Thursday, October 19, 2006
The Chafee - Whitehouse Debate
Some observations on the debate between Sheldon Whitehouse and Lincoln Chafee on Channel 12 this evening:
1. Laffey was right, there is not that much difference between these candidates. I think the give away to this fact was one of the questions towards the end when we learn that both Chafee's and Whitehouse's fathers were close friends who attended Yale. Now which one was born with a silver foot in his mouth?
2. Whitehouse was the more attractive on the outside. Forthright, excellent hand movements while Chafee was his usual awkward and jerky caricature. often reading and stumbling about, while Whitehouse looked often into the camera.
3. Chafee absolutely nailed Whitehouse on his inconsistent and crazy views on bringing the troops home from Iraq. I mean really - December? Even before he is to be sworn in assuming he wins? He also nailed him solidly, I think, on the Roger Williams Hospital scandal that occurred on his watch. Whitehouse's explanation for doing nothing was weak.
4. Of course, Chafee's position on Iraq was almost the same as Whitehouse's.
5. Finally, and the winner goes to....I don't think it matters much. I thought Laffey handily won his debates against Chafee, yet Chafee still won by 8%. I think people will be deciding how to vote even closer to November 7, and that the deluge of negative ads that Chafee will shower down on Whitehouse in the final days will make the difference - as it did in the primary against Laffey. I expect to see a Chafee negative ad a minute in a couple of weeks.
1. Laffey was right, there is not that much difference between these candidates. I think the give away to this fact was one of the questions towards the end when we learn that both Chafee's and Whitehouse's fathers were close friends who attended Yale. Now which one was born with a silver foot in his mouth?
2. Whitehouse was the more attractive on the outside. Forthright, excellent hand movements while Chafee was his usual awkward and jerky caricature. often reading and stumbling about, while Whitehouse looked often into the camera.
3. Chafee absolutely nailed Whitehouse on his inconsistent and crazy views on bringing the troops home from Iraq. I mean really - December? Even before he is to be sworn in assuming he wins? He also nailed him solidly, I think, on the Roger Williams Hospital scandal that occurred on his watch. Whitehouse's explanation for doing nothing was weak.
4. Of course, Chafee's position on Iraq was almost the same as Whitehouse's.
5. Finally, and the winner goes to....I don't think it matters much. I thought Laffey handily won his debates against Chafee, yet Chafee still won by 8%. I think people will be deciding how to vote even closer to November 7, and that the deluge of negative ads that Chafee will shower down on Whitehouse in the final days will make the difference - as it did in the primary against Laffey. I expect to see a Chafee negative ad a minute in a couple of weeks.
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