It is both incredible and awful the things we put our Presidential candidates through. I am not, by any measure, a Hillary Clinton supporter but I think that last question was unfair and personifies the greater problem that exists with today’s media environment.
The question was both sexist and trivial. To her credit she got the maximum mileage with her answer by implying that criticism of her decisiveness is unwarranted. Good job with a bad question.
If she had said are you kidding me, we are here to display our qualifications for the position of leader of the free world. There are people on this stage who deserve an extra minute or two to make their case and you are "playing the gender card" and insulting us all with such foolishness. She would have been accused of being humorless and rigid and who knows what else. Thank goodness she didn’t choose one – can you imagine the fallout and chatter – no thanks.
I don’t often watch TV so my filters are not very strong. Since I watched this debate on a computer the "dippy young woman" may have been only on the streaming version to appeal to the younger crowd. I certainly hope so because ... words fail me on her inept performance. And why does Wolf Blitzer think that what he has to say is worth taking time away from the people on stage. Down the rabbit hole we go.
When the booing started I was immediately taken back to Florida during the recount and the group of people (we later learned were bussed in by Bush people) making all that noise. Both rang false to me. I dislike the practice of shouting people down and stifling debate. I have observed the Clinton team using tactics that I abhor, including the planting of questions on the campaign trail. This is not a game. I personally have spent time and money (which are both in short supply at my house) supporting my candidate. I don’t believe that the Clinton campaign stuffed the audience and worked the moderators. But the question crossed my mind because dirty politics is a way of life and once you go down that path its hard to gain the high ground.
John Edwards did not sling mud. Hillary Clinton was using a tactic designed to utilize the unfortunate state of our media to stop the questions about her connections to "big money". Barak Obama made a very valid point about the way Hillary Clinton was using numbers to "muddy" the truth about her position. Boos were unfounded and detracted from the value of the exercise.
I love the possibility of politics. Participation and the exchange of ideas. I hate the political process as it now exists. Perhaps it’s always been this way. Bullying and gaming and justifying and ....
I want a president I can trust. I want to leave the Bush/Clinton/Clinton/Bush/Bush years behind and start a new chapter. Entrenched interests in DC need to be shaken up. Sooner would be better than later.