I've made no airs about being unbiased in the Florida Senate race. I'm one of the few bloggers that directly and openly declares my endorsements. There's a place for objective journalism and there's a place for opinion sites, and I firmly believe that both of these types of commentary are helpful, especially in politics.
Now, in a week where this website received a lot of traffic for several pieces I wrote about the August 20th Florida Senate debate and its aftermath (here, here, here, and here), I've seen a few articles and blog posts discussing the debate that seem so far off base I wonder if they written by people who were not there.
[Further discussion and video after the jump]
I get it. Really, I do. Everyone wants to declare their own candidate the "winner" of the debate.
Reality check: not everyone "won."
I've talked to a lot of people who attended the debate in person - as many actual "people" as possible and not just journalists or political consultants. The overwhelming response was that Adam Hasner and George LeMieux both did well, and regarding Mike McCalister and Craig Miller, comments that they either failed to distinguish themselves or just weren't ready for prime time. Frank Torres wrote about McCalister and Miller, "I didn't see anything from these two that would threaten Bill Nelson."
An acquaintance who was at the Campaign for Liberty's events down at the Rosen Centre Hotel last weekend told me that he quizzed people who came back to the Rosen after the debate, and he got similar responses, that Hasner was the most passionate, LeMieux was the most professional, McCalister seems in over his head, and Craig Miller didn't really leave much of an impression at all. Also noteworthy were several people who (completely independently of each other) went so far as to refer to McCalister as an "a__hole," mainly because of his little stunt where he rudely interrupted one of the debate moderators while answering a question on the abortion issue.
So, anyway, let's post the video of the debate and let as many people as possible watch it and make up their own minds.
Here's the video, watch and judge for yourself:
YouTube | OculusOmnis | U.S. Senatorial Primary Debate
Now, in a week where this website received a lot of traffic for several pieces I wrote about the August 20th Florida Senate debate and its aftermath (here, here, here, and here), I've seen a few articles and blog posts discussing the debate that seem so far off base I wonder if they written by people who were not there.
[Further discussion and video after the jump]
I get it. Really, I do. Everyone wants to declare their own candidate the "winner" of the debate.
Reality check: not everyone "won."
I've talked to a lot of people who attended the debate in person - as many actual "people" as possible and not just journalists or political consultants. The overwhelming response was that Adam Hasner and George LeMieux both did well, and regarding Mike McCalister and Craig Miller, comments that they either failed to distinguish themselves or just weren't ready for prime time. Frank Torres wrote about McCalister and Miller, "I didn't see anything from these two that would threaten Bill Nelson."
An acquaintance who was at the Campaign for Liberty's events down at the Rosen Centre Hotel last weekend told me that he quizzed people who came back to the Rosen after the debate, and he got similar responses, that Hasner was the most passionate, LeMieux was the most professional, McCalister seems in over his head, and Craig Miller didn't really leave much of an impression at all. Also noteworthy were several people who (completely independently of each other) went so far as to refer to McCalister as an "a__hole," mainly because of his little stunt where he rudely interrupted one of the debate moderators while answering a question on the abortion issue.
So, anyway, let's post the video of the debate and let as many people as possible watch it and make up their own minds.
Here's the video, watch and judge for yourself:
YouTube | OculusOmnis | U.S. Senatorial Primary Debate
I think you're right, Miller and McCallister don't seem like they're "ready for prime time." We need to unite together and stop Lemieux from getting elected. If Allen West and Jeb Bush aren't getting in, it seems like Adam Hasner is the best bet.
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