Debate #19

So Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton had yet another debate tonight in Austin and I'll admit right up front: I didn't watch this one. I was at work but I chose not to DVR it either. Honestly, I'm just plain tired of these things. Looking past the fact that both candidates are virtually identical on almost all of their policy stances, you don't have to be a politics junkie like myself to see the differences. Yes, they differ somewhat on the economy, health care, foreign policy, etc. but I'd say that the main difference is that Obama is the person who can bring this country together while Clinton is the person who can tear the Democratic party apart. Excusing her ham-handed attempt to accuse him of plagiarism again, I'm sure that Clinton realizes this and I have hope (yes, I know I identify myself as a cynic at the top of this page) after seeing her consiliatory gesture at the end of this debate that she has made a conscious decision not to hurt her party by fighting things out to the bitter end.

That said, I have to admit that with all of the non-stop coverage of this race for the last year that if after 19 debates you still haven't figured out who you're going to support then I'm not sure if I want you voting at all. Seriously. One thing I can't stand more than anything else are these people who claim not to have made up their mind yet AS THEY'RE ENTERING THE VOTING BOOTH! Really? Why, can't hold more than one thought in your head at the same time? Please, you're either lying or you're an idiot and neither of those are traits I admire in the voting populace.

I've also heard talk that Clinton is trying to tone down her attacks as her campaign seems to be coming to an end so that she can position herself as Obama's potential running mate. I think that would be a big mistake on his part. Aside from the negatives she brings I just think that there are better alternatives in the Democratic party, Joe Biden being one but I'm speaking of Bill Richardson specifically. Richardson has executive experience running a state (a southern border state no less), can help deliver the Latino vote and has outstanding foreign policy experience (one of Obama's supposed weaknesses). Say what you will about the electability of two different minorities on one ticket but I heard all of that about Obama months ago from many people and now I really do believe that we're standing on the threshold of an Obama presidency, and I couldn't be happier that all those folks were dead wrong. As one of my blogging heroes says, "Know hope".