Thank You Mr. Boehner

Wednesday evening, I expect to watch the debate among some of the contenders for the honor of being the Republican candidate for president.  It is a useful forum and I am glad that Mr. Boehner refused Mr. Obama's request for a speech to a Joint Session of Congress.  Awkward timing or political gamesmanship I know not, but I tend to suspect the later.  Either the president's staff is overly partisan or just incompetent, either way, the situation does not smell very good.  Had Mr. Boehner acquiesced, most of the media would have broadcast the President's speech and those of us trying to decide who to support in 2012 would have been denied this peek into the thoughts of the various candidates maneuvering to replace him.

Having said that, let me quickly go on to say that I do not expect to learn very much from the debate.  The problems that our country face are far too complex to be "discussed" intelligently in this type of forum.  What we will get when all is said and done is an insight into the way these people think on their feet and how adroit they are at producing politically sensitive sound bites.  The "winner" will represent an accomplished politician that was well prepared by his or her staff.  Personality will count for more than substantive analytical thought.  (Tim Pawlenty has already fallen by the way, a victim of the personality wars.)  According to the pundits, most viewers will be watching Rick Perry tonight to see how he holds up to the hopes that he has managed to generate among conservatives in recent months.

What we see Wednesday night will be important, but of even more importance will be how the media spins the debate.  One of the candidates will probably stumble and some other candidate will capitalize on his or her gaff with a clever rejoinder.  The press will spend more time on that exchange than on any of the substantive proposals that the various people present (if they present any).  The media coverage will influence the twittering electorate.  This will result in a change in the all important polls.  Someone will emerge with a higher rating than they had going into the debate and he or she will be seen to be "gathering steam."  As this process continues, we will eventually pick a candidate that some of us like and some of us do not.  As Mr. Obama has demonstrated, we won't really know much about the person that we elect until they get into office.  It's kind of like the famous Pelosi statement.  "We have to pass the law to find out what is in it."  In the case of our president, we have to elect him or her to find out who he or she really is.

I also look forward to hearing the President speak Thursday night and I am glad that he is not going to make me choose between NFL football and a speech to the Joint Session of Congress.  I confess that I am tired of Mr. Obama's  speeches and fear that, to my deep embarrassment, I might have chosen the Saints/Packer game over the speech (understanding, of course, that I could read the speech the next morning on the internet).  Like the political theater of the forthcoming Republican debate, I do not expect my president to say anything new.  I am deeply jaundiced by his oratory over the years.  Well crafted phraseology, superb meter, wonderful voice inflection, goals worthy of lofty ambition, and full of heartfelt promises that are demonstrably devoid of sincerity.