Thoughts on The Casey/Santorum Debate

Let's start with the P-G:

The two candidates interrupted each other, talked over each other, ignored time limits, ignored the moderator and generally stopped just short of playground name-calling. To say that KDKA-TV moderator Ken Rice lost control of today's debate between Republican U.S. Sen. Rick Santotrum and state Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr. would be fallacious because it suggests that he ever had control of it to begin with.

In short: bad manners, but good political theater.

This might be a bit too harsh on Mr Rice. But Bill Toland is spot on with those two words: bad manners.

Unfortunately Rick Santorum was far less well-mannered than his opponent. He sputtered, he gesticulated wildly, he patronized. One of his main rhetorical devices, it seemed to me, was to deny that any answer given by Casey was indeed an answer. He'd then follow that up with the complaint that Casey hadn't bothered to offer up any answers at all.

Here's an example.

KDKA-TV Anchor Stacy Smith asked Democrat Bob Casey about what the US should do if it is confirmed that Iran and North Korea have developed nuclear weapons.

Bob Casey: "What we have to do, Stacy is what this administration has not done, which is to do everything possible to prevent Iran from developing nuclear capability and a nuclear bomb and the same holds true with regards to North Korea. But we didn't do that. This government, supported by Rick Santorum 98-percent of the time, the Bush agenda, here's what they did: They identified the three members of the axis of evil – North Korea, Iran and Iraq -- and they started with the weakest of the three, allowing the other two to advance in terms of nuclear capability. What we need is a tough policy.. we may need sanctions, but we have to put all of the options on the table – economic power, political power, diplomatic power and to make sure that we don't take off the table the military option…"

See all that? Keep it in mind for a few seconds. Ricky, however, ignored it and offered this as his reply:

Sen. Santorum: "What you see again is my opponent not providing any answer to the question. What he's done is describe the problem, complained about the administration. What I've done in the United States Senate is actually try to deliver on a policy that's gonna change the security of this country."

No, Rick. He did provide an answer. It may not have been the one you wanted to hear, but it was an answer - to assert otherwise is to insult the intelligence of the audience. Overall, the evening (Santorum's half, of course) was a portrait of a distressed man franticly trying to argue his way out of the rhetorical corner he'd mistakenly (though smugly) painted himself into.

Casey, on the other hand, while sometimes barely heard through Santorum's breathless and spittled sophistry, could have been more specific in his answers. Take a look at this:

KDKA's Jon Delano asks Bob Casey about critics claims that he's lazy, resting on the laurels of his father's work and reputation.

Casey: "If this race comes down to who's working harder and who does their job better – mine as state treasurer, his as a US senator – I'll win that battle. I'm not worried about that at all, because I get results and I've been fighting battles for the people of this state for a decade: cracking down on waste and fraud, being someone who's focused on fiscal responsibility. I've done things in the last 18 months as state treasurer that he should be working on in the US senate – like the question of health care… I've done this job well and I'll put that record up against anyone."

This is where Santorum poked a finger at Casey with the challenge:

"Why won't you look in the camera? Why won't you tell people that you don't show up for work? How many days have you been in your office? Why aren't you answering my question?"

Quite rude, of course, but Casey could have quietly ended the onslaught with a clear explanation of his job as Treasurer - on the other hand Ricky never really gave him the chance to answer.

I heard Jon Delano call it a draw on McIntire's radio show this evening. I wouldn't argue with that, to be completely honest. Casey could have given clearer and deeper answers, but at least he wasn't the zealot on stage impatiently proclaiming himself fit for the job.

If Rick thought tonight's performance was good enough to win over the 76% of voters who wouldn't put him at zero on a zero-to-ten scale, then he failed miserably.

Rick Santorum smug and ill-mannered when he debated Bob Casey, who could have been stronger.