McPalinauguration on January 20, 2009--still time to run for the Exits

Yesterday's debate and the subsequent analysis has made it quite clear that the media, including the moderators and the analysts, is catering to entertainment rather than educating the public. The mainstream media assumes that the public is ignorant and stupid, and works hard to keep it that way. These thoughts are based on some of my observations...

• In the debate, McCain, who claims to have years of foreign policy experience, did not pronounce correctly either the names of foreign countries (including Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq) or the names of leaders like Ahmedinajad or Zardari. Obama pronounced the names effortlessly and correctly, and was gracious enough not to highlight McCain's callousness. People everywhere take their country's name seriously. Mispronouncing it displays a lack of respect and a lack of education. If a person like McCain does not even bother, after 26 years, to learn to pronounce these things properly and nobody highlights it, the American public will not 'get it.' Of course, most people in the media continue to mangle these names as well...And the public wonders why people in other countries dislike us.
  
• While McCain kept twisting Obama's statements and taking them out of context the moderator just let everything go by. Obama's statement that he would talk to all nations without pre-conditions was suddenly twisted to mean that he would be sitting opposite Ahmedinajad and giving the country away.
• McCain claims that the surge worked, but does not admit that the war was wrong and the surge was needed because he and his GWB administration caused the problems. It is also not clear if the surge just 'shifted' the problem. There is no guarantee that once the troops are removed stability prevails.
• Currently the U.S. is conducting operations at the Pakistan Afghan border, sometimes without Pakistan's consent. Yet McCain flailed at Obama because Obama said that he would conduct operations if Pakistan's forces did not do it themselves.

The sad part is that Jim Lehrer, of PBS, did not seriously question the candidates. Both of them got away with semi-truths and accusations, but McCain's were the most egregious. Reviews of the debate in the major papers did not discuss these issues either.

At this pace, it is likely that we will witness the coronation of McPalin at the McPalinauguration on Jan. 2oth. Unless Obama establishes landslide support, Republican 'electorate management' techniques, perfected by Karl Rove and his disciples, will deliver the victory.