Another Warren-Brown debate.

[No Elephants]

The Brown Warren debate video: http://ed.msnbc.com/_news/2012/10/01/14173405-live-video-brown-warren-face-off-in-massachusetts-senate-debate-now

The media runup to the upcoming Obama Romney debate may overshadow news of Warren-Brown, but Republicans are likely to focus more and more on the Senate as their hopes for the Oval Office dim.


This debate was at the Tsongas Center, named for the late Senator Tsongas, who infamously ran for the Presidential nomination in 1992 after he had retired from the Senate in 1985 because of non Hodgkins Lymphoma, yet refused to release his medical records. (Coincidentally, he was succeeded in the Senate by Kerry, who also later sought the Presidential nomination). His widow, Niki Tsongas, currently lives in Lowell and has a seat in the U.S. House.

Brown had refused to even debate at the Kennedy Center unless Vicki Kennedy promised not to endorse Warren. I assume Brown demanded a promise that Niki Tsongas refrain from endorsing Warren in exchange for being magnanimous enough to debate at the Tsongas Center in Lowell. That would be meaningful because the area that she represents is not the most liberal in Massachusetts. (Before Paul Tsongas ran for Congress out of a district anchored by Lowell, that seat had been Republican almost continuously.)

The moderator was Republican David Gregory. (Remember his bromance with Dummya?)

Sooooo, Brown refused even to enter the Kennedy Center without a significant trade off, but Warren apparently agreed to at least two Republican moderators.

I don't know if the third moderation will also be a Republican, but the first two debates are likely to have a wider viewership anyway, especially the first, which local media Republican Keller practically tailor-made for Brown.

And again, at the giddyup, a Republican moderator handed Brown an opening for his Native American heritage obsession. And, again, Warren did not manage to curtail it or put an end to Brown's assertions that she lied about it when it was first raised.

On the bright side, Brown's strongest suit in polls has been his "nice guy" demeanor, and, in both debates, he has been sharp with her and, this time, even with the moderator.


Among many other things, when asked to name the SCOTUS Justice he most admires, Brown said "Scalia." Upon hearing resounding booing in the 5000-seat venue, he added Kennedy (the Republican swing voter) and Sotomayor (female and Latin). Very well pandered! Er, I mean, very well played. I doubt he knows a single thing about either Justice besides what I indicated in parens, but, of course, Gregory did not embarrass him by asking him anything specific about either one.

Brown then testily refused Gregory's jovial request to pick one as, Brown said there was no need to and, of course, Gregory did not embarrass him by press him any further.

Even though Gregory did not specifically ask Warren to restrict herself to only one SCOTUS Justice--and Brown had just named four (cannily, Scalia, Roberts, Kennedy and Sotomayor), Warren obediently gave only one name anyway: Elena Kagan, aka general counsel for Monsanto on the taxpayers' dime.

Warren could have added Sotomayor, but why pander to Latino voters, as Brown did?

She could have added Breyer, about whom most know very little and who is the only Democratic male on the court, so as not to leave out white males, the strongest Republican voters. And heaven forbid, she could thrown liberals a bone by adding Ruth Ginsburg. But no, she put all her chips on Kagan, her fellow female from Harvard. (Brown always refers to her as "Professor" and, when she interrupted him last night, he told her that he was not a student in her classroom and directed her to allow him to finish speaking.)

She is not his equal as a campaigner, but hopefully, Obama's strong lead in Massachusetts will help put her over the top. Then again, maybe his lead is so great here that Democrats may feel they don't have to vote? (In 2008, the voter lines for the polls were the longest I've ever seen and I do feel certain they will be long this time, too, but I never fully exhale until a winner is declared.)

[Enthusiast]

1. How could a voter go to the polls

in Massachusetts, pull the lever for Obama and Brown instead of Obama and Warren? I guess it is the "pretty boy" factor. Sad sad sad.

I can't afford big political donations but I have sent Elizabeth a few bucks now and again. I hope other Democrats around the nation have done the same.

I do not think Warren should have consented to a debate with David Gregory as the moderator. Republicans simply cannot play fair. They have no actual sense of a morality or fairness. Good thing they are so religious. :sarcasm:

[No Elephants]

2. I think she will win, but I posted on the thread about her first debate

what I think the issues are that favor him.

The centerfold was a long time ago and she does not have snakes growning out of her head. They are both pleasant looking people.

Forgot to mention a couple of things. Her choice of Kagan may have been canny, after all. Brown voted against Kagan.

Her biggest gaffe was in response to the a question about whether she could work with any Republican Senator and she said, "Lugar." Both Brown and Gregory said almost as once, "He isn't going to be there." So, Gregory asked again and she said, "That's a real problem."