The UFO Question in Last Night's Debate

[Orrex]

Poll question: The UFO Question in Last Night's Debate

[stirlingsliver]

1. Absolutely A Calculated Ploy

It absolutely was a calculated ploy.

The press is after Dennis.

[Richard Steele]

3. I agree completely.

Dennis scares the hell out of the Powers That Be;
they're on a mission to thwart his candidacy.

[skipos]

4. I highly doubt the Powers That Be are scared of Dennis' 2% support

The press likes the "gotcha" questions, and this was one for Dennis.

[stirlingsliver]

9. Russert Is Part Of The Corruption

Russert is part of the corruption that is in DC.

Russert (and his cronies in the press) are part of "the powers that be".

Once the powers that be get someone in their sights, they are relentless in trying to crush him or her.

At least we get to vote on some of the other powers that be.

But who elected Russert??

[Turbineguy]

2. Well somebody who says Bush is crazy

has to be discredited.

[Orrex]

5. Some people are discredited by others

And some discredit themselves.

Kucinich should reflect upon this the next time he's communicating with his interplanetary buddies.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Orrex]

8. I am not being sarcastic, nor will I fuck off

Kucinich has repeatedly cast his lot with the crowd that can be discribed (not inaccurately) as woo-woo, so a brief visit with his constituents from Rigel-4 is entirely in line with his general attitudes.

I'm sorry that your beloved candidate believes zany things, and I'm sorry that this contributes to his non-electability. But it's no disservice to him to judge him based on his statements or beliefs.

[tridim]

10. I've never seen an electron, so obviously they don't exist..

and if you say they do, then you're crazy.

See how that works?

Like DK I have seen a UFO (that was also seen by hundreds of others including police officers), but according to you, I'm "woo-woo" simply because you have a closed mind and haven't been lucky enough to see one for yourself. That's just pathetic.

Believe whatever you want, but I think your attitude stinks.

[Orrex]

11. Oh boy

I haven't seen an electron, but I've seen phenomena for which electrons are the best explanation and the best supported by empirical data.

Kucinich, in marked contrast, has made numerous assertions that are poorly supported by evidence, and his assertions aren't the best explanations for the underlying phenomena.

Your assertion--that you saw an unidentified object--differs by several orders of magnitude from Kucinich's story, in which this fancy craft touched his heart and mind.

For this reason I don't consider you a woo-woo (unless you claim definitively that what you saw was an alien craft). However, Kucinich is a woo-woo for his account of his cozy mind-meld on the balcony.

It's significant that he didn't deny MacLaine's description of the episode; he simply gave a more tepid recounting of it in the debate last night. Why so evasive and halting? Did he or did he not see a silent triangular craft with connections to his heart and mind? Such timidity reflects poorly on the Kucinich the Fearless.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

20. Really?

"Kucinich has repeatedly cast his lot with the crowd that can be discribed (not inaccurately) as woo-woo, so a brief visit with his constituents from Rigel-4 is entirely in line with his general attitudes."

"The "serious" question was prompted by actress Shirley MacLaine's new book, in which she writes that Kucinich had spotted a UFO over her home in Washington state and "found the encounter extremely moving... It was a triangular craft silent and hovering,'' she wrote, and Kucinich "felt a connection'' in his heart and "heard direction'' in his mind.

"I did,''' Kucinich said to the question of whether he had seen a UFO.

As for "the rest of the account,'' he said, "I didn't."

Color me skeptical.

[Orrex]

22. I may have misread the transcript

Russert: Now, did you see a UFO?

Kucinich: I did. And the rest of the account -- I didn't -- it was an unidentified flying object, OK? It's, like, it's unidentified. I saw something.

I read Kucinich's "I didn't" as a bit of a stumble, whereas you seem to be suggesting that that it was a denial of the rest of the account. This would probably have been clearer in the actual airing, but I don't get MSNBC and don't have the means to watch the debate online.

If it was indeed a denial, then I retract my comments re: his Rigel-4 constituency.

In either case, I think it would benefit him to issue an unambiguous statement one way or the other.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

24. He says he saw an object he couldn't identify.

You say he believes in little green men from rigel IV.

It doesn't strike me as Kucinich who's making the extraordinary claims without extraordinary evidence.

[Orrex]

25. I made no claims as to the color of the constituents from Rigel-4

And, having now retracted that objection, I can't help wondering why you're still taking issue with it.

[FSogol]

7. Media pundits must destroy populist candidates

If everyone starts listening to a populist, then they'll stop listening to the pundits.

For example, see Gary Hart, Ross Perot, Howard Dean, etc, etc.

Candidates that speak directly to the American Public scare the Russerts and Limbaugh's of the world.

edit: sp

[DS1]

12. Tim Russert needs to be abducted and have a large radio telescope array rammed up his ass

3 or four of these puppies

[Orrex]

13. Yeah, but we all knew that before yesterday's debate

True in any case.

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. Other.

A way to make the entire process look silly and irrelevant. Every minute spent on UFOs is a minute not spent on Blackwater.

[Orrex]

16. The same can be said of any two subjects

And only if a discussion of one precludes a discussion of the other.

Also, I would argue that a minute spent on any question that helps to demonstrate the personality and character of the candidates is a minute well spent.

If Giuliani exploded in rage at a question about his appearance in Seinfeld, I think that would be relevant because it might show a serious problem with his temper or his past or whatever. A question that requires a candidate to admit to a somewhat bizarre belief (e.g., that his mind and heart were touched by an alien craft) is entirely appropriate.

[Basileus Basileon]

15. Can't it be both?

It was calculated to make him look silly, because that's funny television for the people who don't care about politics. And it doesn't matter, because he has as much a shot of being elected President as Colbert does.

[Orrex]

17. Absolutely it can be both

And in fact I expect that it is.

[Renew Deal]

18. Calculated and Kucinich mishandled it.

He should have known it was coming.

[Basileus Basileon]

19. I liked the moment where

he got Russert to repeatedly admit that 14% of Americans--or 42 million people, if you consider that representative (which is another issue)--also believe they have seen one.

However, with a candidate that's often seen as something of a head-in-the-clouds dreamer, he still could have handled it a bit better. Barack Obama had a fantastic answer to much the same question: "Life on other planets? I know that there's life here on Earth; let's take care of those folks first, and we'll worry about the other folks later." (paraphrasing)

[Renew Deal]

21. Yes, that was subtle and funny.

14%
What?
14%
What
14%
Smile :)

[LSK]

23. a ploy to make Kucinich and the Impeachment movement look crazy

As that Kucinich was calling for Impeachment all night.

Same old MSM ploys trying to control the sheeple.

:grr:

[lovuian]

26. I think its going to Backfire because many Americans are

going to see him as OPENMINDED and futuristic

not crazy