Washington Debate

[Alcon]

I wasn't particularly underwhelmed, nor overwhelmed.  I was whelmed.  Bad news for McGavick that they didn't show the fainting cameraman, because he apparently volunteered to stop the debate until the guy was OK.  That would have been personable points.  But, nay, it was cut.

Cantwell (D): Kind of advertisement-recording stance for the entire debate.  She stayed together the best of those in the debate, but was pretty conservative in her performance.  Her evasion of some questions was a disservice, especially considering she wasn't ultra-specific anywhere and McGavick attacked her on this sort of thing.

McGavick (R): McGavick-y.  Clearly on the offensive, but trying to still come off as folksy.  This debate was kind of like the ads between the two.  Even if McGavick got in some good swipes and Cantwell postured herself well, it all seems damp and sedate.  At least the debate correctly referred to him as being from Shoreline instead of Seattle; that was getting annoying.

Guthrie (L): Started off rockin' in the beginning, save for looking down during others' responses (it looks like you're sleeping, dude).  He played it rather liberal for most of the debate.  Save for the stuff about "Democrats and Republicans" (a phrase he repeated too often) and overuse of a few phrases (notably "medical freedom"), he came off sane.  Not only that, but the other candidates said his name a number of times, and he managed to actually be about a third of the debate.  Oh, and he doesn't seem crazy.  Overall, a big win for him if anyone.  I'm going to call him probably breaking 5%, if not 10%.  In fact, I might even have voted for him.  If he didn't start stumbling and repeating himself toward the end of the middle half, he would probably have won the debate overall and a cakewalk.  I'd still have to say he won, though.

I should add, though, that neither McGavick nor Cantwell had a truly embarassing moment, but Guthrie did.  His answer on how to handle violence relating to illegal immigration was awful, and his North Korea answer was pretty bad too.  I also am confused as to why McGavick interrupted Cantwell to say he had the first question, the moderator said that the coin toss McGavick was referring to actually was for closing statements, and then Guthrie went first with closing statements.

Dixon (G): WTO-throwback theatrics.  But, damn, you have to love the ponytail.  Very Ice T.

Adair (I): Robin Adair is a black lady who doesn't like the war and wants the government to stay out of peoples' personal lives.  I learned that all today.  Before I didn't even know what sex Robin Adair was.  That says a lot about her campaign.