What I really wanted Edwards to say:

[libertango]

"Gwen, those of us who are old enough to remember the Ford Administration also remember the idea of 'Vietnamization'. Do you remember that? That was the idea that if we just trained the South Vietnamese forces enough, they'd be able to take over the war from us, and have a democracy.

Dick Cheney was President Ford's Chief of Staff. Don Rumsfeld was Ford's Secretary of Defense.

And, Gwen, I swear... Listening to them now, it's like listening to some "Golden Oldies" station about Vietnam. It didn't work then. It won't work now.

This is what I mean by a long resume doesn't necessarily bring wisdom, or judgement. Cheney and Rumsfeld are making the exact same mistakes today they did thirty years ago. It's as if they've lived half a lifetime and not learned anything."

-- Or --

"Gwen, when this Adminstration really cares about something, they usually manage to get it done, even if a bit sloppily. They really wanted Saddam Hussein. And, nine months after invading Iraq, they found him... In the bottom of a hole.

Can you really tell me Osama bin Laden is harder to find than that? So much harder to find that we're now three years after 9/11, and we're still no closer to capturing him than we were on 9/12? Let's face it. When it comes to Al Qaeda, this Administration can't be bothered."

*^*^*^*

Other than that, I think Edwards did a swell job. I particularly like, in the aftermath, the picture of Cheney and Edwards at a prayer breakfast together -- so much for Cheney's claim about, "The first time I ever met you was when you walked on the stage tonight." (And, by the way... Let's say this claim really had been true. What does it say about the President of the Senate that he can't be bothered to meet the individual Senators from time-to-time?)

I also love the fact that Cheney pointed folks to http://www.factcheck.com/ He probably meant http://www.factcheck.org/ ... but in the meantime, factcheck.com now points to http://www.georgesoros.com/ , which is all about how we can't afford to let Bush win.

Comments

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

And there's also (via Electrolite; you may have already seen it):

What Edwards Should Say (Rude Version)

[fritz-freiheit.livejournal.com]

I find it interesting that NPR pointed out on Morning Edition that Cheney has met few of the Democrats in the Senate as he usually just attends a Republican lunch when he goes to there.

As to finding bin Laden, I would like to comment on the fact that we don't even know if he is alive or not. But then, calling into question wether or not bin Laden is alive would seem to be not in the Bush administration's best interest. Which really complicates things for them.

[cluefairy-j.livejournal.com]

I wasn't impressed by Edwards, actually. This is the first time I've had a chance to observe him and hear what he has to say.

Thanks for doing the Cheney legwork for me....I was going to check out those two items today, actually. He's evil.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

Speaking of legwork, Wampum has a post up showing Cheney's truancy record in presiding over the Senate "most Tuesdays." "Most Tuesdays," is apparently Cheney speak for "virtually never". And the Democrats have a new video clip ad up called Cheney vs. Reality which includes the original video footage of that prayer breakfast, wherein you see Cheney and Edwards shake hands before the still Hal mentions when they are just next to each other.

Yeah, in debate format, Edwards didn't totally rock my socks. But he sure did in closing arguments, as it were, when he got to talk straight into the camera. His closing statement totally blew Cheney's out of the water.

[akirlu.livejournal.com]

One of the commentors over at Political Animal has apparently dug up the backstory on that quick-witted referal of www.factcheck.com to George Soros. Ah, I love free enterprise, especially enterprising free enterprise.