VPT AARP Governor’s debate live blog

Is anyone else watching this?  Dubie and Shumlin are debating live on Vermont Public Television as of 6:30pm.

Impressions so far is that Dubie is just not very good at this.  He started off the debate by holding up pieces of paper and pointing to them.  

Feel free to comment about the debate as it goes along.

39 thoughts on “VPT AARP Governor’s debate live blog

  1. …it’s clear that Brian Dubie knows that you’re supposed to use your hands and gesture in order to emphasize your points, but it’s also clear that he doesn’t know why.

  2. …Brian Dubie knows the importance of having some notes with him for a debate but he doesn’t seem to understand that you’re not supposed to hold up photocopied sheets of paper and then read off of them.

  3. DUbie: I stands by my integrity. Some “L” word confusion.

     Dubie has to be cajoled by the audience to agree to bury the hatchet.

    He butchering every tenth word too.

  4. …enduring Dubie in real time. We didn’t realize the debate was on and we are committed to watching stupid cop shows tonight. I do look at the computer occasionally.

    Thank you because I can’t watch Dubie live, but I guess omeone has to.

  5. ….Dubie is making sure we all have a life cycle.  

    Where the hell would I put another piece of exercise equipment?

    P.S. Dubie’s speaking as though he’s an auctioneer working at half speed.

  6. He has that  deer-in-the-headlights-look, like his mind is a total blank; and he clumsily waives that 26-page cheat sheet around like somebody off-stage just handed it to him for the first time.  I kept wondering if, like Dr. Strangelove, some unseen compulsion was controlling his disembodied hands.  I finally had to leave the room and listen from a distance.

    Dubie certainly put the “goober” in “gubernatorial” tonight!

  7. I did not write this piece to do Peter Shumlin any favors.  I expected to be able to provide a critique of both their performances, and expected that there would be a bit of criticism on both sides.  Shumlin stumbled over his words a few times, but he was polished, presented himself well and never came across as though he didn’t know what he was talking about.

    This wasn’t a poor performance from Dubie.  This was an amazingly bad performance from Dubie.  This was Mondale vs. Reagan bad.   This was Dukakis completely failing to emote when asked about the death penalty bad.  

    I’d like to be able to make some suggestions as to how Shumlin could better go after Dubie in debates or come up with something to say that would improve his chances in November.  I’m actually baffled as to how this guy could ever have gotten elected to anything because onstage, in front of people, responding to questions that are not prescreened, he is a disaster.  

    I am just baffled.

  8. When Shumlin calls health care a hidden tax on businesses and workers, a better term may be “a hidden regressive tax”.  

  9. Since when does Marty Manahan qualify as a “law enforcement professional?”

    He’s a car salesman who also happens to be mayor!  He’s about as qualified to comment on corrections reform as he was back in ’08 when he volunteered the opinion to the Freeps that Sara Palin was qualified to be Vice-President (and potentially president) because “we mayors have to deal with all kinds of stuff…” or something to that effect.

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