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Opening Arguments

The debate

Reaction from all over to the Lugar-Mourdock debate. Real Clear Politics notes the "No Sparks Fly" civility of the encounter. The Indianapolis Star says it was probably a tie, "which may make Mourdock the winner." ABC's The Note was surpised that it "wasn't until the last five minutes" that Lugar's residency came up. CNN almost seemed disappointed that the mudslinging primary, er, degenerated into "remarkable politness" -- what, no damn fights at this here hockey game? The Associated Press thought Lugar had "a better grasp of the issues" while Mourdock "showed more poise." The Journal Gazette complained that, hey there's no choice here, because "many of their answers were the same." Not sure I'd trust them to grasp the subtleties of conservative thought.

And speaking of subtleties, here's perhaps the snarkiest report on the debate, from Politico:

Lugar’s answers during the hour-long face-off exemplified the pragmatism, nuance and serious thinking that has defined his 36-year Senate career. Mourdock, for the most part, distilled the issues and problems confronting the nation at home and overseas into simpler, black and white terms.

In the current political environment, one that rewards clarity and punishes subtlety, chalk it up as a win for Mourdock.

A discussion over burdensome federal regulations underscored the divergent styles — and hinted at why the state’s senior senator finds himself at risk in the May 8 primary. The 80-year-old Lugar detailed at length how he’s attempted to roll back regulations, lamenting the barriers erected by of the Obama administration.

Mourdock, the state treasurer, cut to the chase, charging that Congress had clearly not acted urgently enough.

Talk about damning Mourdock with faint praise. The simple-minded moron (or should I say mouron?) is keeping in black-and-white terms so the dunces back home can understand it. And poor Dick Lugar. He's just too darn sophisticated and full of nuance and sublety to connect with the rubes. No wonder he wants to live in Virginia instead of a backwater like this.

Comments

littlejohn
Thu, 04/12/2012 - 11:07am

What great names: Luger and Mourdock. They should be arch-enemies in a comic book or a video game. And they should both stop annoying me with their TV commercials, trying to out-conservative each other. Pretty soon, one of them will propose bringing back the feudal system.

Christopher Swing
Thu, 04/12/2012 - 2:51pm

You apparently get half your wish: http://twitter.com/#!/M_O_U_R_D_O_C_K

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