As with yesterday's diary, I will keep my remarks brief and will likely not be sticking around for back and forth. I know many will be disappointed if that is the case, and I apologize in advance for not committing to giving you all numerous opportunities to troll rate me unwarrantedly.
That is what professional debate moderation looks like.
I have never in my life had more respect for Charles Gibson than I do tonight.
I know without looking what many here will think. That isn't germane to my commentary.
They hit Clinton hard, on: "Obama can't win;" her support of the NY gun laws when running for the Senate; on Bosnia.
The reason why so many here will be outraged is because THEY ALSO HIT OBAMA HARD.
MSNBC and CNN, take notes. Campbell Brown, you couldn't hold George or Charles' pen in terms of running a debate. Neither can you, Andy Cooper.
Brian Williams and Tim "Lil Rus" Russert, you are on notice: This is how you moderate a debate and not get clowned on Saturday Night Live.
There will be no fawning in November. This is what things will look like.
ABC: You have separated yourself from the pack with this 5-star performance. I know someone with your network will see this. To them I say -- you tell George and Charles that it took stones for them to approach this as they did tonight, and they are to be congratulated. This was the stuff of professionals, NOT fans.
I will be watching more ABC News from now on.
Magnificent and even-handed.
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Many here, in looking over my diary from yesterday, are mistaking my brother for me. John D. Villarreal is my brother. He is the Berkeley Law graduate and is the person who lives in California. He is the person who is on screen in the videos from yesterday's diary. I'm the person on the speakerphone.
I'm Paul F. Villarreal. I live in Pennsylvania currently. I'm the Cornell graduate (yes, Keith Olbermann is an embarrassment to the Alma Mater at the moment). Both of us have worked in investment banking, but John's the guy who is currently working in that field full-time.
Also, John is the conservative. I'm the Democrat, although I have never been more embarrassed to be one than during this primary season after the antics of, among others: Jesse Jackson, Jr.; Amaya Smith; Michelle Obama; Doug Wilder; Al Sharpton; the Obama supporters (and the number is small) who have issued death threats to the woman on Huffington Post who reported Obama's San Francisco reports; the Obama supporters who have consistently attempted to bully -- through various means, troll-rating and rec list gaming are probably most familiar to those here -- Clinton supporters throughout this contest; David Axelrod and his astroturfing and Rezko-esque 'brownshirt' crew; and, most importantly, Obama himself.
John would tell you he's smarter than me (Just see his "Ask a Super-Genius" video series here and here), and I would tell you I'm smarter than him, so in that way we're similar. We're brothers -- what do you want?
Hope that helps clear things up.
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John and I just discussed how important "Bittergate" is, as well as Wright, Ayers, etc. Many people have tried to tell the Obama supporters that these issues were and are going to be brought up, and that is what you saw tonight. If you think myself and John didn't call how this debate was going to go down, see for yourself:
Part I
Part II
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Paul F. Villarreal AKA "Universal" AKA "RokSki"
Thumbs up
:)