update: Welcome C-SPAN readers!
The National Blog Writing Month writing extravaganza continues. Check out the website for more blogs added! We’re going straight through to the end o’ October and we will make it. Yes we can!
Yesterday (or in reality a few hours ago) we witnessed the one and only vice presidential debate to occur during this years ElectionMania! and it was fascinating. You see, I’ve already decided who I’m voting for come November 4th and have a feeling that the debates coming down the pipe will probably do little to change that opinion much, if at all. For the undecided voters of America, it’s an entirely different experience.
I watched the whole thing from the opening applause to the last wave to the crowd from Palin and Biden’s family. In all, I found myself moved by both Biden and Palin in separate places. In my opinion Palin showed everyone that despite some claims that she lacked serious intellect and that some expected her to flub her way from topic to topic…she still shined in more ways than one. Sarah Palin is no pussycat. She’s not afraid of taking, talking and pushing some buttons on national television. Did she stumble? A few times but so did Joe Biden. Palin scored big for me when she spoke directly to the American People and to the camera while Biden spoke to the moderator, addressing her over and over. Her “being straight up” line was impressive in how it was played.
Biden had some sincere moments, almost appearing to be choked up at one point. I won’t argue whether it was sincere, I’ll simply put my faith in him that he wasn’t going to play that game. It was a touching moment in the midst of a frenetic debate that didn’t seem to slow down for anybody.
That was the other thing that bothered me (and a few other fellow twitterers as well) because it felt like a literal march down the lane at breakneck speeds with little care to let things marinate or soak in for just a second or two. The moderator was mild but got buffed by Sarah Palin a few times. I did smile at it as she was showing her feisty side without being grossly disrespectful.
Her line taking a dig at the media was spot on. And this is why I do love debates in this form. No commercials, no talking heads telling us what it all means. We are given the words they speak and we look into their eyes. In that moment they are speaking to us and it is unedited, unstopped and unfiltered (for the most part) content in which the voters are given a chance to see what indeed they will be voting for come November.
Will I be reading some blogs over the next few days? Yes, but with baited breath. I won’t watch the cable shows as they reply, retalk or rewind. I’m going with what I heard, saw and experienced and will be making my own decisions.
To the people of my country, to my fellow voters…I urge you to do the same. Ignore the talking heads and pacing pundits. They are not you. You have the ability to decide for yourself who you will vote for without the help of pompous gasbags with an eye on the ratings.
Tonight everyone saw something different. Several people have already registered their disagreement with me. And that’s fine. Someone twittered, “she’s full of something, but it’s not intellect IMO” to which I responded, “that’s the beauty of the system. I can believe in her and you don’t have to 
Isn’t election season grand?”. And it simply is the truth.
You all out there may think I’m every terrible word under the sun for my support of McCain and Palin. All this rhetoric and spilled kool-aid will continue unabated. But we (both sides) can try to lower the roar of mud to a quaint discussion. This election is important…but it is not Armageddon, the end of the world or the impending rule of the Antichrist.
It’s politics. Not doomsday.
Feature Photo courtesy of the LATIMES (link)
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nablowrimo is underway! 20 bloggers from around the world are united in blogging once a day! You should read them and check ‘em out every day! See more details at the site here or look at the list below!
NaBloWriMo Bloggers
- groovygrrl
- I’m Not Hannah
- The Kittalog
- Indian Food Rocks!
- Cooking and Me
- The Way I Always Was
- Jugalbandi
- Culinary Colorado
- Digging In
- Thistle Dew Farm
- Mimi On The Move
- Enjoy Indian Food
- Siri’s Corner
- Conch-to-be
- Nags of a Similar Ilk
- Damn Yankee, Vermont
- Aaron Delay
- Fun Climbs Around the World
- Seriously Wonderful
- Straight From Hel
[...] Nablowrimo Day 2 - Political Posing in Prose October 3, 2008 at 1:56 am [...]
Nicely done. Very rare to see an “evenly” presented dialogue of something in our politics. Generally, I see venom and hate spewed from one side or the other AT the other side.
Again, nicely done.
Roland, thanks! My goal has always been to try and do the whole “eye to eye” thing in politics. I may not agree with Biden, but I’ll still do my equal coverage and conversation about both sides. I blame my high school journalism years!
Thank YOU again for the kinds comments!
Hey! I made it into Nablowrimo! Ooh, now I really have to blog every day.
I can do it.
Don’t think I’ll be as brave as you, though. No politics on my blog. But I’m glad you write your feelings and views about the candidates.
Heh. Politics don’t have to require bravery. Simply having a level head and open ears is all that’s required. Finding that in others…that’s a whole nother animal.