I didn’t get to see the full-out gladiatorial combat I expected ending with the pretty boy’s smiling head on a pike but it was a good debate and vastly more satisfying than the initial Presidential debate.
I think Cheney won. He got in better jabs, kept his cool and was slightly less evasive than Edwards. Edwards either oversimplified or flat-out lied about several items – gay marriage and federalism, Saddam’s connection to Al Qaeda, Halliburton’s current troubles – and very often completely ignored the question being asked in order to attack the VP. Fair game, of course, but bad form.
One thing I found very interesting was Edwards’ statement of unequivocal support for Israel.
First, the Israeli people not only have the right to defend themselves, they should defend themselves. They have an obligation to defend themselves.
Now, we know that the prime minister has made a decision, an historic decision, to unilaterally withdraw from Gaza. It’s important for America to participate in helping with that process.
Now, if Gaza’s being used as a platform for attacking the Israeli people, that has to be stopped. And Israel has a right to defend itself. They don’t have a partner for peace right now. They certainly don’t have a partner in Arafat, and they need a legitimate partner for peace.
That’s pretty heady stuff. He called Arafat out and seems to back Sharon and the Israeli plan to the hilt. If he and Kerry agree that the Israelis don’t have a parter for peace on the psuedo-Palestinian side then they have to agree whole-heartedly with the security fence.
I wonder how that will play out if – God forbid – Kerry and Edwards take the reins of power. What will they do when their little anti-Semitic buddies in France and Germany start flogging the perceived evil that is Israel and the Arabs start to whine? I expect to eventually read some backpedaling spin on that one.