Post Debate Post

The debate in Los Angeles, entertainment capital of the galaxy, was pretty entertaining, thanks mostly to the irrepressible Al Sharpton (with the best applause and laugh lines of the night), the unflappably sincere Dennis the K, and the subtle jabs and feints of the Johns Edwards and Kerry.

Edwards came off well. He is much better in debate, where his clarity of expression has some substance. Since we saw much of the debate on tape we were able to fast-forward through his son of a mill worker stump mantra, and some of the distinctions he draws are without a difference, but he did overtly make a case for himself (though Kerry bluntly said Edwards couldn't document any of his claims of being more attractive to independents and Republicans) and for people inclined to vote for Edwards but concerned that maybe he didn't know where Iraq is, his foreign policy answers were cogent enough to be reassuring.

Kerry gave some very effective answers, crisp and definite when they needed to be, and complete and detailed when they needed to be. He still isn't very good on explaining his position on gay marriage issues, and neither is Edwards actually, but Edwards is probably right that cultural issues do matter to some voters. Kerry is also right that they are not as important, even in how people rank their priorities to pollsters, as issues of security, jobs, health care and education.

But the built-in laughs had to do with Edwards saying that Kerry would make a great running mate, and Sharpton and Dennis the K. talking about their nomination acceptance speeches. (Sharpton actually made a good point several times that the reason for him to stay in the race is to go to the convention with delegates to affect the party platform.) The joke is based on the fact, clear to everyone, that Kerry has the nomination all but sewed up. Edwards probably did himself some good, for those disposed to search for an alternative, but for most, we suspect Kerry confirmed their confidence. Edwards may have moved a bit closer to making Minnesota and Georgia close. Minnesota in particular is difficult to predict because it is a caucus state, with lots of Dean partisans. We haven't heard anything about the Wellstone people, but if any endorse one of the candidates it could be the difference. (Dean is very unlikely to.) But for the moment we're sticking to our feeling that it will be a ten state sweep for Kerry.

This was perhaps the first debate that the death penalty came up. Kerry is the first presidential candidate in a good long while to oppose it, and though some media parrotheads thought this was a throwback, it may very well mirror the changing mood of an electorate disillusioned by mistakes and maybe, just maybe, by the reflexive vengefulness that somehow has become the conventional response. Larry King asked the Dukakis-killing type question: would he favor the death penalty for someone who murders a child? Kerry gave this a great answer, beginning by saying he'd want to choke that person with his bare hands, and that he understands this instinct, but too many condemned prisoners have proven to be innocent.

For those who think Kerry is too political, think about how courageous a stand this is. Clinton felt he had to neutralize this issue, to the extent of signing off on the execution of a mentally retarded prisoner. But given the realities of unjust executions and their symbolism in racial and class inequities reflected in the prison population, for all the conservative white votes in Georgia, for example, that Edwards might pick up by being for captial punishment, Kerry may gain black and other minority votes.

The reason that these issues did come up in this debate, besides the presence of Larry King as moderator, is that the media parrotheads are always happy to fall in line with Bush in making these so-called cultural issues important, because they are sensational, get adrenelin attention (and ratings) and they are seemingly uncomplicated, for or against, basically beyond the control of a president anyway, but a lot more fun to talk about than boring old health care and social security.

The New York Times has endorsed Kerry. The LA Times probably will as well, but even if they don't it won't help Edwards enough. California may like charm but above all wants to back the winner. With New York, California and Ohio, plus the New England states, Kerry should have a very good March 2. With Georgia and Minnesota, it will be even sweeter.