The Presidential Infomercial-Debate

I have to say that I found the debate on Friday Evening to be an embarassing dissapointment.
I can say this because I paid quite a bit more attention to it than the average American.
See, I am in the Closed Captioning industry and I captioned the debate and so, using the advanced technology of Voice Recognition software, I was listening to every word, while repeating, while reading the output captions and correcting any misunderstood words, while listening, while repeating, while reading, while correcting, while listening... etc.

It was a good 15 minutes into the debate before, at the prompting of Jim Lehrer, Senator Obama finally, tounge in cheek, directed a question towards Senator McCain.
This was followed by McCain making a joke about whether Jim thought Senator McCain could not hear the question.
Seriously, at this point in the game, I don't want to hear cute quips or jokes. I want my candidates to take this thing seriously, and standing before America and staring straight ahead does not get the job done.

I have heard the anecdote about the woman that gave McCain the bracelt that had her son's name on it so much that I almost wanted to puke when I heard it yet again tonight.
Senator McCain has repeatedly told that story at practically every appearance he has made and has yet to say how he could make his promise to this grieving mother come to fruition. He just says that it's important that we do.

Well, it's important for me to pay my bills, but none of my bill collectors will be satisfied with me saying, "My friend, I realize that if I were not to pay you, that would cause hardship for your company, so I promise to you that I will do my best to make sure that not only will I pay my bills, but I will do my best to make sure everybody pays their bills as well.

"What? How do I intend to do that?"

Well, I guess that the best answer is a word for word with, certain words changed to fit the situation, that Senato McCain uses.

"My Friend, every once in a while," I invariably begin, "you have an experience, an event in our lives, that puts everything into the right priority and into the right importance in your life. That happened to me last August. The "Electric Company" called and said: Mr. Shadow, would you pay the bill with our logo on it?'"

"TXU. TXU is 27 years old. They have been in business for almost three decades and recently have raised their rates so high that they charge most of their customers $430+ dollars a month for a 1000 sq ft apartment that costs twice as much'" I go on to explain " I said 'I would be honored to pay that bill.' And then they say: ‘Mr. Shadow, I just want you to promise me one thing. I want you to promise me that you'll do everything in your power to make sure that this bill was not passed in vain.' I promised the company then that I would. And I will keep that promise, not only to them, but to all the other companies I owe money to."

Would my electric company buy this unless I told them how, when, and what I would pay them?

McCain makes promises, but this year, since I have all my transcripts from all his speeches that I have captioned, that I will intend to hold him to every word he has uttered.

Now, for Obama… He has done the same thing. He even embarrassed me tonight when he countered McCain’s bracelet anecdote with, “I have a bracelet, too.”

***SIGH***

The entire debate went downhill from there.

This debate tonight was not a debate… it was more window dressing for both candidates. And I have seen better window dressing in the red light district of Amsterdam.

I certainly expect both candidates to learn from the press that the Nation’s general public will produce, in less than 8 hours, and give us some words equal to a Texas Roadhouse New York Strip rather than the equivalent of an Ethiopian spare rib.

But, Sadly, I realized this year that I have NEVER given as much attention to the election process as I have in the past 24 months!!

I ran for City Council in my city and lost to a competitor that had a lot more money than me (Daddy), and though I had my volunteers, more than I deserved, I did not have the financial resources.
As a normal guy, I didn’t win.

I think my job, as a Closed Captioner, has given me more “forced” knowledge, and I have learned a lot in 24 months…. And my perspective has grown even more broad.

Just one thought, though, I thought I had remembered this as the shortest time between convention and election, ever.

Come to find out, this is the first election where I actually got involved because it is the first time that I felt like I had a choice.
Though it seems odd to say, the way I was raised, albeit the only way I know, I really haven’t had a choice until today. Sad to say.

Also, off topic: Have you heard of the new cut of beef being served in the Finest restaurants?

It is called “Velvet Flank” and is the most succulent steak, tasty steak I have ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Like Veil, it is a tender meat that is savory, mostly because, oddly, the lean texture of the meat.

Breeders of “Velvet Flank” raise the calves until they are about 8 months old… they then slaughter the calf and that’s where you get “Velvet Flank.”

Practically ZERO marbling and the meat just melts in you mouth…. Have you tried it? I know that I have been to the best restaurants in TX and OK, but have not found one in AZ or CA.

Feel free to comment... Luv Ya, Malinda
Anyway, I’m done for tonight… it’s 4:50am, what do you expect?