Now THAT was a DEBATE!!!!!

Hi Gang!   As I stated in the very short "heads-up" blog I wrote last night, I have another obligation I have to honor today so that means the blog I'm about to write will need to be finished and posted a little more than three hours from now.

Ordinarily, it takes me longer than that.

Before I get started, I can't help but be reminded of how I used to end my radio shows when I was a Top-40 disc jockey many years ago.   And what I always ended with was, "I'm up under the gun, got to run, got to split and git!"

And I know that people I used to work with those many years ago who also read this blog, are people who are smiling when they see the above.

Okay....LETS GET BUSY!!!

Last night's debate:

First of all, I want to give a very large shout-out to Martha Raddatz.   She was the debate moderator last night.   And I thought she was terrific.   She didn't do what the debate moderator of the first Obama-Romney debate did.   Which was to let the candidates (especially Romney) run all over him.

I've said it before and I'll say it again.....Politics is a blood sport.   Politics at the presidential level is a "take no prisoners" blood sport.

Romney did it in the first debate.   Biden did it in last night's debate.

I have also stated that I wish we had two different candidates to choose from to be our next President of the United States.

Quite frankly and as of now, I think the two guys we saw last night would be better than the Romney or Obama choice.

Buuuut....Maybe we'll all see something that appears to be "presidential" from Romney or Obama in their next (and final) debates.   And in case you don't/didn't know, their next debate will be next Tuesday.

Back to last night's debate....If you're a Romney supporter, you are griping about all the smiling and other facial gestures that Joe Biden displayed.

Blood sport, folks.   Rattle the candidate, rattle the base.

If you're a Biden supporter, you didn't like the "stretching of the truth" that Paul Ryan delivered.

Blood sport, folks.   Rattle the candidate, rattle the base.

Because I honestly don't have a "dog in the hunt" as far as who our next president will be, I don't think either one of those guys were "rattled" (last night) because of something the other guy did or said.

In the first presidential debate, Romney rattled Obama with nonsense he was spewing and also all the preening he was doing.   Oh, you didn't notice that?   The preening?   The adjusting of face to the camera?   Adjustments designed to show "how handsome I am" and "you're not"?!?

Hey, gang.   I'm in show business.   I know all about THOSE tricks.

Blood sport, folks.   And Romney drew a lot of blood in that first debate.

What will happen Tuesday?    I have no clue.   But I do know that this second debate figures to be big time critical for both candidates.

And speaking of Mitt Romney....

A long time friend of mine sent me a question early this morning.   Before I go any further, I want to point out a couple of things.   My friend lives in Florida.  I have readers in almost all of our states and several foreign countries.   Believe me when I tell you that all of these readers aren't people who agree with my opinions.

I can also tell you that many of my readers have made the observation that they "can't figure me out" when it comes to which side of the political aisle I favor.

I'm a former lifetime Republican who is now an "Independent".

The side of the aisle I favor is the side of the aisle that I believe is best for America.   And because I'm a long time political junky who once considered an offer to possibly become a U.S. Senator, the side of the aisle I favor is not always what it was/is yesterday or tomorrow.

Okay...The question my long time friend in Florida asked me?

Why do I refer to Mitt Romney as being a con-man?

Welllll.....If all the flip-flopping he's done and continues to do isn't ENOUGH,
how about this....Oh....Have you noticed all the back and forth he's done about the subject of "abortion"?   Or do you choose to wear blinders?

And that's just ONE example of his flippin' and floppin'.

When you listen to Mitt Romney, and I mean REALLY listen, he's been sounding like a guy who would like to have America get involved in another war or two.

Do you know what he did to avoid being drafted during the Vietnam days?   He went to France to be a spokesman for his Mormon church and was trying to get French citizens to join the Mormon church.   What else he did to avoid military service is something I don't know, but what I do know is that the con-man is coming on too strong for me when he comes across as some kind of military tough guy.   And yes, in case you didn't know, I did tours of military duty many years ago.   And for that matter, so did my friend.   The friend who asked me why I refer to Mitt Romney as being a con-man.

OTHER STUFF:

Here in California, we're getting whacked in the shorts by outrageous gas price hikes.   More than 50-60 cents a gallon in less than a week.

Are you paying any attention to the baseball playoffs?   I am and I think these games have been big time entertaining.

And speaking of "entertaining"....

ENTERTAINMENT STUFF:

I wrote about the film "Argo" or "ARGO", if you prefer and I'd like to remind you that "Argo" or "ARGO" opens at your favorite cineplex today.   I can't recommend this film enough.   And I'm not alone.

A few days ago, I saw the film "Taken 2".   I liked the first one and I liked "Taken 2" even more.   Outstanding action performances performed by Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen and all the bad guys.

I've complained about this before and I'm complaining again when I say there are just too many good TV shows available to watch and my not being able to watch all of them pisses me off.

Soooo....I think that tonight's episode of "Boss" on STARZ is the final episode we'll see for a while.   If I'm wrong, next week's "Boss" will be the final episode for a while.   I love this show.

Here are other shows I love...."The Good Wife"..."Revenge"...But what I don't like is that "The Good Wife" and "Revenge" are on at the same time...."The Mob Doctor" (on Fox) is getting lousy ratings and it's on life support, but I think this is a very good show...."Revolution" on NBC is getting good ratings and that show deserves the good ratings it gets...

Did you see "Parenthood" this past Tuesday on NBC?   Did you have enough tissue for your eyes?   What an episode on a show that just gets better and better.

And how about "Homeland" on Showtime?   That show is showing us they deserved all that Emmy attention it got.

Have you seen the new show, "Elementary" on CBS which stars Lucy Liu, Jonny Lee Miller and Aidan Quinn?   If not, do yourself a favor and check it out.  Jonny plays the role of Holmes and Liu plays the role of Watson.   And yes, it works.   Ah, Lucy Liu.   I've had a long distance crush on her for years.

Did you see the new ABC show "Nashville" the other night?   It stars Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Powers Boothe and Eric Close.   I think this show has great potential and I've always liked whatever Powers Boothe brings to the table.   A friend of mine thinks Tommy Lee Jones should have gotten that role, but I don't think ABC can/could afford him.

THOUGHTS AND OR COMMENTS:   Please write to me at scottstjames@sbcglobal.net and I will respond to you ASAP.   Don't write to the blog because there's no way for me to know your email address which means I won't be able to respond to you.   I respond to all emails unless the person sending uses the name, "Anonymous".   Those emails are ignored.

THE NEXT BLOG?   Barring unforseen circumstances, next Thursday night, October 18 or very early Friday morning, October 19.

Don't forget...The next presidential debate will be Tuesday night, October 16.  And speaking of the debates....Here's another shout-out to last night's debate moderator, Martha Raddatz....WELL DONE, Ms. RADDATZ!!!   VERY, VERY WELL DONE!!!

I hope that all of you have a very nice weekend and don't forget...

AMERICA FIRST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!