I watched the debate. This feels like doing my civic duty and that is about all that can be said for it. I don't know if I ever recognized the disconnect between the term "debate" and what our modern political cycle stages for election purposes. It is more sporting event than a sparring of ideas through exposition and defense. Perhaps great for cheering your guy or observing political theater, but not for trying to judge the veracity of ideas.
It's not the candidates' fault. Partly it is the format, the range of what must be covered, the necessity of the coached response. I'm asking what the debates no longer are meant to provide.
The most substantive answer of the evening was Obama's on health care. His scalpel vs. hatchet metaphor in describing their differing tax plans continues to be my favorite bit of campaign imagery. It works on so many levels! He was also by far the most gracious and well spoken, an impression which serves him well. I thought he won it.
This feels like a postscript, but as far as the economy goes it will probably take reading some tome of history in future years to discover what I would like to know now, namely are we going to get some fresh political philosophy to go with our economically rocky kick off to the 21st century and what will that look like?
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