Tuesday, October 01, 2024

The VP Debate

 


As many of you know, my favorite debate of all time was in 1992, between vice-presidential candidates Dan Quayle, Al Gore, and Admiral James Stockdale. This was long before Dan Quayle saved democracy (THAT was a twist I didn't see coming), before Al Gore lost the bonkers election of 2000, and before the death of Admiral Stockdale in 2005. Stockdale, the running mate of Ross Perot, was a genuine American hero who survived over 7 years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and later was a serious scholar of ancient Rome. He wasn't, though, properly prepared for the debate. Among other things, he turned off his hearing aid during the debate (which was, really, a rational choice).
 
I suspect that both JD Vance and Tim Walz will be properly prepared for the debate tonight, and I really look forward to it-- unlike the presidential debates, this one will feature two smart people who are fully capable of answering questions thoughtfully. Of course, they might not choose to do that.... 

1 comment:

  1. I do hope the responses are thoughtful but I am not holding my breath.

    ReplyDelete