The Democratic Presidential candidates were out and about
Wednesday night in yet another debate. This time the setting was
Dartmouth College in New Hampshire, with NBC Meet the
Press host Tim Russert moderating the boisterous battle.
The biggest news of the night came from John Edwards and Barack
Obama, who both basically came out in support of a second grade
curriculum that includes books along the lines of “I Saw Daddy
Kissing Santa Claus.”
Asked whether second grade children should have books read to
them in school about a prince falling in love with another prince
— an actual story that was read to young students in New Hampshire
to much controversy — both Edwards and Obama essentially saw
nothing wrong with it. Obama even added in a follow-up that he
believed his wife had already discussed the subject of gay marriage
with their young children. Republican opposition researchers were
rushing to their notepads. That probably won’t sell well in Middle
America.
But as is the case with most of the debates, the top tier
candidates are never the real story. Or, more accurately, they are
rarely the most interesting story.
The feisty former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, who disappeared from
public view for just under three decades before deciding he should
run for president, stole the show again, standing nearly alone on
stage advocating lowering the drinking age to 18. His passion in
answering this not-so-important question proves that there is no
issue that Mike Gravel can’t get fired up about. This we found out
is not limited to political issues. He also passionately defended
his two bankruptcies by comparing himself to Donald Trump and
proudly touted how he stuck credit card companies for thousands of
dollars. One just can’t help but imagine what a Mike Gravel
presidency would bring.
Speaking of bankruptcies, Dennis Kucinich, the “Boy Mayor” who
bankrupted Cleveland in the late 1970s, also joined Gravel in
support for lowering the drinking age. Regular debate junkies may
remember how Kucinich regretfully said no during a 2003 CNN “Rock
the Vote” Democratic Presidential primary debate when asked if he
had ever tried marijuana. When you understand half his base is
composed of potheads, his apologetic attitude no longer seemed so
odd.
This also may help explain why Kucinich felt the need to add on
Wednesday that he staunchly supports lowering the voting age to 16.
One might speculate that he hopes to bring the other crucial part
of his base — starry-eyed youth — into the electoral tent. If
this is so, Kucinich may want to consider supporting lowering the
age to four. Those tikes would be big proponents of a Department of
Peace.
Having a landmark night, Kucinich also brought up Alan
Greenspan’s new book, citing the former Fed Chief’s assertion that
the Iraq war was about oil. Obviously, Kucinich felt vindicated by
Greenspan’s comments and wanted Tim Russert to know that he said
the very same thing on Meet the Press in 2003, which
raises the question: Why was Dennis Kucinich invited on Meet
the Press?
But even more baffling than Kucinich and Gravel — after all,
they can be easily dismissed — is the appeal New Mexico Gov. Bill
Richardson. He is actually considered a somewhat serious contender,
standing as the top guy in the second tier of candidates. His
RealClearPolitics polling average shows him pulling in 11% in Iowa
and 9% in New Hampshire.
Yet, “the great negotiator” can barely put two sentences
together — at least two sentences that make any sense.
“This is what I would do. I would bring [the troops] out through
roads through Kuwait through Turkey,” Richardson said when pressed
how he would immediately pull American troops from Iraq. Well,
that’s the ticket. We will use roads. The Richardson “road”
strategy must have eluded military planners who have said it will
take at least a year to remove all troops from Iraq.
This isn’t a phenomenon isolated to Wednesday’s debate, either.
Always appearing nervous and unpolished, Richardson has
consistently proven himself to be the least impressive man on
stage, which is no easy task with Kucinich and Gravel standing
beside you. All the while, the most impressive debate performer,
Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, continues to stagnate low in the polls.
Whether this says something about Biden’s campaign organization or
the Democratic base is open to interpretation.
In the end, as at most of the debates so far, nothing
earth-shattering occurred. When the smoke settled and the audience
woke up, John Edwards may have potentially gained some ground on
Barack Obama by attempting to clearly delineate the differences
between him and the other top tier candidates, especially on Iraq
— though he provided no comprehensive plan like the Richardson
“road” plan.
While challenged with some tough questions by Russert, Hillary
Clinton nonetheless steadfastly maintained her frontrunner position
by expertly not answering the questions posed to her. If she is a
master at anything, it is that. In truth, this probably turned out
to be a good strategy.
Clinton and Obama may be ahead in the polls. But Gravel and
Kucinich can teach them a thing or two about making debates
watchable.
