November 06, 2003
James Taranto cracks me up:
The Underpants Debate
For once we have to agree with Teresa Kerry. The Boston Herald quotes the outspoken ketchup heiress and philanthropist, whose haughty, French-looking husband by the way served in Vietnam, as saying that "nine-way Democratic presidential debates are 'silly,' 'unproductive' slugfests that waste voter and candidate time." They're not as silly, though, as last night's eight-way "Rock the Vote" debate that aired on CNN. Dick Gephardt showed a degree of statesmanship just by not showing up for this embarrassing spectacle.
Rather than the usual panel of journalists, the eight remaining candidates took questions directly from an audience made up of under-30 Democrats and independents. Unlike at the "Rock the Vote" event in 1992, where Bill Clinton famously was asked--and answered--what kind of underpants he wore, there were no questions about undergarments.
But the candidates were asked if they have ever smoked marijuana. Actually the big news of the night was that Dennis Kucinich said no, which means he really has no excuse. Kerry, Howard Dean and John Edwards all said they have smoked pot, while Wesley Clark, Joe Lieberman and Al Sharpton said no. Carol Moseley Braun, showing a modicum of dignity, refused to answer.
Then there was this question, which came from a young woman who identified herself as "a fiscal policy analyst for the Massachusetts Senate":
You guys seem to get to know each other fairly well. I'd be curious to find out, if you could pick one of your fellow candidates to party with, which you would choose. But keeping in mind, partying isn't just, you know, who do you think can shake their groove thing. I mean, we're talking, who's going to be loyal to you? Who is going to stand by your side? If you get sick, who's going to hold your hair back? . . . Who's going to be a team player, you know, if you--imagine if you were single again. If you see a cutie across the room, who's going to be your wing man? Who's going to take one for the team?
In case you're wondering, Dennis Kucinich said he'd like to "party" with "my brother," Al Sharpton. Lieberman said, "I'd like to party with the young lady who asked that question." Sharpton said Mrs. Kerry, whereupon Kerry turned to Sharpton and said, "I was going to choose Carol Moseley Braun, but now I'm going to have to choose you so I can keep an eye on my wife."
Not that the candidates didn't discuss anything of substance. On Iraq, for example, Kucinich vowed "no more Halliburton sweetheart deals." Sharpton criticized President Bush for supposedly saying, "We are going to keep our sweetheart deals going with Halliburton." Moseley Braun voted to rebuild Iraq, but said that means "not . . . sweetheart deals for Halliburton." John Edwards, meanwhile, vowed to "put a stop to these sweetheart deals for Halliburton."
Could someone please explain what this pack of protectionists is doing demonizing an American company?
Another weird moment came when someone asked Wesley Clark to describe his "personal comfort level with homosexuals." His answer:
I do have gay friends. And there are gays who serve in the United States armed forces, and they do a very good job. But when they are--when they acknowledge who they are and their sexual preference, they leave. So I've got a very good comfort level with it.
I think everybody deserves the right to serve. And when I'm president, I'm going to make sure that we treat every man, woman and child in America with dignity and respect. And that includes the opportunities to serve in the United States armed forces.
Clark really is as accident-prone as Bob Graham. Asked a throwaway question about whether he likes gay people, he ends up saying that he wants children to serve in the military.
Posted by Karol at November 6, 2003 02:39 AM | TrackBackTechnorati Tags:
....So Kerry is "Haughty, French looking"...so hilarious, so why didn't you describe Lieberman as "greedy, Jewish looking".....erm, no wait, THAT would be racist. As for his ketchup heiress wife, the last time I checked none of the put upon Bush boys had to scrape their way up from the barrels of their oily family fortunes.
Posted by: Nanoo Nanoo at November 6, 2003 06:22 AMJames Taranto cracks you up ? I do hope that you are laughing at him.
I like reading him, but only because I can scarcely believe he is published, let alone payed.
Is there no beginning to that mans talent ?
"Is there no beginning to that mans talent?"
Funny Bobby I've often asked the same about you. Also about sense, rational thinking, humility, etc, etc...
Taranto rules!
Posted by: Radical Redneck at November 6, 2003 09:24 AMLieberman said, "I'd like to party with the young lady who asked that question."
Joseph Lieberman, you saucy man! I'd like to party with his wife while he's out partying with the senate aide. Maybe we can bring in that Selma Blair chick too, make it a Hebrew party threesome.
Sharpton said Mrs. Kerry,
Oh, oh yes. *cue theme from "Shaft"*
Now that Dean has come out as a prissy "metrosexual", we know who's really got game in this crowd.
Posted by: Yaron at November 6, 2003 10:01 AMBobby, come on now. Whatever you think about what he writes, you can't tell me he isn't a terrific writer. I like plenty of lefty writers that I disagree with (Christopher Hitchens tops that list).
Nanoo, the Left needs to really get a grip. James didn't attack the 'Ketchup heiress' wife for her being an heiress. Given the chance, most of us would love to be millionaires. You just needed to rant about something and chose that to be able to mention Bush's priveledged background. As for 'haughty French-looking' thats a joke that a Bush administration official made about Kerry and James Taranto continues to make. Is Kerry French? No, he isn't. So how is that racist? Or is that just a word you try to work into most arguments.
Taranto or the Bush administration official are using the term "French looking" as a negative. As Nanoo says if somone was refered to negatively as Jewish looking then they would be rightly called a racist or anti-semetic.
What is French looking anyway. The Frenchman sitting a few desks away from me looks like Sideshow Bob.
Posted by: Graeme at November 6, 2003 12:02 PMGraeme, that's exactly the joke. What is French looking? The Bush official said 'he looks French' and it was just funny because EXACTLY, what the heck is French looking? How is that racist? You don't look Scottish (to me). Is that racist? I look Irish, though I'm not. Is that racist?
Posted by: Kashei at November 6, 2003 12:04 PMWhat about this:
Telling a greedy person who is not Jewish.
"You are Jew looking"
That debate really didn't help you learn too much about the candiates politically but it did help people get to know them for thier personalities. I think that is just as important when it comes to who we vote for.
"As Nanoo says if somone was refered to negatively as Jewish looking then they would be rightly called a racist or anti-semetic"
So now it's racist if you don't like someone's looks. If I'm not attracted to women who look like dogs I must be a caninephobe (news to my golden retriever).
I think it's a disturbing sign of how entrenched PC Nazism is that it took until now for someone to point out what he said.
Posted by: Radical Redneck at November 6, 2003 02:26 PMK,come on, how do you look Irish? Because of your red hair. Scotland has the highest proportion of redheads per population of anywhere in the world. So you actually look Scottish if anything.
Posted by: Graeme at November 7, 2003 03:21 AMI know that this is not connected to the thread about the Democratic nominee or the French (but is loosely connected to my last post) but I need to rant. Last night saw the MTV Europe awards in Edinburgh. Justin Timberlake said, “I've tried haggis, I've tried black pudding - and I loved them both. I always try and sample the culture of all the new places I visit and this has certainly been memorable”. Thank you Justin for reducing the culture of my country to sampling offal. The next time I visit the US I will fully immerse my self in your culture and have a Hamburger, you fucking arse. Oh, and Vin Diesel, that’s not a kilt you’re wearing but a black skirt. Tosser!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3249201.stm
Posted by: Graeme at November 7, 2003 03:41 AMGraeme, I get told I look Irish all the time. I've been told that since before I knew what Irish was. I even got told that a few times when I lived in Scotland. I could never see it myself either but there you go.
Posted by: Kashei at November 7, 2003 08:01 AMTaranto's all right. You have to take some of the things he writes with a grain of salt.
I wasn't a big fan of that "A Religion of Peace" headline he used to put on items about terror attacks. For someone who goes ballistic about the slightest whiff of anti-Semitism, he should show more respect toward Islam.
And my other complaint is that he's like Sean Hannity in the way he stretches to make ridiculous excuses for Bush. You can like Bush and still disagree with some of the things he does, but to hear Taranto tell it, Bush can do no wrong.
Blah, whatever. Best of the Web is just a good way to kill five or ten minutes.
Posted by: Nik at November 10, 2003 01:09 AM
