My Non-Report On The Madrid/Wilson Debate

There were several mistakes made at last night's Wilson/Madrid TV debate, but the biggest one was made by me.

For I attended the Democratic Party of NM soiree at the Carom Club. This "debate party" seemed like a good idea right up to the time I first saw the karaoke machine next to Carom's bar. I should have walked right back out, but a set of circumstances made it necessary for me to wait for others to possibly join me.

For a blissful, yet short, while the karaoke sound system wasn't working, but when repaired I tried to wolf Stone IPA on draft and play pool as "singers" belted, groaned and shrieked tunes like "I'm Too Sexy", "High Friends in Low Places", and "Purple Rain".

By the beginning of the debate at 7:00 my acquaintances still had not arrived and I was a mental wreck. All the Democratically paid for free beer and food in the world couldn't assuage the trauma of "I'm Too Sexy", and now here was Tom Joles & Carla Aragon at humorously different-heighted podiums blabbing...and we were off.

I made it for a few minutes, just past the opening statements and first questions before I had to get out of the Carom Club. Absolutely HAD to get out. Maybe it was the instant awareness, always present beneath the psychological surface, that nothing fantastic for the Madrid campaign could happen from a televised debate. Maybe it was Heather's pink power dress and boo-hoo "Patsy's being mean" answer about attack ads.

But those were things to be expected. What really made me run out of the Carom Club and to my car to listen to more of the debate was the personal heebee-jeebees engendered by the Carom Club/Democratic Party of NM milieu itself. I guess any respectable blogger would be expected to tough it out, get past the Ron Bells and John Wertheims playing pool at nearby tables, the sparseness of a crowd that didn't seem that interested in the actual debate and a bit disappointed that the karaoke contest had to be on hold until Madrid/Wilson was over.

But this blogger couldn't. Your humble Babbler had to face once again the fact that he is just too independent and snarky to spend any significant time in a room full of Political Party people, regardless of the Party involved.

And did I mention the karaoke?

So, between the time spent fleeing Carom Club and the fact that I listened to more of the debate than I watched, I don't feel like I can be much of a judge concerning the Wilson/Madrid debate last night. I'm still on the lookout on the 'Net for a copy, but don't see one yet at C-SPAN or anywhere else. If someone spots one, please let me know and I'll give the thing another chance, away from the "Purple Rain".

To be honest, I'm a bit reluctant to actually watch a 'Net version the debate. I think we all know at this point that debates probably aren't Patsy's strong suit, and Heather can lie and fluff like a house rug better than most. A YouTube or C-SPAN version of last night's debate will most probably merely validate those points.

For me, watching debates on C-SPAN is alot more fun when the race involved is far from New Mexico and features kooky people like Katherine Harris or Vernon Robinson. Madrid/Wilson is too close to home and means too much. The viewer is always ducking and weaving, trying to avoid verbal punches to areas that are already sensitive from previous pounding. And we who tend to favor Democrats (regardless of their proclivity toward karaoke-centered events) have received a lot of pounding in recent years.

Next week my Humanities classes will host a series of short debates between gracious folks who have agreed to represent Madrid and Wilson's positions. My co-teachers and I will get the 6th/7th/8th grade students in our program up to speed on the issues, and they'll ask questions to the representatives of the respective actual candidates. We'll try to make it as real and informative as possible, without going quite as negative as the campaigns themselves.

No, there won't be any karaoke, either.