Here's to debating.

It's only April, 2007, but the candidates are already debating.

High point of the debate: Brian Williams points out that Joe Biden is known for basically having a bad case of "diarrhea of the mouth," and he asks him if we could trust him to not make a fool of himself (and us) on the global stage. Biden's response: "Yes."

The unavoidable question after any debate is, of course, "Who won?" I'm not so sure, really. I don't think anyone (except maybe Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel) was really trying to win, per se. We're too early in the process to worry about winning. We're still nine months away from the Iowa caucuses. Winning this debate won't even matter at that point. So, the goal, more or less (at least amongst the serious candidates) was not to win, but rather not to blow it. So, in that sense, I think everyone achieved his or her goal. I think that Obama (and perhaps Edwards) under-performed, not living up to their eloquent potential. However, I don't think we should have expected either of these candidates to do anything other than play it safe.

The liveliness of the debate, as is the case with most debates, came from the candidates who have absolutely no chance; in this case, Kucinich and Gravel. The former at least seemed rational throughout, making fair enough (but perhaps not practical) points. Gravel, though, was the clown of the debates. He is to the 2008 election what Al Sharpton was to the 2004 election. He, like Sharpton did four years ago, whined about how little attention he got, comparing himself to, and I quote, a "potted plant." The problem is that he doesn't deserve face time. He's a senile old coot who is trying to bring back a 70's era Democratic party that has no place (or at least no practical place) in modern American politics. Gravel, please drop out and stop wasting our time. Yes, we need someone to question the "mainstream" candidates, but we already have Kucinich, and you make him like the pinnacle of sanity in comparison.

Some final thoughts. I think Obama seemed the most "presidential" of them all, followed by Edwards and Dodd. Of course, though, Dodd has no chance. America is not in the mood, so to speak, to elect an old-school New England liberal. Anyone remember John Kerry?

Yeah, that didn't work out so well.

Given the general goal of "not blowing it," I think all the serious candidates succeeded relatively well. There is no point in risking it and striving for a stellar performance. We'll get to those debates later on.

Oh, hello John! I didn't know you were here!

So, apparently Senator John McCain formally announced his candidacy for president yesterday.

...

What?

If I'm not mistaken (and I read the New York Times, so I don't think I am), John McCain has been campaigning for president for a number of months now. Indeed, I was under the impression that he had announced his candidacy on the Late Show with David Letterman on February 28, almost two whole months ago.

What is this? Struggling candidates will re-announce their candidacy every few months in hopes of drawing media attention and gaining stature in the polls? Well, the former worked; I guess we'll have to wait and see about the latter.

I'm skeptical, though. I don't think conservatives will ever trust McCain, and now that he is fiercely faking conservatism (which may not be a sound strategy, given that Giuliani, an out-of-the-closet moderate, is still dominating the polls), he is losing the support of moderate Democrats who would have voted for him if he had lived up to his bus's name: the "Straight Talk Express."

Indeed, a recent poll conducted by Rasmussen Reports shows that his approval rating has hit a new low. And in other polls, he is losing in general election match-ups. Even to Hillary. I know many Democrats who have said "I'll surely vote for McCain before I vote for Hillary!" It looks like that crowd is changing its mind.

Here's the thing. McCain had a wide base of moderate support, and now that he is miming conservatism, they're deserting him. And what's worst of all (for him, at least) is that he's not gaining anything! Conservatives do not, and will not, trust him.

Looks like you've shot yourself in the foot, there, John.