Hell no once again to any American flags
on the debate stage two days after 9/11

Blaska is an especially cheeky chappie this morning. Yes, he watched some of the Democrat(ic) presidential debate Live From Texas Thursday evening (09-12-19) in between the Phillies/Braves game and the National Weather Service alerts. BRAAAPPP, BRAAAPPP! … (These emergency weather alerts seem to prevent one from changing the channel. Sort of like that 1960s science fiction TV show, Outer Limits.)

I do love me a good debate, which is why the white lab coats here at Blaska Policy Werkes tune in to the House of Commons every chance it’s on. (I do hope C-Span renews the show for another season!) Otherwise, we settle for the U.S. Congress. During Thursday’s debate in House Judiciary over “impeachment investigation,” members kept saying “Strike the last word.” What does that even mean?

Strike the last first word

None of the 10 Democrat(ic) hopefuls yielded back any of their time, either, which the House of Reps is always doing. Might not have been a bad strategy for some of the candidates. Brevity being the soul of wit, and all. Some of the also-rans are struggling mightily for that break-out moment. Andrew Yang promoted free money in a bid for the Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes vote. (Did anyone notice Yang saying “I’m Asian so I know a lot of doctors.” If that is stereotypical would you mind if his running mate is named “Yin”?)

One of Reagan’s breakouts was “There you go again.” Bill Clinton had his Sister Soulja moment. No break-out moments Thursday night but the most memorable line in Democrat(ic) Demoliton Derby #3 goes to Beto the Fey Irish Lad:

“Hell yes we’re coming for your AR-15 and AK-47s!”

⇒ One senses a climate-changing flurry of cold, dead hands furiously locking and loading this morning in America. Already a Texas state legislator is daring Beto the Irish Lad to come and get his. In the metaphorical sense, one hopes.

Read & Weep: “Beto just did Republicans a massive favor”

Hell yes, Bernie & Warren lecture!

I love Ann of Althouse’s takes on the debate. We’ll excerpt just two of her even dozen for fair usage (You can find the remainder here.)

3. Bernie was awful. His voice had acquired a new raspiness that made his angry, yelling style outright ugly. I couldn’t believe I needed to listen to him. I cried out in outrage and pain. The stabbing hand gestures — ugh! This is the Democrats second-most-popular candidate? I loved Bernie when he challenged Hillary four years ago. The anger was a fascinating mix of comedy and righteousness. But the act is old, and the socialism — did Joe call him a “socialist” more than once? — is scary. We can’t be having a raving crank throwing radical change in our face.

4. Elizabeth Warren … and Bernie were double-teaming Joe, and that worked … for Joe. He linked Warren to Bernie: She’s for Bernie/I’m for Barack. I remember Warren reacting to every question with “Listen …” Like we’re the slow students in her class and we haven’t been paying attention and she’s getting tired of us. …

It’s the likability thing. The Deplorables we know do NOT appreciate being lectured like truant school children. Except Uncle Joe and Amy Klobuchar, the other eight sound like they’re missing their campus protest bullhorn. 

Grading on a curve

For what it’s worth, the New York Times cheerleading section anointed Warren as the victor of the night, scoring 7.5 points out of a perfect 10, probably because she did not land the triple axel. (The NY Times scoring:  Warren 7.5, Kamala Harris 6.2, Cory Booker 6.1, Pete Buttigieg and Beto the Irish Lad 6.0, Uncle Joe 5.9, Bernie 5.7, Klobuchar 5.2, Julian Castro 4.6, Andrew Yang 3.4.) The delightful (and infuriating) Maureen Dowd comments:

More free stuff and Aunt Bee! Warren’s expertise is appealing in the age of Trump, though, like President Obama, she tends to lecture. 

Blaska’s Strikes the Last Word: Has ever there been a luckier candidate than Donald Trump? Sanders, Biden, and Warren are the front-runners? Hell no! Prediction: next summer in riot-torn Milwaukee the Democrats will nominate Someone Else.

What do YOU think?

Hell Yes or Hell No?