Tag Archives: debate

What Mitt Romney Is Up Against

Demographics. That’s Mitt Romney’s real opponent between now and election day. Demographics are working against white conservatives, and it’s making them ornery. Thanks to demographics, Mitt Romney cannot really go for the juggler with Barack Obama–it will put off the independents … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 26 Comments

Jerry Coyne Trounces John Haught in Debate

I had a look-see at the University of Kentucky symposium that almost wasn’t posted on the Internet (because John Haught initially refused). I can’t blame Haught for his reluctance because Jerry Coyne cleaned his clock. Here’s the link to their talks. … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris Debate Two Rabbis

The following was a recent debate on religion in Los Angeles. Christopher Hitchens and Sam Harris assume the atheist prosecution of God and rabbis David Wolpe and Bradley Artson take up the burden of God’s defense. In the genre of public … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Richard Dawkins v. William Lane Craig: Do You Second That Emotion?

This video rather cleverly (and, I think, fairly) catches out Richard Dawkins evading the substance of William Lane Craig’s debating points, substituting them with the straw man argument that Craig is making merely emotional appeals: And here’s Smokey Robinson (which … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Is Argument an Act of Self Control?

Are those who council calm in argument in some sense complicitous in evil? Whence passion in debate? William Buckley (counseling calm) and Noam Chomsky (affirming passion) discuss the Vietnam War. I can’t help but hear resonances in our contemporary debates … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Mental Health Break

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“I would not invite a creationist to a debate on campus for the same reason that I would not invite an alchemist, a flat-earther, an astrologer, a psychic, or a Holocaust revisionist”: Biologist Nicholas Gotelli Likens Creationism to Holocaust Denial and Other Forms of Pseudo-History and Pseudo-Science

Biologist Nicholas Gotelli, of the University of Vermont, likens creationism to Holocaust denial and other forms of pseudo-history and pseudo-science, and explains how creationists can acquire “street cred” in the scientific community: Academic debate on controversial topics is fine, but … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Big Picture

Obama commends John McCain for his stance on torture, but then ties McCain to George Bush’s economic policies. Deft political ju-jitsu by Obama:

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Bad News for John McCain: CBS News Poll of Uncommitted Voters Says He Lost the Third Debate Badly

A CBS News poll of uncommitted voters says Obama won debate #3 handily: As in the previous debates, CBS News and Knowledge Networks have conducted a nationally representative poll of uncommitted voters to get their immediate reaction to tonight’s presidential debate. … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

See Here the Batman v. Penguin Debate Clip That Forshadows Obama v. McCain Debate #3

This is just too creepy—and cuts a bit too close to home. American politics really has become a parody of a parody: For a further reflection on absurd demonization—through the prism of Nathaniel Hawthorn’s story “Young Goodman Brown”—see here.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Does Republican McCain’s Pre-Debate Jousting with Obama Foreshadow His Diplomatic Skills? If So, Heaven Help Us!

Everytime we see John McCain in the midst of a serious adult decision, he becomes unpredictable and erratic, flailing about in a peculiar fashion, and ultimately screwing it up big time (think Sarah Palin and his infamous and maudlin “I’m suspending … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Post-Debate Polls Suggest a Strong Win for Obama over McCain in Debate 2

TPM Online reports the first post-debate numbers: The post-debate snap polls are out, showing that Barack Obama won the debate. In CNN’s poll of debate-watchers, Obama won by a 54%-30% margin. In the CBS poll of uncommitted debate-watchers, Obama won … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

McCain v. Obama Townhall in Tennessee: Live Blogging the 2nd Presidential Debate

5:57 Pacific Time: Before this gets started, my guess is that McCain will do poorly. 5:58 I think that Obama unnerves him, and while McCain is good in these “townhall” venues when he is alone, I suspect that standing alongside Obama … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Joe Biden v. Sarah Palin Debate in a Nutshell: A Serious Person v. an Unserious Person

The outcome of the VP debate seems pretty clear: Biden reassured voters that adults would be minding the “store” if the Obama-Biden ticket wins, and Palin did not assure voters that she is presidential timber. Palin’s folksy “aw shucks” and “golly-gee” … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Glenn Greenwald Weighs in on Sarah Palin’s Creepy Isolation from the Media, and Declares That It Is “Conclusively, Disturbingly Clear” That McCain is Shielding Palin from Scrutiny by Voters

At the end of her debate with Joe Biden, Sarah Palin signalled that she would be speaking to the American people without the filter of the mainstream media. Translation: She won’t be taking questions from the press, and she’ll be … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments