No more soft pitches, part 2
The New York Times solicited suggestions for questions for both candidates for tonight's debate. The quality of questions is impressive. Here's a sample.
JACK MILES, author of "God: A Biography":
The United States cannot defend itself against Islamist terrorism without the help of the world's Muslims. Yet according to the 9/11 commission report, two-thirds of the world's Muslims fear that the United States may attack them. Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin, your deputy undersecretary for defense intelligence, caused a scandal among the world's Muslims by repeatedly saying that Muslims hate the United States "because we're a Christian nation." Are you prepared to say to the world's Muslims that the United States is not a Christian nation but a religiously neutral nation whose Constitution prohibits the establishment of any religion?
For Kerry:
JAMES Q. WILSON, author of “The Moral Sense”:
Why should we make you commander in chief of the United States armed forces after you have said that those forces regularly committed war crimes in Vietnam, and after you voted against new missile systems, the B-2 bomber and the American-led effort to drive Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait in 1991?
The question for Kerry is a hatchet job, but it's something America should see him answer. Bush's question is just plain hard for him to answer without alienating someone.
I'm hopeful that there will be some really tough questions in the debate tonight. I've read that citizens in town hall forums ask harder questions than journalists, who are just part of the club.
P.S.: Bonus Bush question:
ANA MARIE COX, editor of Wonkette.com:
Personal experience can often change political opinions. So, just hypothetically: Let's say your vice president's daughter was gay ... Oh, wait. Umm ... What if you were responsible for the biggest deficit in American history - oh, ha. O.K.: Let's say you invaded a country based on faulty intelligence ... Er, oops ... No, we got it: How did "The Pet Goat" end, anyway?
posted by Luke Francl @ 1:19 PM |
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1 Comments:
From the same link, this "question" for Kerry from Anne Fadiman is just so preposterous I need to quote it in full:
"Most heads of state speak at least two languages — a skill one might expect to be useful in international negotiation. Although you’re fluent in French, you chose to ignore a question from a Frenchspeaking journalist at a press conference earlier this year, presumably because you feared being perceived as too smart, too snobbish, too global — and, by extension, insufficiently American. If, as president, you met with President Jacques Chirac of France, would you permit yourself to speak French? Would the American people?"
How the hell is Kerry gonna answer that? "I will only speak French to Jacques Chirac if the American people permit me"? Or, "damnez les américains, je parle français!"
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