DEBATABLE DEBATE IMPRESSIONS, PART II: EDWARDS - MORE THAN A PRETTY FACE?

DON'T MOVE ON.ORG ^ | OCTOBER 7, 2004 | BOB REDMAN

[CHARLITE]

Debatable Debate Impressions, Part II

Edwards – More than a Pretty Face?

by Bob Redman (7 Oct. 2004)

In my article about the first debate between Bush and Kerry I enumerated eleven of the many cheap shots which Kerry made.

During the vice-presidential debate on Tuesday evening, Edwards repeated and/or elaborated on the cheap shots, and added some of his own. A detailed analysis of the whole tissue of obfuscation would run to several pages which most of you wouldn’t read to the end. I therefore content myself with the elucidation of only one of Edward’s trial lawyers' devices which perhaps escaped most viewers.

Edwards consistently attributed the term “sanctions” to Cheney instead of the actual term Cheney used - “unilateral sanctions” - something quite different, as Edwards knows. I quote the pretty boy:

“This vice president has been an advocate for over a decade for lifting sanctions against Iran, the largest state sponsor of terrorism on the planet. It’s a mistake. We should not only not lift them, we should strengthen those sanctions.”

Prompted by the moderator, Cheney responded:

“…at the time I was talking specifically about this question of unilateral sanctions. What happens when we impose unilateral sanctions is unless there’s a collective effort then other people move in and take advantage of the situation. And you don’t have any impact except to penalize American companies. We’ve got sanctions on Iran now.

After this irrefutable clarification, Edwards simply repeated himself:

“Now the vice president as you pointed out, spoke out loudly for lifting the sanctions on Iran.”

I know that many people do not understand the enormity of such a tactic, even after having the slight of hand explained to them. Nevertheless, I will try to make it clear to them.

It is fundamentally dishonest to misrepresent your opponent’s argument, to, in effect, construct a new and flawed argument in order to attack that one rather than the opponent’s. Such substitution corrupts public discourse, making it more difficult for citizens to weigh issues and candidates, and it is especially threatening to our polity when high-level public officials, who may have to make life and death decisions which affect all of us, indulge in it.

This behavior is, however, standing operating procedure among most democrats and all sleazy lawyers like Edwards. We are still paying for the last time we let people like him into the White House.

Enough of that tiresome stuff. Something else leapt out of the transcript at me – a subtle hint to Edwards that Cheney had him figured out, and a warning to us if we are paying attention.

The moderator asked Cheney to characterize his role as vice president. He answered that Bush signed him on because of his experience, to be a member of the team, to help govern, and that’s exactly the way it turned out. Cheney continued:

“I think its worked in part because I’ve made it clear that I don’t have any further political aspirations myself. And I think that’s been an advantage. I think it allows the president to know that my only agenda is his agenda. I’m not worried about how some precinct committeemen in Iowa were thinking of me with respect to the next round of caucuses in 2008.”

There we have it. Edwards is not concerned about contributing to an understanding of the problems facing our country. He is just preening for the next race.

In short, the main point of the debate, from the democrats’ point of view, was to profile Edwards for something bigger than the vice-presidency. So be of good cheer. Edwards is being groomed for the nomination to the presidency in 2008.

Edwards more than a pretty face? You bet. Calling him a telegenic shark does an injustice to sharks.

Bob Redman is the proprietor of dontmoveon.org and a seasoned, accomplished journalist and commentator with a noticeably high-end IQ.

Comments on this article can be emailed to Bob at: redmanb@mindspring.com

[FredZarguna]

Pretty Face?

You be the judge...

(Publicity photo from John Edwards' screen test for the role of "The Joker" in Tim Burton's Batman. Used by permission.)