Debate lacked actual ideas

It wasn't a knockout, but judging from Wilder Main's audience, during Sunday's presidential debate, a red faced, portly political robot beat the hell out of a blinking scrappy old man who can't use his right hand. Though the candidates left much for the imagination, and spent far too much time hiding from reality, many onlookers agreed that it was entertaining. The debate was less about personal ideas of America as it was about the presentation of safe political issues, rhetorical skill and straight up dissing.

Debates are pretty much the same. The incumbent will always say how good or better things are than when he came in and the challenger will always tell the country how terrible things are and how good he's going to make them. Nothing was different during Sunday's debate. Clinton came off like well oiled reactionary Democratic machine, defending his four years with numerical proof of the countries economic prosperity. And Dole, with all his persistent struggling realism, gave numbers to back his claim that the country should and can be better, but not under Bill Clinton. When not on the defense about increasing drug use in the US, or catering to special interest groups like teachers and lawyers, Clinton vehemently attacked Dole's economic scheme and his dedication to education.

Aware that his character is often questioned by the voting public due to Whitewater, perceived infidelity, and broken campaign promises, Clinton smartly pledged with Dole to make the debate a debate of ideas, not personal insults. Laced within this pledge must have also been a pledge of silence on personal issues pertinent and applicable to many young Americans. Dole did, however, get Nancy Reaganesque on us by warning us of the dangers of drugs and grumbly exclaimed "Just don't do it" For all of us young internet buffs, he also gladly suggested we take a friendly visit to his web-site.

One hopes that the entertaining verbal hooks, and the comical foolishness didn't distract viewers from the lack of actual ideas presented. The political was no doubt political at Sunday's debate, and personal existed only in sharp character jabs from Dole and well-placed counter jabs from Clinton. We can assume that since the political/personal issues of race, AIDS, gender inequity, Israeli/Palestinian plight, popular culture, sexuality, and apathy were not mentioned or given little lip service, the candidates have no ideas on these issues or is it possible that getting within these issues might melt away their sturdy political cloaks further revealing each for what they once were . . . real people with independent ideas?.