Oooops²

Well, it was a tie by my estimation, which, if you go by political voodoo means a small win for Edwards, cuz he wasn't blown away by "the most powerful vice president in history." Too many pick-ups from Kerry's Thursday night performance--"September, August, July..." Relatively little snarling from Dick, but some very weird opt-outs on further rebuttals. Surprising how many criticisms he let lay there or didn't seem to have the interest to chase down. African American women and AIDS was a shaky moment but an odds-on wash for his red meat believers. Edwards unwisely and circuitously jetted off to Africa first instead of going for the "out of touch with average-American concerns" that the question could have represented. Decent line about being afraid of Howard Dean but can't see it sticking. (They spent the primaries whispering from the sidelines that we should all be afraid of Howard Dean, hence I'm still not convinced Karl Rove wasn't afraid of Howard Dean.)

Goofy Edwards mistake on the "Don't mention your running mate" question, but nice recovery with "Can I say his name now?" Bad form by Edwards at the end sorta just waving a dismissive, no eye contact "Thank you, Mr. Vice President," then leaping into his closing statement. "Learning math from the TV" at oh-dark-thirty. Huh? Then Cheney pointedly thanked Ifill and not Johnny Sunshine, natch. Hehe. Payback's a bitch--except when it feeds into your rep as The Dark Lord of the Undisclosed Location and the guy who told meek old Pat Leahy to "Go F*ck yourself." While goofy structurally, Edwards closes with optimism and the economic power of education, but Dick wheels out his trusty mushroom cloud. Fish gotta swim, birds gotta fly. Speaking of which...

I said was a tie. Cheney blew it with his inexplicable "i never said Iraq was tied to 9-11," and "Never met him." Is that your Final answer, Mr Vice President?

Prayers and Cheney and Edwards, oh my.


Or: Liddy goes to Washington, Cheney does more swearing

Gannet News Service, 1/8/03:

Senator Edwards Escorted Elizabeth Dole When She Was Sworn In As North Carolina's Other Senator.  Elizabeth Dole was sworn in as North Carolina's other senator on January 8, 2003.  Gannet News Service wrote:  "As per Senate tradition, Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., escorted her."

Dole Took The Senate Oath Administered By Vice President Dick Cheney.  According to Gannet News Service: "[Dole] raised her right hand and took the oath administered by Vice President Dick Cheney, the Senate president."

This goofy urge to calmly claim the moon is made of green cheese on any number of issues is bound to rob him of any semblance of a pure tie in the media. Tim Russert has already said they met preparing to go on his show, but most importantly, Timmy has video of Dick on Meet the Press last Sept and other times saying: Iraq = Club Med for Al qaida, Command Post for 9-11. The media fact-checkers are gonna run this and others down with glee til Friday. Tie is blown.