Presidential Debate #2

Tonight's debate is a little more lively than last week's Presidential debate, or even this week's Vice Presidential debate. Once again I'm listening on the radio, so I'm not being influenced by appearances, just the words and the way they're being delivered.

Bush sounds less pathetic than last Thursday. He's been caught short a few times tonight, but so has Kerry. Bush's anger has again nearly gotten the better of him a few times, and I'm wondering how well he's controlling his body language this time. It also sounds like he's been heavily coached, although that may be just because he's not drawing quite as many blanks.

One theme Bush seems to be coming back to again and again is the fact that Kerry and Edwards are missing Senate votes while they're campaigning. I wonder, who's being President while Bush is jetting around from campaign stop to campaign stop? This is a ridiculous point to be making, unless you're implying that members of Congress should not be allowed to run for president. But Bush has noticeably crawled away from the tired old theme of "He's a FLIP-FLOPPER!"

I hate politics. I hate fighting with people of good will who hold radically different points of view. I hate focusing on the question of who will get to be the President of the United States for the next four years when there are so many things going on in the world.

But this is important. I believe that it is important to get Bush out of office just as fervently as some of my friends believe it is important to keep him there. And I think we are all slowly coming to the realization that all of our arguments, our jokes, our mocking impressions of both candidates, none of this will persuade the others to change their minds. We can only hope that we can influence other voters who have not yet made up their minds to come around to our way of thinking, and hope that whatever the outcome of this election, it is for the best.

By the way: How many people can name the country that is holding a very important election tomorrow - Saturday, October 9? Here's a hint: it starts with an "A". No, it's not Afghanistan.* It's Australia! And tomorrow is already half over in Australia! Best wishes to everybody down under on the outcome of their election.

*CLARIFICATION (10/9/2004): Of course, I realized that Afghanistan was having elections today, too. No way did I think they were October 30th. No, no, no. OK, yes. And it looks like we've managed to hold American-style elections there. Well, at least Florida-style.