Politics actually LESS depressing now than in 1988?

[Cocoa]

I watched the 1988 debate on C-span the other night, and actually felt better about the political climate now.

Actually I'm not exactly sure, and was wondering what other people thought, if they saw this too. (One thing I'm sure about is that women's fashion and especially hairstyles have improved. It almost hurt my eyes to look at Andrea Mitchell, Margaret Warner and Ann Compton for an hour.)

Mostly what I'm talking about is some stupid questions that were asked at that debate that were completely a waste of time and couldn't possibly have led to answers any better than the ones the candidates gave.

Also the stupid audience constantly applauding. They were divided into Bush supporters on one side and Dukakis supporters on the other. It just made the whole thing look stupid, and by comparison the audiences today seem extremely serious. I saw some interviews with people in the audience in St. Louis and I was amazed by their sophistication.

[Philostopher]

1. There may have been a sense of less being at stake in '88.

After all, we weren't involved in a war that had been started under fales pretenses, and I think this has galvanized both sides this time in a way we weren't galvanized back then. I think both sides have a sense that this election is for more of the 'beans' than any we've had in a while -- the Supreme Court appointments, how this country will be seen internationally (a bully or a big brother), there's more blatant extremism from the right... I don't think very many people had the sense, back in '88, that as much was at stake as they do now.

[high density]

2. I'm glad they've stopped the applause now

I only watched for about 10 minutes, but it's clear that the applause served no purpose. And any respect I had for Bernard Shaw certainly evaporated, that's for sure.

[cyr330]

3. I've never been able to stomach Republicans

But I find them much, much, much worse today than they were in 1988, and I thought they were vile back then. I think there's more at stake this year than 1988. In fact, I KNOW there's more at stake. WE have a Republican Congress from hell, and if Bush manages to actually be elected this time, I cannot possibly imagine just how awful it will be. . . . Last time (2000), he didn't even win but behaved as if he had won the election in a landslide.