Three for the Road

I am a bit delayed in commenting on the Democratic debate Monday night. I only managed to stay awake for the first half of the debate—despite the mudslinging, I started snoring promptly at nine p.m. Yes I am getting old.

Part of the reason I didn't post about it yesterday was because I wasn't sure what to say about it or if I even cared. I definitely had some moments during that hour of viewing where I winced at the snarky jabs coming from the candidates. But my major thought was that I was really kind of glad my state's primary is so late in the game, and will most likely not "really" make a big difference in determining who gets the nomination.

Why you ask? Because I honestly don't know that I want a say in determining which of the Triumvirate gets the nod. There are aspects of each that I really like and there is really nothing that I totally hate about any of them. In my current dream world I wish we could just mush them together like three different colored balls of Play doh and create a "Super Candidate."

Well you get the idea.

Anyway, since that isn't going to happen I will just continue to take the wussy way out and be grateful that more than likely by the upcoming Super Tuesday, the rest of America will have made the decision and I won't have to make a stand. So unlike me I know. Also, I know that just reinforces many people's belief that their vote doesn't count. I don't think you can ever really say that though. It is the whole butterfly effect argument. You may not realize the impact your small actions have on the greater world, because if we all truly did nothing, then that would be what we get, nothing.

Enough of that. So as you probably are aware now, Clinton and Obama got into, needling each other as much as two people who differ on very little actual can, while Edwards fought to stay relevant. And I hate that. I think he has some great things to say and contribute to the campaign and is just as qualified for the job as the other two, but of course the media has already decided that he is no longer viable and is really just a bystander. Despite this, once he was allowed to speak he made an excellent point, that the squabbling between the candidates wasn't going to solve any of the problems the country is facing. And boy do we have some doozies coming down the pike. I don't get the whole stock market thing, but I know that financial types are freaking out right now. Something tells me that there is more to come.

Finally, in regards to Anon.'s comment about electability on a previous post. I'm not sure I have an honest answer for that one. I do believe that many of the so called "electability" issues are things that the media has created just to insure they aren't bored in their reporting. Jon Meacham, editor of Newsweek, admitted as much in a recent A Daily Show episode.  At the same time, while our country has come a long way in terms of racism and sexism, we aren't there yet. In honor of the recent celebration of the birthday of the late Martin Luther King Jr. I think it makes sense to reference his thoughts: "I have seen the promised land! I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land." That statement rings true for women and blacks. The United States isn't there yet, sexism and racism are still out there. Someday, I wish in my lifetime, we will get to the point where those isms are negligible in our society. But we still have a ways to go.

A quote that I like even better is this one from Letter from Birmingham Jail, 16 April 1963:

"We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people."

That silence comes in many forms—not voting is just one.

363 days left. In keeping with the current concern over the U.S. economy, this Dubya gem from January 2000:

"I know how hard it is for you to put food on your family."