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Thursday, August 30, 2012

Election / Olympia Did You Watch the Big Gubernatorial Debate Last Night? (Or Do You Have a Life?)

Posted by Goldy on Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 9:20 AM

While most of the nation was watching 2016 Republican frontrunner Paul Ryan finish up the last few lies of his vice presidential nomination acceptance speech, gubernatorial hopefuls Rob McKenna and Jay Inslee were in America's Vancouver engaging in a debate that was viewed live by possibly nobody who wasn't actually paid to view it live.

Eli and me, well, it's sorta part of our job description. So you can read our LiveSlog of the debate here.

It wouldn't be fair to declare either candidate the winner; they both scored some points. But McKenna certainly came off as the angrier, more combative of the two while Inslee stuck to a more positive note. That said, I do think the cramped format, in which McKenna and Inslee stood side by side behind podiums, visually worked to Inslee's advantage. The taller, broader Inslee simply looks more manly than the weaselly, bespectacled McKenna. Yeah, I know, that's an incredibly shallow observation. But when voters are choosing a leader the image thing matters.

As for the substance of the debate, we professional debate watchers really didn't learn anything new except that Inslee strongly supports building light rail across the proposed Columbia River Crossing bridge, while McKenna, not so much. And given McKenna's anti-Sound Transit pedigree, there's no surprise there. Both candidates pledge to increase spending on education, but neither will raise our taxes, so good luck with that. And in what was possibly the stupidest lightning round ever, we learned that McKenna hides under an umbrella when it rains, whereas Inslee, well, he's a Pacific Northwest manly man who shrugs off precipitation.

But since very few real people actually watched this debate, and since there were no major gaffes for the media to spin into damaging story lines, none of this really matters. The debate does nothing to change what remains a very close race that will be ultimately determined by turnout.

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I read Baconcat's tweets about how boring it was.

Posted by care bear on August 30, 2012 at 9:27 AM

I had sex last night .... twice.

Posted by Cato the Younger Younger on August 30, 2012 at 9:33 AM

i watched jaws.

Posted by tainte on August 30, 2012 at 9:33 AM

I enjoyed the debate. Inslee seemed totally on top of the issues (though with that airy demeanor that some people think looks deer-in-the-headlights; he's like that in one-on-one conversations too.) McKenna came across as a mean, unlikeable dick.

I wish we'd get a Dem candidate with the stones to propose a switch to a state income tax (maybe with a 2-3 year commitment to revenue neutrality) but until I get my Xmas wish, Inslee will make a great governor.

Posted by Big Sven

on August 30, 2012 at 9:34 AM

The fundamental problem with debates is that if you have a brain you've already made your mind up long ago, and if you don't you are unlikely to be able to process debating statements, or any statements not in regard to snack foods. So debating tends to devolve into two (or more) people trying to convince the stupidest person in the room.

Posted by Fnarf

on August 30, 2012 at 9:55 AM

I like any opportunity for people to see how goodlookin' Jay is, and you're right - standing him next to the Mantis really highlights his DILFiness.

Posted by gloomy gus on August 30, 2012 at 10:06 AM

@6 - And now I'll never be able to see Rob McKenna without thinking of Zorak. Thanks.

Posted by MacCrocodile

on August 30, 2012 at 10:13 AM

Goldy, Jeb is the front runner for 2016, bet on it, as well as the usual short term memory of the masses. Paul gets a cabinet position if he wins.

#4, if Inslee proposed a state income tax, he'd have stones, but he'd lose the eastside vote and the election.

Posted by neo-realist on August 30, 2012 at 10:17 AM

There was a debate? Why doesn't anyone announce these things in advance, so I could momentarily fret about how I should do my civic duty to watch these things BEFORE I put in the South Park DVD?

Posted by ScrawnyKayaker on August 30, 2012 at 10:26 AM

You can watch the replay here...
http://www.kimatv.com/politics/McKenna-I…

Posted by BusyB on August 30, 2012 at 10:27 AM

@6, 7: http://izismile.com/2009/11/09/dog_vs_ma…

Posted by rob!

on August 30, 2012 at 10:39 AM

I've barely been paying attention, just like I've barely been following the initiatives. I just know that I'm voting to approve gay marriage, whichever initiative that is, but that's it. I don't know about marijuana or anything else.

I've been just obsessing over the Presidential race, because it matters so much and it feels out of my control. I'm very eager to find out how it's going to turn out and right now we can only extrapolate, so I keep track of it everyday to check if we're headed in a good direction. If Obama was up by twenty, I probably wouldn't be paying much attention. If Romney was up by twenty, I would be too morose to even turn on the computer.

Posted by floater on August 30, 2012 at 10:43 AM

You know what's funny, though. I feel about the gubernatorial race probably the same way Republicans feel about the Presidential race. I'm not so much voting for Inslee as I am voting against McKenna.

Posted by floater on August 30, 2012 at 10:45 AM

After the Bush vs Kerry debates, it was pretty clear that Bush got his ass kicked and Fox News was too embarassed to post poll on who won.

While I now feel that McKenna is a Tea Party Weasel that I will never vote for, he clearly won the debate last night. Which I guess is the reason why The Stranger posts a poll about not who won the debate, but whether people watched it or not.

Inslee doesn't impress me and feels like a cross between George Bush and Joe Biden. I may agree with his stance on certain policies, but comes off as a moron.

Posted by Kinison

on August 30, 2012 at 10:53 AM

@11 - Oh my god, I never realized Jay Inslee was so adorable and fluffy.

Posted by MacCrocodile

on August 30, 2012 at 11:03 AM

Nope, I went to see the IMAX 3D sneak preview of Flying Swords of Dragon Gate.

Wow! That was an excellent movie! Jet Li, flying logs, flying swords, daggers, you name it, it was there!

Highly recommended when it comes out for only one week ...

Posted by Will in Seattle

on August 30, 2012 at 11:09 AM

I also read Baconcat's tweets about how boring it was.

Posted by very bad homo on August 30, 2012 at 11:13 AM

is it just me, or does rob mckenna look like slade gorton, jr.?

Posted by scary tyler moore

on August 30, 2012 at 11:54 AM

Those things McKenna and Inslee are standing BEHIND? Those are called LECTURNS. One stands ON a podium. An orchestra conductor stands on a podium. Trying to correct this word-meaning sloppiness has been a losing battle. I've been trying for decades, and it only gets worse.

Posted by words have meanings on August 30, 2012 at 12:27 PM

and words also have spelling. Heh. LECTERN. Sheesh on me!

Posted by words also have spelling on August 30, 2012 at 12:30 PM

You know, I try my hardest to just keep my mouth closed and not take what Goody says seriously; I mean he's just a poor blogger who is trying to make a living like everyone else in this economy. I just can't help but echo what Kinison mentioned above in response 14. The only reason he isn't praising this debate is because Inslee did not live to any expectation whatsoever. From people leaning both left and right, the comments were universal; Inslee sucked, and there was no doubt he lost the debate in every measurable way. Unless you're so hard-line that you could vote for a turd as long as it had a (D) trailing it, Inslee was THAT lackluster in my as well as my admittedly socialist mother in-law's opinion. Sorry to burst everyone's bubble, but just watch it, replay it if need be, its archived. Eli and Goldy's interpretive play-by-play and followup story disappointed me to the point that I don't think I can ever take anything they say worth a grain of salt ever again, and now I know the truth to why Rob doesn't want him at press conferences; not only is he not a real journalist, but he is a full fledged liar.

Posted by bendejo on August 30, 2012 at 10:20 PM

*Goldy-- damn predictive text.

Posted by bendejo on August 30, 2012 at 10:25 PM