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What I saw at the UD/DFM debate. . . .

About 30% of the seats in the theater were empty. . .

About 10% of the remainder left after the US House lovefest between Carney and Kovach, probably so they could catch the presidential debate.

After Ralph Begleiter got up on stage and said this is the part of democracy where we have to hear from the candidates, they need to be able to get their messages out, because that's why we have debates--

[of course he carefully eliminated half the ballot-qualified candidates]

--and we have police here to cart out anybody who uses their phone or claps or says anything--

[which is roughly when Green US House candidate Bernie August jumped up and Occupy Delaware went into "Mic Check" action with about 15 protesters standing up and shouting about exclusion.  There were more protesters than police, so it took about four minutes to get them all out of the hall, some of them dragged in headlocks.  All the people in the VIP seats pretended not to see.]

Then John Carney and Tom Kovach sat on the stage and gave each other deep political tongue for an hour. . .

Both of them said they would like to eliminate significant parts of Obamacare while keeping pre-existing and coverage for 26 year old children, but Carney wants to cut reimbursements to providers even further, and doesn't know if the individual mandate should stand as written. . . Kovach pretty much the same. . .

Carney thinks we shouldn't be nation building in Afghanistan but both agreed that we should be able to send troops anywhere we need to. . . no matter what the people there think about it.

Kovach promises to raise taxes if necessary, so does Carney

They differ on education but frankly neither of them knows what they are talking about . . . .

Frankly, if they hadn't said you couldn't leave before the end of the debate I would have left, because it ended up as really big . . . who cares?

Comments

Scott Gesty said…
It was an interesting experiance indeed. More so the beginning than the content.
delacrat said…
I was there.

Begleiter was ever so nice in how he admonished us to do what he said, STFU or else.

One of the Occupiers was dragged away in a headlock by someone not in uniform and didn't identify himself as police or U of D security. Presumably, he had power of arrest and wasn't just some D or R party goon. Who knows? So would the patriot in the headlock be within his rights to defend himself; risking a charge of assaulting a P.O. ?

Either, way it was ugly. Seemed like a mugging to me. I suppose in any other circumstance it would be. What does it say about the government's legitimacy when it relies on force and secrecy to deal with voters?

The "debate" was empty. Mostly an agreement frenzy.
anonone said…
Meanwhile, the Green Party Presidential candidate and Vice Presidential candidate were handcuffed to chairs for 8 hours yesterday to keep them away from the Presidential Debate.

Isn't it comforting to know that we live in a country that arrests major-party opposition candidates?
kavips said…
Hat's off to Bernie. Patriotism comes out only when it is being suppressed.

The attempt to keep the debate dumbed down so the status quo could remain... ie Carney wins, and Kovich wins his next seat whatever it may be, appears to be successful.

I think the problem stems from the fact that third party candidates in the "olden" days were kooky, and that stereotype remains, even though it now consists of smart people who are simply trying to right the wrongs of the current system.
Anonymous said…
Wherever Tom Gordon goes, he brings his personal army. I imagine it was an undercover cop. Unless it was one of the AFLCIO guys like follow the governor to every stop.
Anonymous said…
"So would the patriot in the headlock be within his rights to defend himself; risking a charge of assaulting a P.O. ?"

Well, since I was a few feet from the incident, I can say if he did try and defend himself, he probably would have hit the one uniformed State Trooper in the audience. That would have made it even uglier than it already was.

I have no idea who the plain clothed person was or who he was affiliated with. But I heard what he whispered in protesters ear before the mugging commenced. If that person reads this blog, all I can say is, people are listening, spreading the word and one day, the person sitting in the chair a few away isnt going to be there to just 'observe',,,,,
Unknown said…
This from one of the people arrested at the UD debacle. If anyone witnessed his mistreatment, please call Desmond Kahn at the number listed below:

Hello, I would like to request that anyone who witnesses my seizure and later arrest in Mitchell Hall last Tuesday would please contact me. If anyone knows someone who did, could you please let me know who they were. I understand from Andy that Steve Newton of the Libertarian Party was sitting behind me and he saw the whole thing, but anyone who saw me being dragged out of the row, up the aisle and through the lobby would be helpful. my number at home is 302-368-4854
Desmond Kahn

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