Why We All Need A Vacation from GOP Debates

For those of us going through GOP debate withdrawal between now and Feb. 22, here are some ways to make the most of that time.

First, for the candidates themselves: Don't say anythingbetween now and the next debate. When was the last time a candidate said something outside of a debate that actually made him look good?

If Romney had followed this advice, he wouldn't have said that he doesn't worry about the very poor. He could have been lounging by the pool at his mansion in La Jolla.

And Newt Gingrich wouldn't repeat his false claim that the Palestinians are "an invented people." Just watching the tired, grumpy Newt ramble on in his non-concession concession speeches shows why his decision last June to go on a cruise with Calista was actually the best idea he's had so far in his campaign.

And maybe Ron Paul might use the time off from the campaign trail to remember that he really did know the contents of a newsletter named after him.

And Rick Santorum might just realize, with some rest and reflection, that saying he opposes abortion even in cases of rape because it's "a gift of human life, and accept what God is giving to you" is so morally offensive that even he would reconsider those words.

And since the candidates wouldn't be saying anything, neither should the pundits. The last original observation was uttered about six weeks ago, so why keep talking? Let the talking heads give their mundane thoughts about issues other than the Republican presidential candidates. And promise, under no circumstances, to ever mention Donald Trump's name.

And for the rest of us, we should use this GOP reality show hiatus to focus on the real world -- which is a much smarter, more compassionate world than the one the debates live in.

GOP Debate Sets Clock Back in South Carolina

At Monday's ugly Republican debate, there were the five remaining candidates and an empty lectern representing the former candidacy of Jon Huntsman.

The empty lectern won the debate.

And Huntsman's parting words "the current toxic form of our political discourse does not help our cause," was never more in evidence than in South Carolina that night. The hooting, drooling, rabidly anti anything not white or American crowd made a Jerry Springer audience look civilized.

And the candidate who best played into the hands of this angry mob was Newt Gingrich, who thinks taking the high road means not criticizing him, while he can say anything he wants, true or not, about his rivals. But the petty back and forth between the candidates, who, with the exception of Ron Paul, basically agree on every issue, pales in comparison to the ignorant, race-baiting remarks Gingrich delighted in making to the crowd.

Those who say South Carolina isn't what it used to be may be right, but the audience that night would have eagerly snapped up "Segregation Now, Segregation Forever" buttons if they were on sale in the lobby. These are the people who are the demographic for Gingrich's moronic commercials that attack Romney, because, like John Kerry, he speaks French. When a commercial is so idiotic that it would succeed brilliantly as satire, actually resonates on a serious level with some people, it tells you the kind of lowest common denominator Gingrich is aiming for.

When Gingrich repeatedly calls Obama "The food stamp president", and talks about instilling a work ethic in minority kids by having them work as janitors, you would think you were back in the South of the 50s and 60s. Gingrich not so subtly implies that minorities are lazy, and prefer food stamps to paychecks. As all the Republican candidates so often do, Gingrich ignores actual facts in making his ignorant case. Most Americans on food stamps are white, and a majority of them work while on food stamps. And no one in their right mind, except Gingrich, believes tossing out child labor laws will revive the economy. Yet these inherently racist comments not only received thunderous cheering and applause, but they brought the crowd to its feet.

If Huntsman was in the debate, I think he might have called out Gingrich for spewing his venom, and criticized his pandering to the worst elements in the audience. And if he did, the crowd would have brutally booed Huntsman, with a look on their faces reminiscent of those who yelled at African-American students walking to class in Mississippi in the 60s.

The very Republicans who wrongly claim that President Obama is waging class warfare because he wants millionaires to pay their fair share, are themselves stoking racial tensions by bringing back the vile language most of the people of the South have long since discarded. And Gingrich, Perry and Santorum regularly preach religious warfare when they refer to the fabricated "war on Christianity".

The Republican debates have produced a long list of stupid, completely wrong, eye-rolling comments, that have rightly diminished those candidates who said them.

The mean-spirited, racially divisive comments Newt Gingrich made Monday night, disqualify him from any serious consideration as a candidate for president of the United States.

Jon Huntsman left the race with his dignity and integrity intact.

Newt Gingrich should leave the race the way he did when he left Congress.

In disgrace.

But there's an organization in South Carolina that might welcome him with open arms.

My Debatable Weekend

From Saturday night until Sunday morning, we were given a taste of what life would be like if there was a 24 hour Republican presidential debate channel.

Saturday's debate followed the adventure game showWipeout where contestants tried to navigate a moving obstacle course suspended over water. Even though theWipeout contestants often emerged soaked and battered, they emerged from the chilly waters with more dignity than most of the GOP candidates.

A year from now, one of the candidates in the debates this weekend will be doing reverse mortgage commercials.

Jon Huntsman kept his dignity intact and won both debates. Not just for what he said, but for the fact he finally got to say anything at all. Like many people, when I first heard Huntsman speak Saturday night, I thought "Oh, so that's what he sounds like."

With the elocution, looks and demeanor of someone who would have played the part of the president in a 1950's film, Huntsman proved that by speaking with intelligence and wisdom, and at times, in Mandarin, you completely alienate the Republican base. Even though Huntsman is an authentic dyed-in-the-wool conservative who hasn't done a Romney flip-flop, he is looked upon by Republicans as an alien from another political party. Even though he would be the GOP's strongest candidate if they were willing to take him seriously.

The real question is how Republicans can take any of the other candidates seriously. When Newt Gingrich passionately defended marriage as a "sacrament", which is at the very foundation of our society, you might rightly wonder how this twice divorced philanderer qualifies as an expert on that institution.

After some early comments, Rick Perry disappeared from the first debate (I think he flew to South Carolina ), until the final question, when he was asked "If you weren't here, what would you be doing tonight?" Perry said he would be at a shooting range, which was one of the most believable comments anyone said all night. But just when I thought Perry might be finally getting his muddled thoughts together, he gramatically incorrectly said in Sunday's debate, "I make a very proud statement and a fact that we have a president that's a socialist." Perry also gave his vote for sending our troops back to Iraq. Next, he'll be calling for a restart of the Vietnam War.

Romney is an oddly ill at ease, uncomfortable front runner. He's like a comedian who's always desperately trying to win over the crowd. By using someone else's material.

If I left Ron Paul out of this article, his supporters would claim it was a conspiracy. So I didn't.

And Rick Santorum says he doesn't discriminate against gays, but just doesn't want them to actually have equal rights.

After watching the first debate Saturday night, I went to sleep and had a few nightmares. Then I woke up this morning and turned on the second debate.

Those nightmares turned out to be real.

The End Of The Year As We Know It

To those of you who think 2011 flew by more quickly than any other year, you're absolutely right.

While we were being distracted by wall to wall coverage of trials of people we had never heard of, and marriages of people we shouldn't have heard of, and debates with candidates we hopefully won't hear from again, some benevolent force was out there discreetly trimming hours from 2011. Because in a year where craziness reached new heights, the merciful thing to do was to wrap things up more quickly, and hope the new year brings some sanity.

But don't expect an easy path to a rational, reasonable year. House Republicans will try to block that. And Senate Republicans will filibuster confirming any names to implement rationality and reason. Or even the law. 

Mitt Romney will come out and say he used to agree with reason while he was Governor of Massachusetts, but that being rational and reasonable doesn't work for other states or the country as a whole. Newt Gingrich will then cite his fictionalized history of the words rational and reasonable, and finally claim that those are "invented" words.

Rick Santorum will insist that being rational and reasonable begins at conception, Ron Paul will cut all aid to both traits, Michele Bachmann will make some facts up to show that being wrong about everything is the most rational and reasonable way to be.

Rick Perry will give three reasons why he's the most rational and reasonable guy out there. I can't recall what those three things are at the moment.

And finally Jon Huntsman will actually say rational and reasonable things, like believing in the validity of science. But no one will be listening to him when he says that.

And when President Obama calls for rational and reasonable things to get done, to add to the many rational and reasonable things he's already done, liberals will say it's irrational for him to be so reasonable.

But maybe, 2012 is the year craziness becomes so 2011, and intelligence becomes the new trending topic on Twitter. In 2012, maybe being hip will be replaced by being smart, and red states will be replaced by well read states.

2012 may well mark the beginning of the end of the Tea Party, or else it will be the beginning of the end of the Republican party. Christine O'Donnell and Sharon Angle cost the Republicans a Senate majority, and if Republicans continue to pledge allegiance to Grover Norquist instead of America, and continue to block implementation of laws and confirmation of qualified people to carry out those laws, they could well lose the House next year as well.

2011 was a crazy year.

So it's a good thing it went by so quickly.

But the brightest moments of 2011 came when people around the world rebelled against the craziness and the unfairness, and screamed out for a better life. The Arab Spring combined unspeakable bravery and dedication with a rational and reasonable desire to be free. And the Occupy movement has begun to call for other kinds of rational, reasonable fairness and equality here at home.

Hopefully in 2012 being rational and reasonable, smart and thoughtful, kind and compassionate will guide the actions of all of our elected officials and citizens here and around the world.

If that happens, I hope 2012 goes by nice and slowly.

The End Of The Year As We Know It December 29 and 30

The end is near. In a good way. 2011 goes out on a laugh when Scott Blakeman hosts The End Of The Year As We Know It, a look back at 2011 from left to right. Or right to left for our Jewish friends. 

Scott will perform his political standup, then do a one-on-one interview with a guest, and then host a panel of liberals and conservatives from the arts, media and politics.

December 29- Scott interviews Steve Rendall, senior analyst at FAIR(Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting), and then hosts a panel with TJ McCormack(Fox and Friends), Rob Taub(Onion News Network), Lee Camp(The Green Room on Showtime) and more.

December 30- Scott interviews singer/songwriter/activist Jen Chapin, then hosts a panel with John Fugelsang(Up with Chris Hayes) and other guests.

7:30 pm. $10. Tickets and info at www.thetanknyc.org. The Tank@Playroom Theater. 151 W. 46th St. 8th floor.