So, Saddam wants a televised debate against Bush. Sounds perfect. As Howard Kurtz says, why stop there? Screw Dan Rather, Where's Vince McMahon? Shades of that great Frankie Goes to Hollywood video for "Two Tribes" that had Reagan and Chernenko duking it out in what looked like a cockfighting pit....
Seriously, though, as Kurtz says, why are we so dismissive of the idea? In a country where almost everything has to be validated by television before it's accepted into the popular discourse, seems to me it would make complete sense to have Bush stand up and tell us why he wants to kill the guy standing six feet from him.
Here's the relevant quote from the CBS interview with Saddam.
"I am ready to conduct a direct dialogue -- a debate -- with your president. I will say what I want and he will say what he wants," Saddam was quoted as saying.
"This will be an opportunity for him, if he's committed to war, this will be an opportunity to convince the world."
"This is something proposed in earnest, " Saddam said. "Out of my respect for the people of the United States and my respect for the people of Iraq and the people of the world. I call for this because war is not a joke."
"As leaders," Saddam said in his invitation to Bush, "Why don't we use this opportunity?"
Sorry, Saddam. If Ralph Nader couldn't get a look in, I doubt you will.
Nice Note today from ABC News on the Florida gathering of potential Democratic candidates last week.
As Roger Simon points out, early polls are almost exclusively based on name recognition, so it's no surprise that Joe Lieberman has been installed as the front-runner of the "crazy eight" (I'm not sure whether I prefer that, or "seven dwarfs" or even "six pack"...) but in terms of sheer ink, Howard Dean leads the field, with CBS's Bob Schieffer even saying on "Meet the Press" that Dean had "electrified" the crowd in Florida. So much so, in fact that former House leader Richard Gephardt - see above re name recognition - seems to feel he needs to remind people that he's actually running.
The Post's coverage has a good run-down of how each candidate's stance on Iraq went down with the audience. Not at all well, for some....
Comment?
Seriously, though, as Kurtz says, why are we so dismissive of the idea? In a country where almost everything has to be validated by television before it's accepted into the popular discourse, seems to me it would make complete sense to have Bush stand up and tell us why he wants to kill the guy standing six feet from him.
Here's the relevant quote from the CBS interview with Saddam.
"I am ready to conduct a direct dialogue -- a debate -- with your president. I will say what I want and he will say what he wants," Saddam was quoted as saying.
"This will be an opportunity for him, if he's committed to war, this will be an opportunity to convince the world."
"This is something proposed in earnest, " Saddam said. "Out of my respect for the people of the United States and my respect for the people of Iraq and the people of the world. I call for this because war is not a joke."
"As leaders," Saddam said in his invitation to Bush, "Why don't we use this opportunity?"
Sorry, Saddam. If Ralph Nader couldn't get a look in, I doubt you will.
Nice Note today from ABC News on the Florida gathering of potential Democratic candidates last week.
As Roger Simon points out, early polls are almost exclusively based on name recognition, so it's no surprise that Joe Lieberman has been installed as the front-runner of the "crazy eight" (I'm not sure whether I prefer that, or "seven dwarfs" or even "six pack"...) but in terms of sheer ink, Howard Dean leads the field, with CBS's Bob Schieffer even saying on "Meet the Press" that Dean had "electrified" the crowd in Florida. So much so, in fact that former House leader Richard Gephardt - see above re name recognition - seems to feel he needs to remind people that he's actually running.
The Post's coverage has a good run-down of how each candidate's stance on Iraq went down with the audience. Not at all well, for some....
Comment?
posted by Steve at 4:07 PM
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