Presidential Debate # 2
So, the big news over the past couple of days was the second debate between President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
I really only saw a bit of this debate, and will admit to not watching this live. Funny, but in previous elections, I made much more of a point in tuning in, even when I was not intending to vote for either major party candidate. This year, it seems, I'm just not all that interested in tuning in at all, having not watched a single live debate yet.
From what I saw, and from what most people are saying, Obama came out much more aggressively this time for this debate. He and Romney actually confronted one another, accusing each other, even pointing fingers at one another, evidently (saw a picture where they were pointing at each other).
Most people seem to think that Obama won the debate, and challenged Romney on several points. Romney took much the same approach that he had in the first debate, and reiterated his line that the past four years were, in essence, a failure, and that this is the responsibility of President Obama.
Apparently, the most famous moment from this debate came when Romney claimed at some point that while he had been governor of Massachusetts, he had been handed "binders full of women" after asking his staff to find qualified women to fill some cabinet posts. The way that was worded was a bit clumsy (Romney might say it was inelegantly stated, as he said about his infamous 47% gaffe), and so it became kind of the comic moment of the debate, if not of the debates in general for this year.
There are moments that live on in Presidential debate history. Gerald Ford claiming that the Soviet Union was not really a threat, almost assuring Jimmy Carter the victory in the election afterwards. Ronald Reagan had a very famous, humorous moment in 1984 against Walter Mondale, when he promised that he would not use his opponent's youth and inexperience against him. In 1988, in the Vice Presidential debate, Lloyd Benson famously dismissed Senator Dan Quayle's seemingly comparing himself to Jack Kennedy by retorting that he had known Jack Kennedy, and then uttering the famous words, "Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy." George H. W. Bush was caught looking at his watch in 1992. In 2000, it was Al Gore standing entirely too close to George W. Bush, who was speaking at the time.
We shall see where this rates in Presidential debate history. Whether it will live on in infamy, or ultimately, prove to be a minor gaffe, and not a deciding point, remains to be seen.
In Other News
- Former Presidential candidate George McGovern's family said that he is no longer responsive.
- In South Africa, where the recent violence involving mine protests and the police reaction to these, Gold Fields CEO Nick Holland is apparently hours away (as of the time that I am writing this) from firing 23,000 miners. If he goes through with it, you have to wonder if the violence that erupted there, and seemed to many (both inside and outside of South Africa) to be reminiscent of the apartheid days) will break out yet again.
-The alleged organizer for the attack of the school girl who was shot had been held and released back in 2009, evidently.. The girl is presently being treated in Great Britain. She had been speaking out against the Taliban's efforts to prevent girls from receiving education. They claimed that she was attacked because she had spoken out against them, and also praised US President Barack Obama. Here is the link to the article "Attacker of Pakistani schoolgirl was held, freed in 2009: sources" by Reuters that I got this story from"
http://news.yahoo.com/attacker-pakistani-schoolgirl-held-freed-2009-sources-073050759.html
- More protests in Greece to protest against austerity measures, which many there feel is too harsh.
- An international mediator claims that the violence in Syria presently could involve many others in the Middle East, if proper care is not heeded.
- Drone attacks in a southern Yemen farm town have killed nine alleged rebels.
Sports
In baseball, the St. Louis Cardinals avenged their 7-1 Game 2 beating by winning Game 3, 3-1, and getting the lead back in the series with two games to one over the San Fransisco Giants in the National League playoffs.. In the American league, Game 4 was postponed because of the threat of rain. The Detroit Tigers hold a 3-0 series lead, and will have a chance to close out the series tonight.
In football news, I commend Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe for posing in, OUT, a gay magazine, in order to advocate equal rights for homosexuals.
"To me", says Kluwe,"this fight is about equality and human rights. The fact is, there are Americans who pay taxes and serve in our military - who defend this country- who do not receive the same legal protections as the rest of us. To me, that's flat-out discrimination. That's the same as segregation or suffrage."
Kudos to Chris Kluwe for speaking his mind on an issue that matters to him! I hope he has a terrific year!
Here is the link to the article, "Vikings punter Christ Kluwe poses in gay magazine to support same-sex marriage", by Doug Farrar:
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdown-corner/vikings-punter-chris-kluwe-poses-gay-magazine-promote-144612785--nfl.html
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