California Debate

 

The Associated Press headline for most of the evening read "Calif. Recall Candidates Clash in Debate." Well, yes, and so typical of the news media to view everything as some sort of sporting contest. Stan Statham, head of the California Broadcasters Association which ran the event, seemed to think he was refereeing the mud wrestling finals. In his opening remarks he referred to the debate as a "verbal combat." Then he sat back and allowed the loudest voice to command, at one point inserting, "This is not Comedy Central. I swear."

The biggest row was a mythic open wound between our two top immigrants, one from Greece and the other from Austria, one a writer the other an actor, an intellectual and a muscleman, a she and a he. She went after him and he went after her. It wouldn’t have been so unseemly if they had been nose to nose at a PETA rally, but they didn’t look worthy of leading the world’s fifth largest economy.

Cruz Bustamante might have considered himself a winner in that he didn’t hurt himself badly, unless the women got righteously turned off at his treatment of Huffington. And maybe he sounded a little too polished. He certainly didn’t thrill anyone.

Peter Camejo sounded the best informed, but his appearance and delivery were not that of a winner. He might be the smartest, he might even have the best answers, but he didn’t impress as a leader. He might have added some votes from those who might have voted for Huffington but thought that maybe the Green Party could gain more in losing than could she.

Tom McClintock sounded like he knew what he was talking about most of the time, even if his views are a tad conservative to most. He mentioned that he was pro-life and behind the Second Amendment, unlike everyone else at the table, which he probably didn’t need to do. The right-wingers already know about him; a lot of people might have liked him but for those points. His eyes were a bit beady and he looked disheveled when he stood up at the end, in case you need a really good reason to vote against him.

The biggest winner was probably Gray Davis. None of the five would-be’s really looked very good. Perhaps as much as everyone can’t stand his Eminence Gris, they may choose the devil they know and not recall him. If I had my druthers, we’d have a candidate with McClintock’s steadfastness, Camejo’s vision, Arianna’s spirit, Arnold’s name recognition, and Cruz’s experience. If I had my druthers.

And that’s SetonnoteS...I’m Tony Seton.

 

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