For the Record: Debate

Via The Log Cabin Sage, who retails a great story from the 1858 Senate campaign of how Douglas snidely noted that Lincoln had managed a grocery store in the course of his career, and showed himself to be "a very good bartender". Lincoln came back to it in his response: “What Mr. Douglas has said, gentlemen, is true enough. I did keep a grocery, and I did sell cotton, candles, and cigars, and sometimes whiskey; but I remember in those days, Mr. Douglas was one of my best customers. Many a time have I stood on one side of the counter and sold whiskey to Mr. Douglas on the other side; but the difference between us now is this: I have left my side of the counter, but Mr. Douglas still sticks to his as tenaciously as ever.”

Touché, gentlemen.

Candidate Yang made a couple of really annoying historical errors, when he suggested that folks in the ancient times when they used to debate socialism and capitalism never anticipated how economies would be transformed by automation

https://t.co/dY8d7cU1h2 pic.twitter.com/uZq9kDFokI

— Pray For the Opposite (@Yastreblyansky) February 8, 2020

and claimed the support of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for his silly "universal basic income" program

Dear Andrew Yang, Dr. King's MINIMUM guaranteed income pegged to the median wage was a very different animal from your $1000 universal handout, a lovely present for somebody like me but not close to a living income for those who need it.

— Pray For the Opposite (@Yastreblyansky) February 8, 2020

Other than that, the candidates were on their best behavior, and I was impressed:

First debate where I've felt good, really about everybody (disagree strongly with the gimmick ideas in Yang's portfolio and have some bafflement over where Buttigieg stands, but even about them--both understand a lot of very important things)

— Pray For the Opposite (@Yastreblyansky) February 8, 2020

Warren, who is my candidate, is extraordinary and Klobuchar, who I disagree with a lot, always convinces me that she would be good at presidenting (FDR campaigned for balancing the budget in 1932 but had temperament). Steyer, who has no chance, is playing a useful role.

— Pray For the Opposite (@Yastreblyansky) February 8, 2020

So the overall feeling is pretty encouraged for a change.

In other local news, just screaming at Trump, and Rubio:

Senator Manchin's job isn't to pay you back for doing him a favor. This is the Senate not the Mafiya. His job according to the oath he swore at the beginning of the trial is to be an impartial judge of the facts, and the fact is you're guilty.

— Pray For the Opposite (@Yastreblyansky) February 8, 2020

(Also it was a pretty shitty favor as far as the people of West Virginia are concerned https://t.co/C2HRXfXh9I)

— Pray For the Opposite (@Yastreblyansky) February 8, 2020

Would have been so much better for our country if Vindman, with his deep knowledge of Ukraine and his deep patriotism, had stayed in the job he was supremely suited for and Trump, ignorant and corrupt, had left. That was your job, Senator, and you blew it. And you know that.

— Pray For the Opposite (@Yastreblyansky) February 8, 2020