Thoughts on the YouTube Debate
So I had an opportunity to watch a replay of the Democratic YouTube debate tonight, and after listening to each of the candidates, I have to say I was impressed with Barack Obama’s performance. I know a lot’s been made of his statement that he’d be willing to sit down and talk with “questionable world leaders” - folks like Hugo Chavez, Fidel Castro, and Kim Jong Il - and how naive a statement like that really is - but I give him credit for taking a chance and being honest about what he’d do. As for the naivety of Senator Obama’s statement, I’ll just say that the diplomacy of George Dubbya hasn’t produced many positive results when it comes to our relations with the rest of the world, so maybe it’s time for a radically different approach.
Now I’m not saying Barack Obama has the answer, but at least he’s willing to try something different, and at least he’s not afraid to take a chance and not give the “safe answer.” I give Obama a lot of credit for taking a chance, and I think he and his campaign have done a good job of spinning his answer in the aftermath of the YouTube debate.
Edit: I also have to say while it was mildly amusing at first when Mike Gravel kept referring to not getting a chance to speak, it started to annoy me towards the end of the debate. Perhaps if he had something relevant and not completely crazy to say, he’d have more of an opportunity to speak.