(L-R) Democratic presidential candidates Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Hillary Clinton and Martin O’Malley walk on the stage at the end of a presidential debate sponsored by CNN and Facebook at Wynn Las Vegas on Oct. 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Joe Raedle, Getty Images)
The mainstream commentaries on the outcome of the first Democratic presidential debate have been giddy with praise for the great performance of Hillary Clinton. That would be OK if she had won on the actual merits of the arguments; unfortunately, she “won” on visual-visceral impressions only. Real substance, for those who were actually listening, went elsewhere.
Clinton was called out on her positions on the Iraq invasion, the deconstruction of Libya, the Patriot Act, the Glass-Steagall Act and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the best she could come up with was that she has the right to change her mind on some of that after the fact.
As former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley said, Clinton should be thus disqualified to be president.
Shame on commentators who further the focus of everything onto the superficial, toward acting ability and “poise.” Policy is for eggheads.
Kirk Peffers, Denver
This letter was published in the Oct. 19 edition.
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