(2007-12-13) — The Des Moines Register today apologized because yesterday’s Republican presidential debate, moderated by editor Carolyn Washburn, became mired in statements about the economy, education, health care, taxation and other issues of policy and governance.
Ms. Washburn expressed regret over her “failure to encourage the candidates to quarrel, snip at each other, and re-hash standard stump speech one-liners.”
“In a word, it was boring,” said Ms. Washburn. “The candidates wasted their time talking about their principles, plans and positions instead of making cleverly-scripted attacks on their GOP rivals. There were few sparks, zingers or smackdowns, except when Fred Thompson put me in my place. I hope the American electorate can forgive me.”
The newspaper editor called the debate a “low point” in her career, “because if you read the transcript of the debate, you could be left with the impression that any of these Republican candidates — even Ron Paul and Alan Keyes — would be a better president than Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. What have I done?”
8 responses so far ↓
1 JamesonLewis3rd // Dec 13, 2007 at 2:38 pm
God Bless America
2 Ms RightWing, Ink // Dec 13, 2007 at 3:20 pm
The mud is rather thick and sticky this time of year in Iowa. It makes it hard to throw because of the weight.
The Des Moines paper has been nothing except fish wrap as long as I remember (and that is a long time).
I grew up with the crappy paper and even as a young lass, I hated the rag.
3 Fred Sinclair // Dec 13, 2007 at 3:50 pm
JL3rd
I’m praying that God will continue to bless America.
The blessings that He is continually pouring out are waaaaay out of line from what we deserve. If He dealt out justice instead of blessing us with His mercy; Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 19:24) would look like a lakeshore resort by comparison.
In spite of the liberals still in position in our government (mostly holdovers from the Clinton Administration) who are doing their best to nefariously sabotage America at every chance, God has spared us a repeat of the blow we took back on 9/11/01.
President Bush’s surge in Iraq is working famously, much to the liberals dismay. I really believe they are wishing and hoping for another blow, so they can blame it on him.
A dozen righteous people would have spared Sodom and I believe that we have more than that right here on ScrappleFace.
With our own Sodom and Gomorrah right here in San Francisco and Washington D.C., we could do well to look at the 400 years of bondage in Egypt that God placed His own chosen people.
I shudder to even think of similar treatment under the rule of the Godless liberals. Which is their long held dream - total control.
Or in the words of the late Robert A. Heinlein
“When the people find out that they can not only vote themselves cake and champagne but force you to pay for it as well…..they will”.
Heirborn Ranger
4 mig // Dec 13, 2007 at 5:09 pm
Wouldn’t it be a breath of fresh air to actually hear questions that are worth asking and getting answers that had substance. Etopia. The left think Etopia is a place of mushy blurry rest and the rest of us think it’s getting a straight answer to a straight question.
5 gafisher // Dec 13, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Even Alan Keyes?!? He outclasses any two of the others (and the entire Dem roster thrown in for balance). Seeing him at the debate was the bright spot of the campaign so far.
6 camojack // Dec 13, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Those pesky issues again?
Let’s get back on the attack!!!
7 camojack // Dec 13, 2007 at 8:44 pm
BTW, that (↑) was sarcasm.
8 mindknumbed kid // Dec 13, 2007 at 8:56 pm
I voted for Keyes 12 years ago, he is a good man that has little or no chance of winning. To think of all of the good candidates we have running and compare it to what they are offering is so strange. What is scarrier still is that those clowns and their past clowns have done so well in recent elections. Makes me sad to realize how far down into the old outhouse the people of this nation have sunkenated.
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