...I'm okay with being REALITY-based.




Thursday, October 09, 2003
      ( 9:02 AM )
 
Back at the Podiums

Well, tonight is the first Dem Debate in a while (on CNN), minus one of the candidates. Bob Graham dropped out of the race. In other shake-ups, Clark's campaign manager quit yesterday. I don't know how signficant that is for the Clark campaign, though Kos has some good insight into what it may all be about.

I hope in this debate that the candidates will start to really distinguish themselves as leaders and also creative, thoughtful and inventive people who have new and fresh ideas to share with the country. I'm hoping that some of the stump speech stuff will go away in the debate forum as well. I don't have any sense about whether Dean is still going to be the punching bag, but I think now would be a good time for him to regroup and focus on his goals - sort of less Bush-bashing (though leave some of it in there) and more of what he would do as president. I think that some of the key differences between these candidates are trade, healthcare plans and budget goals. The trade question is an especially interesting one because the AFL/CIO is still withholding its endorsement.

Most of all, it will be nice to get back to REAL politics and debate about issues. I would prefer that focus return to the Dem candidates and the Bush white house screw ups so that the voters in this country can begin to form some cogent opinions and thoughts about next year's election. California can deal with its own mess right now. Let's get back to business.

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