analysis, I have surmised that nearly everyone, Obama, Clinton, the MSM, the Conservative media, has acted as nothing short of hypocrites.

Let's look at some things that Barack Obama had to say.

we set a new record because it took us 45 minutes before we even started talking about a single issue that matters to the American people."

and here is what he said about future debates,

"I'll be honest with you, we've now had 21, It's not as if we don't know how to do these things. I could deliver Sen. Clinton's lines; she could, I'm sure, deliver mine."


So, Obama has in the span of twenty four hours complained that the last debate focused on frivilous issues, though those issues hadn't been covered in previous debates. Then, he proclaims that they have had so many debates that everyone knows where they stand on the issues anyway. It appears he wants it both ways.

Then, there is Senator Clinton who proclaimed this about Obama's complaints.

We were both asked some pretty tough questions and that’s part of what happens in a debate and in a campaign. And I know he spent all day yesterday complaining about the hard questions he was asked. Being asked tough questions in a debate is nothing like the pressures you face inside the White House. In fact, when the going gets tough, you just can’t walk away because we’re going to have some very tough decisions that we have to make.

Of course, when she was on the other end of a previous NBC debate she was singing quite a different tune.

could I just point out that, in the last several debates, I seem to get the first question all the time? And I don't mind. You know, I'll be happy to field them, but I do find it curious. And if anybody saw 'Saturday Night Live,' you know, maybe we should ask Barack if he's comfortable and needs another pillow


Then, there is the fawning MSM and the left blogosphere who are all just up in arms. Everyone from Tom Shales to Daily Kos were all worked up in a lather about how unfairly and frivilously Obama was treated. Well, that may be so however when the Reps were asked frivilous questions like who believes in creationism none of these so called stewards of fairness seemed to mind.

Then, there is the Conservative media which extols this debate is the best ever. Well, that's because this one finally made Obama sweat, and it made him sweat a lot. If you are political opponent, then of course you are going to enjoy seeing Obama sweat, however let that be known. The debate may have been what the Conservatives wanted but that doesn't make it great.

The main problem I saw wasn't the questions they asked. They were all legitimate and relevant, and as Obama pointed out we already know their positions on the issues. Furthermore, they have miniscule differences on any of these positions. The problem I have is that they shouldn't have pounded Obama while staying relatively soft on Clinton. We all know that Obama has been given a near free pass, and his sudden complaining is chutzpah at its highest, but committing the same bias against another candidate is no way to run a network.

Finally, ironically, the only entity to stay above the fray is Fox News. Isn't it ironic that the same Democratic party that shunned that network has now found problems with nearly every other network that it didn't shun? In fact, the real story of this previous debate is the utter hypocrisy of the naked pandering the Democrats showed in shunning Fox News. Hillary now hates NBC. Obama now hates ABC, and all the Dems hate Fox News. The way the Democrats are going there won't be any networks left. No network is perfect, however the lesson here is be careful which network you call out, a la the Dems and Fox News. The rest will just disappoint you as much, and now the Dems look as though no one will make them happy.

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