Lieberman also insisted that most Americans are better off now than they were at the beginning of the Clinton-Gore Administration, teasing Cheney about the lucrative stock options he had received for his work as chairman of the oil services company, Haliburton Inc.
"I see Dick, from the newspapers, that you're better off than you were eight years ago too," Lieberman said.
Cheney replied: "And I can tell you Joe that the government had absolutely nothing to do with it."
. . . I thought Cheney was very effective, in a low-key way. 'Course Lieberman helped, with his attempt at class warfare:Lieberman:
"I've been in the Senate while you have been in the private sector.Cheney:
My wife would like me to get some of the big bucks in the private sector.""You tell your wife we Republicans are doing our level best to get you into the private sector!"The "great debate" format smells to high heaven; it's a perfect illustration of what's wrong with journalism. There you have two people who are, putatively, qualified to be vice president (that is, qualified to be president) of the United States)--and they are "positioned" as subordinate to some unelected journalist, or panel of journalists. The reason for the moderator and or panel is simple: the program exists not to produce light (a clear definition of the qualities, perspective, and temperment of each candidate) but heat (a "gaffe" or other opening for the journalists to exploit).A candidate who demanded a mano a mano session with no mediation but a chess timer controling the microphone would show me something. The Republicans are foolish not to do so; the Democrats are best served being in the center--between the Republican candidate on the right and the journalist on the left. In that situation it is a real coup for a Republican just to break even.