Republican YouTube Debate: The General Controversy
The Weekly Standard called the latest CNN/YouTube debate depressing, accused CNN of "mediocrity" and characterized Ron Paul supporters as "loons." Captain's Quarters, on the other hand, noted the elimination of "silliness."
But what has the red state blogosphere tied up in knots is that retired Brigadier Army General Keith Kerr "listed all his military credentials and then left the crowd silent by saying at the end of his video that he is 'an openly gay man' and wants to know why gays can't serve in the military." Kerr, a high-profile gay activist, serves on Hilliary's campaign and was also a "Vet for Kerry."
There was no such gnashing of teeth (on either side of the aisle) in July when the Department Chair for National Security, Intelligence and Space at the American Military University asked Democratic candidates when "will all US troops be out of Iraq, and how many family members do you have serving in uniform?"
I don't know his "politics" -- but he, like Kerr, is "military" to the core: a former Deputy Chair at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (part of the National Defense University, one of two war colleges under the direction of the Joint Chiefs of Staff).
In both cases, the man asking the question did so not in a partisan manner; rather, he did so as a person with an intimate understanding of the culture at the root of the inquiry. Both questions are valid ones for every candidate for President, no matter their source.
Missed the Republican Debate? Read a transcript or check out the video questions.
From July, Google Clear Winner In YouTube Debate; CNN-YouTube Ads, Democratic Debate; the 38 Democratic Questions; and A Powerful, Overlooked Question.
Comments
I think the author is a democrat. Also, this was really sparse compared to the debate. Also, it didn’t really relate to the debate. It related to a guy in the audience.
Kathy is an “unbiased” university prof. Her point seems to be: Republicans got a Democrat plant asking a question important to the Democrat’s liberal base — and so did the Democrats, so everything is fair. Umm, ok.
God help anyone for whom this woman is “Your Guide to US Politics”.
CNN missed the fact that this guy is on Hillary Clinton’s CAMPAIGN. Nice research department.
Coincidentally, they missed the member of Barack Obama’s campaign, and the woman who runs a pro-John Edwards website.
Gotta love CNN.
ron paul im with him all the way, not a loon just want my country back fear my gove, more than ever,an american revolution without violance.
Hi, John — this is a quick post-debate entry. At 3 am Pacific, the #1 thing being discussed was General Kerr. Since I was one of the few people to talk about the vet whose question CNN selected back in July, I thought the linkage appropriate.
I agree with the concerns raised about transparency — but I did not have time before getting 2 hours sleep to figure out if the General made his identity known on his YouTube profile.
And I’m in a conference today (with slow wifi).
The July vet did have info about his background on his YouTube profile — but most people ignored his credentials.
Odd this gay general is on Hillary’s staff? Especially since it was Clinton’s husband who put the rule in place.
I also have to say that these utube/cnn debates are a joke. Especially CNN.
C
Chuck, the retired general is not on paid staff; he is an unpaid adviser.
By the way, isn’t it clear that Hillary does not share the same agenda than her husband? I am personally not really interested in who is going to win the next US elections. I don’t believe that Democrats are much better than Republicans, as the real issue with the USA is that it is a superpower without a vision, regardless of who is at the White House. So I am not really a fan of Hillary Clinton either. I believe that the only thing she has for her is that she is a woman. But it doesn’t look to me that she would have the same ideas on everything than her husband.