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This Thursday will be the first of 3 presidential debates that the current administration reluctantly agreed to, between Pres. Bush and John Kerry. Notice the absence of any third party candidates who could actually challenge these two on significant issues (See here for more on this).

Apparently, one of the debates will be designated to specifically discuss foreign policy. At first glance, you would think that no one could ever possibly lose a foreign policy debate against the current administration, until you look at the absolute wimpy history of the Democratic campaign so far, especially at their convention, when the speakers were specifically told not to raise the subject of Iraq (or anything else that may offend those precious on-the-fence voters). Disappointingly, all of them but Sharpton complied with this request. Here’s hoping Kerry somehow finds a conscience between now and then and challenges the internationally recognized foreign policy outrages of the past few years. The sad probability is that he probably won’t though, because he knows that the small percentage of Americans who actually care enough to educate themselves on what’s going on outside of our borders by looking to unbiased news sources (specifically those outside of the U.S.) would already have made up their minds to never vote for the Bush administration, so he doesn’t bother trying to please them.

Also, one of the debates will be designed as a so-called “Town Hall” type of meeting, where the audience will get to ask the questions. Of course, these questions are filtered through moderators, etc. so you can bet that there won’t be anything really challenging, or if there is, there will be no opportunity to follow up and challenge what would likely be a misleading answer. If a tough question happens to get through, for example about what we’ve done in Iraq, the answer (from either candidate) will probably begin by immediately re-framing the conversation in terms of “opposing terrorism” or “bringing democracy to an oppressed people” and continue to talk on that basis, and there will be no room for anyone to stand up and call them on this blatant load of crap.

Anyway, for what it’s worth here would be my two part question, to both candidates:

1. Did you support the impeachment of the previous president for lying to cover up getting a blow job?
2. How do you feel about a president lying to justify an invasion and takeover of another country without provocation?

Of course, even if it was phrased more gently, questions like this will never make it into these debates, and that is what I am really disappointed by. If you are a presidential candidate, you should absolutely be willing and able to field difficult questions without advance preparation or censorship.