There is a theory which states: Television fundamentally changes anything it covers. I think that might actually be my theory, but maybe not.
Witness the CNN/YouTube debate on CNN the other night which featured the latest version of "Let's Find A Way To Make A Political Debate Containing 173 Candidates Six Months Ahead Of The First Caucus Interesting" featuring people having uploaded videos to YouTube and have CNN pick the silliest, dumbest, least relevant, most absurd questions for the candidates to answer.
Proving the theory that even a stopped watch tells the correct time twice a day, a guy named Stephen Sorta asked whether would be willing to meet, with not pre-conditions, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea during their first year as president.
Which was a pretty good question. A pretty good question that Barak Obama first fumbled, then kicked, and finally picked up and handed to Hillary Clinton.
Obama said he would "And the reason is this: That the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them -- which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration -- is ridiculous."
Which is, of course, ridiculous. But remember, this is the same Barak Obama who, in the first debate, when asked what he would do as President if there was a major terrorist attack against the United States said, essentially, he would make certain there was enough blue tarp available to cover the roofs of damaged houses.
Hillary Clinton said "I will not promise to meet with the leaders of these countries during my first year … because I think it is not that you promise a meeting at that high a level before you know what the intentions are." Promising a "vigorous diplomatic effort," she said, "I don't want to be used for propaganda purposes and don't want to make a situation worse."
Which is yet another reason why Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee - something you need to start thinking about very seriously.
At some point even the MoveOn.org/George Soros/Cindy Sheehan wing of the Democratic party is going to have to come to grips with the fact that Barak Obama has the same qualifications and judgement to be President of the United States as Titus the Granddog which may be a libel against The Lad's Pug.
But let's get back to this business of political debates as made-for-TV events.
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