Inhofe-Rice debate

[badger]

For those that missed it, here are some professional recaps:

Tulsa World: Senate Hopefuls Rumble (http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20081008_16_A1_SaeBvl464911 )

KJRH, ABC-2 Tulsa: Watch it here. (http://www.kjrh.com/content/news/decision/debatevideo.aspx)

KJRH: Debate recap in words (http://www.kjrh.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=268f9912-0d1c-4bb5-a1fe-846ce03cd62f)

NewsOK: Economy dominates Inhofe-Rice debate (http://newsok.com/rice-inhofe-debate-issues/article/3308572)

In a nutshell, Sen. Jim Inhofe, Republican incumbent for 14 years filling in for retiring David Boren, who in case you are not a real Sooner has been OU president ever since, did his first, final and only debate against young aspiring State Senator Andrew Rice, Democrat serving his first State Senate term.

The debate was broadcast (IN HIGH DEF! woot woot) on Channel 2/9, KJRH in Tulsa. Mandatory and obligatory Tulsa > OKC.

I have a major irk with both McCain and Inhofe now from televised debates: WEAR A SOLID COLORED TIE. Both Jim and John decided to wear stripey/dotty ties that show up awwwwww-ful in non-HD, which might appeal to us rich Republicans with our awesome television, but to the rest of working class Oklahoma, they appear a blurry mess - it turns green on a regular television. Boo.

As for Rice, I believe that he has his stuff in order, but needs to work on public appearances. He has major eyebrow issues (where he is raising them and lowering them at the same time) and moved back and forth to make the cameraman seasick. Plus, the hand gestures were pretty forced... and awkward.

If anyone watched it, or just wants to talk about the Senate race, I would be happy to indulge in cordial discussion on real issues aside from tie patterns and n00b debater behaviors :D

[SoonerStormchaser]

They both suck...but Inhoffe sucks less...

[badger]

They both suck...but Inhoffe sucks less...

The fact of the day: Inhofe is running for a six-year term, but is older than John McCain. Take THAT, people-who-say-McCain-is-too-old-to-run-for-president-and-that-four-year-term-is-far-too-long-for-old-McCain-to-handle

[frankensooner]

HOw did Jack do?


What about Andy's hair? toop!!!

[Frozen Sooner]

The fact of the day: Inhofe is running for a six-year term, but is older than John McCain. Take THAT, people-who-say-McCain-is-too-old-to-run-for-president-and-that-four-year-term-is-far-too-long-for-old-McCain-to-handle

This does more to damage your pro-Inhofe case than boster a pro-McCain case.

Plus, it's worth noting that it's a bit less stressful to be a Senator than President.

[Jimminy Crimson]

Rice will go down like Monica on Bill.

[badger]

This does more to damage your pro-Inhofe case than boster a pro-McCain case.

Plus, it's worth noting that it's a bit less stressful to be a Senator than President.

:D I'm not making a pro-Inhofe or pro-McCain bid here (unless you consider my bashing of his eyebrows to be too Republican, hehe). However, let's not try to argue that being a Senator is not stressful, because that's exactly what made David Boren retire from Senate after so many years.

---
Ok, now for pro-Inhofe, or pro-Rice casing :D Inhofe is obviously concerned about this challenger to his incumbency if he agreed to a debate (even if it was a single debate) him. Unfortunately for Inhofe, he came across as quite a bit more Republican than necessary (you only need to be strictly Dem or strictly Repub in a primary, not a main election) by being critical of Rice for being devoted to the church of liberalism or whatever. In any event, Inhofe mentioned Rice's liberalness far too much for comfort.

As for Rice, it wasn't just his eyebrows that made him look like a n00b. He stumbled over words many times and most noticeably to me, repeated a lot of the statements that have been used in presidential/vice presidential debates already. The Democrats have been talking about W's eight years in office and the whole "Wall Street/Main Street" cliche, and Rice, on cue, used both.

It was exactly as expected and as such, the debate served no purpose for either candidates to forward their own campaigns or bash the other guy's. I give them both D-minuses for these efforts. You didn't phail completely, but you are barely passing.

[Frozen Sooner]

This thread sort of makes me wonder about a quirk of how we elect people to office in our nation. Nothing to do with the candidates in question here, by the way-I haven't followed the OK Senatorial race at all and don't know that I could name one position either one holds.

The question it raises (to me, at least) is how many really capable politicians we have in this nation who have no chance to rise to national prominence because of the state in which they live-either Democrats living in (say) Montana or Republicans living in (say) Oregon.

[frankensooner]

I guess it wasn't too important as our local NBC affiliate didn't preempt The Biggest Loser. Way to go KFOR. The Brown team won the challenge. I hate them, big LSU fans and the wife is a crier. sheesh.

[Frozen Sooner]

Case in point, by the way:

Mark Begich has had an amazingly successful run as mayor of Anchorge (an officially non-partisan post.) He's running for US Senate vs. Ted Stevens, a guy who's currently on trial for corruption. Begich has VERY high favorability ratings in-state and has money pouring in from all over the country for ad buys. Yet the latest Rassmussen polling puts him down a point.

[sooner_born_1960]

Do Inhof's people not realize he's going to win by a gazillion votes. A debate could do him no good at all.

[Jimminy Crimson]

Rice's commercials make me cringe. Especially the awkward/forced 'people not politics' at the end with the strange arm movements.

[SoonerInKCMO]

Rice's commercials make me cringe. Especially the awkward/forced 'people not politics' at the end with the strange arm movements.

Man, if I could find a youtube clip of that guy from 4-Day Furniture in Tulsa, I'd post it right here.

[PhilTLL]

The question it raises (to me, at least) is how many really capable politicians we have in this nation who have no chance to rise to national prominence because of the state in which they live-either Democrats living in (say) Montana or Republicans living in (say) Oregon.

Like Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR), Max Baucus (D-MT) and Jon Tester (D-MT), you mean? And Montana's Governor Brian Schweitzer (D) has one of those vaunted "high gubernatorial approval ratings", over 70%, in fact. Quirky place, Montana.

[Frozen Sooner]

Yeah, them. Dang it, you know what I'm talking about. :D

There may not be any validity to the thought, but you have to admit that a Republican running in California probably has an uphill climb, just like a Democrat running in Oklahoma does. Doesn't mean they CAN'T win, just that there's a barrier there.

[NYC Poke]

When Harris County (where Houston is), Texas started turning Republican, a lot of judges that were Democrats switched their party affiliation. Those that didn't were voted out of office by people who vote along party lines alone. I suspect this happens a good deal, and it is why a center consensus and bipartisanship are possible.

[soonerscuba]

I can't wait until the day Inhofe comes bursting out of the closet after divorcing his wife.

The man is an utter fool. He compared environmentalists to Nazis, supports totrure, and voted against an expanded student loan program. Once again, the man is a total disgrace to the state of Oklahoma and the country as a whole.

[Whet]

I can't wait until the day Inhofe comes bursting out of the closet after divorcing his wife.

The man is an utter fool. He compared environmentalists to Nazis, supports totrure, and voted against an expanded student loan program. Once again, the man is a total disgrace to the state of Oklahoma and the country as a whole.

I guess comparing environmentalists to Nazis' is so much worst than comparing U.S. troops to Nazi Stormtroopers, as did Male Body Part Durbin, senior Senator from Illinois, and a complete political hack!

[soonerscuba]

I guess comparing environmentalists to Nazis' is so much worst than comparing U.S. troops to Nazi Stormtroopers, as did Male Body Part Durbin, senior Senator from Illinois, and a complete political hack!Durbin is also pretty foolish, Inhofe certainly isn't alone in that category in the Senate.

[badger]

Of course, hehe, they could just claim to be Republican in Republican states, or Democrats in Democratic states and then when they are in office, declare themselves "mavericks" for crossing party lines and not voting with "their party" all of the time.

:D