In Reality, Last nights debate did not cover the issues:

[liberal N proud]

Look at the questions that were asked, No mention of Energy Crisis, No Environmental questions. And many of the questions played to the fundamentalists Questions 6, 7, 14, 18, 19 and 20 - What kind of question was that?

• Question 1 -- Will our children be as safe as we were?
• Question 2 -- How did the U.S. end up with a flu vaccine shortage?
• Question 3 -- With rising costs, how do you keep from raising taxes?
• Question 4 -- What do you say to someone who lost his job?
• Question 5 -- Is Bush entirely to blame for loss of jobs?
• Question 6 -- Do you believe homosexuality is a choice?
• Question 7 -- How does Kerry handle criticism from Catholic archbishops?
• Question 8 -- Who is responsible for rising health care costs?
• Question 9 -- How will Kerry pay for expanded healthcare plan?
• Question 10 -- How will you fund Social Security?
• Question 11 -- Will Social Security be left as a problem for future generations?
• Question 12 -- How do you view immigration?
• Question 13 -- Is it time to raise the minimum wage?
• Question 14 -- Would Bush like to overturn Roe v. Wade?
• Question 15 -- What relief can be offered to Guard and Reserve forces?
• Question 16 -- Why didn't Bush try to extend the assault weapons ban?
• Question 17 -- Is there a need for affirmative action programs?
• Question 18 -- What part does faith play in policy decisions?
• Question 19 -- How can the president unite America?
• Question 20 -- What have you learned from your wife and daughters?

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Agreed.

[goodhue]

2. yes, questions were very conservative

no reference to health of environment or economy

[MsTryska]

3. i thought exactly the opposite....

i think they were playing to trip up the conservative base.

i thought schaeffer was actually trying to pin bush under a microscope ever so gently, so that people can see where he really stands without the doublespeak mumbo jumbo, by asking him frnakly.

[liberal N proud]

4. And do you think it worked.

Personally, I think he failed but I think the people deserved to hear real issues.
Just a little disappointment there.

[MsTryska]

5. Honestly......

I don't think people (the regular ones, not the policy wonks like us) want the "real issues". it's just so much eye-glazing rambling tot hem typically.


i think hitting on Faith, hitting on Roe-v Wade (important to me), hitting on outsourcing (also important to me), and hitting on healthcare (incredibly important to me) was good.


Granted the environment is important to me too, but i'm glad we didn't go there, because for most people it's intangible, and bush can get the chance to talk about his "clear skies" initiative and his "healthy trees" initiative (or whatever it's called? the one where he's cutting forests down?). Either way with the fancy names, most people won't be able to cut throught the bullshit.

[MsTryska]

6. deletesd - double post.

[KoKo]

7. Agree. Questions seemed designed for Bush's Base (the Evangelical

Fundamentalist Christians) more than about the rest of America's concerns.

However, the differences between Kerry and Bush were so obvious, maybe it wasn't a bad thing..

Bush's view of females and women's right to choose was the most glaring difference. His referring to "Maternity Homes" brought to mind the early to middle part of the 20th Century when young women were shunted off to these places in shame or died in a back alley "coat hanger" procedure.