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Shadow Candidates
North Miami Beach, Florida 10-5-2000 Aaron H. Schectman
THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then. Opinions pro or con are welcome.
THE REAL NEED FOR SHADOW CANDIDATES
What the first political debate of the new millennium has demonstrated
clearly is the real need for "shadow" candidates. By this I mean the two
parties erred in choosing frontrunners. The two heads of the parties do not
project the kind of celebrity or charisma or statespersonship as, well, as -
William Jefferson Clinton.
I was most disheartened to note that each of the "debaters" could not seize
the moment and demolish statements of the other. Bush was doing well by not
falling down or opening his mouth to repeat some of the words used by Gore.
Didn't he seem to be littler than he is? But Gore did not show confidence
or cleverness or brightness of any kind in taking some of the prompter
reading delivery of Bush and pushing him into egregious errors.
Gore is not able to overcome his handicap of being extremely bright. Bush
barely overcame his. He survived - not notably - just survived a
confrontation with Gore. Gore didn't live up to his reputation of being a
fierce debater. Actually there was no debate for the clever handlers of
Bush insisted on this display of the two opponents and not an opportunity to
get down and do some real arguing. The argument is why this thing took
place at all. Better to let them get on with long distance sparring with
television ads. This short distance stuff was a disappointment - at least to
me.
It is a disappointment that personalities as shiningly outstanding as Bill
Clinton cannot be found to be the leaders of the two most powerful political
entities in the world as the Democrats and Republicans. Better they should
have found some stand-ins who could do the job. I think the wives of each
of the men who head this electoral contest might make better forensic
material than their husbands.
Now, what we really need - really, really need - at this time are some
"shadow" candidates. I mean, isn't there someone who can be the surrogate
for each of the (as Erwin put it) "men of wax" who purport to be eligible to
be the next President of this country? What do you think?
Carol's Evaluation: 7 out of 10.
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