What will you be doing at 7 p.m. tonight?
Many of my friends and I will be watching the Democratic presidential primary debate from Las Vegas on CNN (#41 on TDS cable). I urge you to do the same, no matter your political bent.
Tonight’s stage will differ from the previous Republic Presidential Primary Debates as there will be just five lecterns on the stage. Former Secretary of State Clinton, Senator Sanders, former Governor O’Malley, former Senator Webb, and former Governor Chafee will respond to questions from three moderators chosen by CNN.
The initial showdown between Hillary and Bernie draws attention to this debate, and I look forward to hearing from the other three “contenders” currently in the shadows. The elephant (or donkey) in the room will be Vice President Biden who has not yet thrown his hat into the fray. I predict that there will be more substance and solutions tonight than expressed in the previous Republican debates.
I believe there will be more time stating positions and proposals to the problems facing our country and less time taking jabs at each others during the Democratic presidential primary debate. I expect more factual data and a higher level of civility on the Las Vegas stage than we’ve seen in Ohio or California.
As difficult as it was, I watched at least part of the Republican debates, and I ask my Republican friends and neighbors to do the same tonight. One must be aware of the opposition’s positions to make an informed decision.
News Flash!
Southern Utah is not a hotbed of Democratic activity! However, change is occurring as more people from progressive states move into our beautiful area. This is particularly true of the 55+ demographic which is relocating from California, Oregon and Washington.
As the former chair of the Washington County Democratic Party I can vouch for the transformation that has taken place in the six years my husband and I have been in St. George. When we arrived in 2009, it was a rarity to see a mention of anything remotely progressive or liberal in the local press. We felt like Alice in the rabbit hole. An example of this might be seen in 2010 when Dixie Escalante Power Company held a Candidates Forum for U.S. Representatives and didn’t invite the Democratic candidate! Remember that, Representative Stewart? Fortunately, in the words of Bob Dylan, “the times they are a-changin’.” One local media outlet has even been accused of becoming “liberal” because of its editorial page. Oh my!
If you’d like an opportunity to discuss the Democratic presidential primary debate with other liberals and progressives in our community, please consider attending the breakfast discussion group called Conversation Over Easy (COE) that meets every Wednesday morning at George’s Corner Restaurant. George’s is located at the corner of Main and St. George Boulevard and folks begin to gather around 9:15 -9:30 a.m. Last week, 36 people participated in lively discussions and enjoyed good food. COE celebrated its second anniversary in June and continues to grow weekly.
This is an open group not directly affiliated with a political party. The only rules are to listen respectfully and to allow all to participate. If you’d like more information, please call me at (435) 879-1558.
Now get the popcorn ready, find the remote and click on CNN at 7 p.m. to watch the Democratic presidential primary debate with me. You can also watch online at http://www.cnn.com. I look forward to your comments.
Dorothy is right. In fact, people should be watching the Democrat and Republican debates to learn what these candidates are about rather than just reading what others have to say about them, which – OH DEAR – might not be true. I know; that’s hard to believe! Yes, given your political persuasion it can be difficult to watch the debates. Republicans will not like hearing what Democrats say and vice versa, but unless you want someone else doing your thinking for you, it’s best to get it from the horses’ mouths. Or elsewhere, depending on the candidate, I suppose.