Just Damn

The latest ARG Tracking poll has Deano down to 3rd in New Hampshire, although it's too early to reflect last night's debate or the Diane Sawyer interview with Deano and his wife.

I'm not allowed to watch any more Donk debates since my cussing and yelling frightens the livestock and sets the dogs to barking. But most accounts I have read seem to echo John Podhoretz's view - Kerry and Deano did OK, Clark and Edwards didn't. Skipping the details and heading right for the snarky lines:

Edwards isn't ready for prime time. It's not even clear whether he's ready for the time of day when SpongeBob Squarepants is on.

I thought SpongeBob was always on, but I get the idea.

There's been a lot of talk that Wesley Clark would make a great vice-presidential candidate. Let me put this plainly: Anybody who picks this weirdo as vice president would need to have his head examined.

Well at least he didn't break out a roll of aluminum foil and start making a beanie - yet.

And while this was supposed to be the last debate before the primary election, I see that there is an effort to organize another one on Sunday focusing on "women's issues". Be still my heart!

As for the "couple interview" of Deano and Judy with Diane Sawyer, I didn't watch that either, but the general reaction seems to be benign or even positive in comparison to the notorious Hill and Bill show on 60 Minutes in 1992. Timothy Noah, however, says they shouldn't have taken as much crap as they did from Diane. I always say that about the unannointed priests of the press, Tim, but if you lay down with dogs, you have to expect to get up with fleas.

UPDATE: More debate goodness from Jeff Jacoby (via On the Third Hand) - A tedious night, with a bit of humor:

There can't be much doubt about who turned in the best performance in last night's New Hampshire debate. Only one man on that stage was consistently calm and thoughtful, well-spoken and well-prepared.

He didn't wilt under pressure, he was forceful without being discourteous -- if anyone appeared ready for the responsibilities of the White House, it was he. Too bad Brit Hume isn't running for president.

Bwahaha!

It was worth the price of admission just to see that blowhard Al Sharpton try to answer a question about the Federal Reserve. It was funny to discover that John Edwards doesn't appear to have the slightest idea what the Defense of Marriage Act is all about. And it was hilarious to watch Clark try to wriggle out of Brit Hume's devastating query about his political loyalties: After reciting a litany of examples of Clark's pro-Republican record, Hume asked, "Can you tell us when you first noticed you were a Democrat?"

Hume really was terrific last night. Maybe it's not too late to get him on the ballot.

I also hear that Peter Jennings did a surprisingly good job too, hard as it may be to believe. He was the one who asked Sharpton about the Federal Reserve. Transcript is here.