George Bush’s tax cuts are bullshit. His Iraq war is bullshit. And these debates are bullshit.
Teams of famous lawyers have carefully worked up a series of ludicrous constraints – no props, no cutaways to candidates who aren’t speaking, no movement across the stage, podiums 50” high, and room temperature that can’t drop below 70 degrees. Yes, you can bet at least one GOP monkey will have a thermometer on hand.
But worst of all are the constraints Bush has demanded on honest debate. There will be no rebuttals, no follow-up questions and no direct questions from the candidates.
When the country is being asked to make a choice that could literally be the difference between life and death, how can we sit by and allow this to happen?
Very simply, we can’t, and neither can John Kerry.
He’s gained traction in recent weeks by pointing out that what Bush imagines is happening in Iraq bears no relation to what’s actually happening – the military deaths, the civilian deaths, the bleak assessments from the intelligence agencies, the requests from the Generals for more troops. He’s gained traction by firing upon the president’s fantasy world of campaign spin.
Tonight, he can continue to make progress by the shattering the framework of artifice and legalese surrounding the debate.
Very simply, he can – and must – break the rules.
“Mr. President, the CIA believes Iraq is on the verge of civil war. Your Secretary of State admits the insurgents are gaining strength. Terrorists control entire cities, including parts of Baghdad. Thousands of Iraqi women and children have been killed. 1,000 U.S. soldiers are dead and the toll continues to climb. How can you possibly insist that peace and freedom are on the march?”
“We never said it was going to be easy…”
“Yes! Yes, you did. You told us we’d be welcomed as liberators, greeted with flowers and candy. We would cut off a source of support for Al Qaeda and eliminate stockpiles of WMD. Instead, we’re treated as occupiers. We’ve found no connections to Al Qaeda, no WMD. Mr. Bush…”
And then Fox News, who’s controlling the video feed, will cut away to Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter suckling at Bill O’Reilly’s teat.
But, seriously, what would happen if Kerry broke the rules? Josh Benson makes a guess:
“Bush would be put instantly on the defensive and any answer he gives would be filtered through Kerry's question--not whatever softball Lehrer subsequently lobs in. If Bush completely ignores Kerry's query, it would only solidify the idea that Bush is ducking reality. If either Bush or the moderator challenges Kerry for breaking the rules, a handy line would turn the tables right back: "This isn't about rules," Kerry could say. "It's about the right of our soldiers' families to have answers." Kerry becomes the candidate prioritizing patriotism and honesty; Bush becomes the one hiding behind legalese.”
Patriotism and honesty versus stage-craft, spin and bullshit. That is what this campaign is about. John Kerry can bring that home tonight.
Posted by Mr. Miara at September 30, 2004 01:55 PM