You saw it in the first debate, and you will see it the second one upcoming Thursday night:
A cautious Scott Walker, coached, coached and coached some more to avoid a last-minute error or misstep that upsets his calm exterior and campaign's well-financed TV ad blitz.
He's like a boxer midway through the final round, playing defense against an aggressive challenger and praying the final bell comes quickly.
For the debate moderator, and panel - - assuming there will be one - - it's also a last chance to pose historic questions.
And why did he pass on the last question. Did he follow the debate rules at the end? Just curious..
ReplyDeleteAnd why did he pass on the last question. Did he follow the debate rules at the end? Just curious..
ReplyDeleteHere are my guesses as to why Walker didn't ask Barrett a question:
ReplyDelete1) Perhaps Walker was so unprepared that he hadn't come up with a question. After all, during the debate, he just regurgitated talking points that he's been saying for months.
2) Or he couldn't think of any questions that would be a problem for Barrett to answer.
3) Or he didn't want to give Barrett an extra chance to talk, in response. Barrett was doing so well that Walker preferred to keep him silent. (Although I don't know if Walker is bright enough to have come to that realization.)
But who knows? Those are just my musings.
I had to wonder, when he passed on posing a question, and after such a seriously bad performance, Walker was coached to do so on the night when few viewers would be watching on a holiday weekend. And then, thinking that would give the competition false confidence for the next debate, Walker would come back stronger? At least attempting eye contact, keeping his head up, not constantly showing his bald spot?
ReplyDeleteIt was a puzzlement, how bad he was. Perhaps he did not know that people with college degrees and law degrees and decades of experience on the floors of the legislature, the Congress, and City Hall know how to debate and be good public speakers? Barrett was excellent. Experience matters.