More reactions from the debate

Last night I put up some initial reactions to the debate between McCain and Obama, and while e-mailers are stating that I went a little overboard in my criticism of Obama, I beg to differ. Obama didn't get specific on a lot of the issues raised. On the other hand, neither did McCain really. That's why this debate format is such a joke. This was supposed to have been a townhall format where the people ask the questions, unscreened. Captain Ed points out that Brokaw and his team vetted the questions prior to the debate. That was obviously a calculated move to protect Obama from any embarrassing questions or gotcha questions from the people.

But let's look at four issues that weren't raised in the debate at all, and haven't gotten the scrutiny they deserve in this election:

-- Immigration
-- Abortion
-- Judicial nominees
-- Gun control

Now why weren't these questions asked? The simplest answer is that each one would have exposed Barack Obama as the liberal that he is, and they also clearly put both men on opposite sides of each issue.

Barack Obama supported the immigration reform idea that was cobbled together by those int he Senate -- including John McCain -- to which the overwhelming majority of the nation (approximately 80%) was opposed to. John McCain has since shed his amnesty ways, and believes before regularizing the illegal aliens here, we must secure our border. That's a good start, and it's won him members of his base back into his camp.

Barack Obama doesn't want to talk about abortion at all. His track record in the Illinois senate, and his chastisement of the Supreme Court for striking down partial-birth abortion is on the record. Also on the record is his votes against the Born Infant Alive Protection Act, which had the exact same wording as the federal bill supported by the likes of Barbara Boxer and Ted Kennedy, two liberal lions in the senate. John McCain has a pro-life record and has consistently denounced the Supreme Courts decision in Roe v. Wade. In fact, Obama's position on abortion could be equated with the definition of infantcide, making him far too radical for mainstream, Heartland America.

Judicial nominees is another issue Obama would like to avoid due to what his beliefs are regarding judges. He stated in a speech earlier this year on the Supreme Court, and the sort of justices he'd appoint, that there was an underlying factor he'd take into account when making that choice:

"That last mile can only be determined on the basis of one's deepest values, one's core concerns, one's broader perspectives on how the world works and the depth and breadth of one's empathy."

None of that drivel above factor into a jurists determination of facts based on the ground of founded law. Empathy? Knowing how the world works? One's values and concerns? That sort of poppycock is the same garbage that gave us decisions such as Roe, Kelo, Hamdan, Boumediene, Bollinger, Carhart, and a litany of other badly decided Supreme Court cases. John McCain has always stood for originalist, textualist, strict constructionist judges on the federal courts, not people who make up the law based on whims, hairs standing up on the back of their neck, or little angels and devils sitting on their shoulders.

Gun control is another weak issue for Obama. David Hardy, writing for Pajamas Media, pounded out an expose on where Obama stands when it comes to gun rights, and he concludes that his work with the Joyce Foundation shows that he is very hostile to the Second Amendment. The Politico blew the lid off of his attempts to hide his views when they published a story not only about his efforts with the Joyce Foundation, but also a questionnaire that he filled out stating that he would try to ban the sale and manufacture of handguns, and limit firearms purchases for US citizens. When we look at John McCain we see a man who has always been a strong proponent of gun ownership in America, with only minor regulations to ensure that no one is buying weapons that are technically illegal. (I'm sorry, but unless you're a collector, you do not need a full-auto AK-47.)

Tom Brokaw's soft bias was exposed in a drearily boring debate. Instead of allowing the people to ask the questions, unscreened and unvetted, he decided to inject himself into what was supposed to be a townhall style debate. Why? Because the media knows that McCain works best in such a format, being able to speak with the people directly, and not being handed screened questions. We'll recall a townhall where McCain was at during the primaries where someone asked him about his stance on immigration reform. Remember what he said? “By the way, I think the fence is least effective. But I’ll build the goddamned fence if they want it.” It wasn't a pretty moment, but it shows he can handle the tough questions. He doesn't need them screened and the nation was hoping to see an authentic townhall style debate.

NBC didn't help their waning credibility in this election by having Brokaw moderate this debate. In fact there shouldn't have been a moderator at all except to keep track of the time, maybe. There should have been NBC guys roaming the audience with microphones so audience participants could ask their questions, unfiltered. It's time these debate formats were switched up. We know the media isn't going to ask the hard questions of the candidate they favor. But the people will, and it's our will that matters. No one cares what the media thinks, and they're not paid to think. They're paid to report the news. Maybe it's time they head back to journalism school to relearn that lesson.

Publius II