Clark? Here! Len? Here! Joey? Joey, are you here? Burp! Hah hah hah hah...

Yesterday evening the nation gathered through electronic media, to watch a debate between two men who seek to be the vice-president of the United States.

I wish I could tell you that a dignified point by point discussion was presented to the American public, but the nation as a whole knows that wasn't the case. One of the two men acted the part of a young fool, too important to take matters like life and death, citizens being able to be the bread-winner for their family or not, the nation going broke or not, our military being decimated or not, our foreign policy going south or not, our founding values being important or not, and many other issues worthy of serious consideration or not.

One person took on the role of elder statesman. One took on the role of a clown. One took on the role of trying to explain his team's policies. One took on the role of laughing at every point the man sitting across from him made. One was respectful of the other, when no respect was warranted. One was disrespectful when respect was called for.

One participant was watched as he attempted to present in calm rational detail how his team's policies would help get the nation back on track. One participant was watched as he laughed at each point as they were made, opting to default to his team's four year record that is about to expire. One man provided details. One man relied on saying, "Oh that isn't true", (when it was) every few seconds. One man made presentations when it was his turn. The other made interruptions over eighty times, laughing, making noises, shaking his head, talking over the other person, or calling the other person a liar over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. Yes, I am told 82 interruptions took place in 90 minutes. Now while that may seem on first light to be almost one interruption each minute, remember that each candidate talked for about 45 minutes. One person interrupted the other candidate about every thirty seconds if the count is accurate, and frankly I can't believe it was. It seemed more like an interruption every ten to fifteen seconds. If you add in the distracting insipid evolving facial expressions on the split screen almost constantly, the other candidate was given no respect at all. And that isn't the worst of it.

By disrespecting the other candidate, this person was actually disrespecting the American public. It goes beyond this too. These debates are held to educate the voting public. These debates are an important part of the electoral process. Men and women tune in to hear important issues addressed. Two men representing two teams and their policies are supposed to sit down and advocate for their polices, and poke holes in the policies of the other candidates. Serious discussion branches out, issues get finely identified and fleshed out. Then the voting public having been informed, goes to the polls and votes for the people showing better leadership skills and the more sound policies. One candidate last night dismissed this process to the point of being a sad misguided child. He didn't prove himself to be the better man. He proved himself to be the misguided needy child-like class clown, seeking attention, and showing no respect whatsoever for the teacher or the other students who want to learn.

In general terms you would hope that the person conducting themselves in this manner, would have decades to overcome their youthful inexcusable child-like behavior. Spending forty years in the United States Senate might help. Being the chairman of three vitally important Senate Committees over time, could cause them to mature. Being the vice-president of the United States for four years, would more than likely cause them to reflect on the importance of their position, and the need to conduct themselves in a highly professional respectful manner. Youthful indiscretions are generally expected to fall away as a man matures.

This being the case, some forty years from now we would expect the actions looking like a spoiled child's indiscretions we observed last night, fail to materialize if the perpetrator were to be involved in another debate. Sadly that won't be the case. Last night we watched the maturity, mutual respect, and solemn posture developed over forty years by the current vice-president of the United States. After forty years, this is the maturity developed by Joseph Robinette Biden, Jr., Deleware's most embarrassing son. There was no maturity, no mutual respect, no poise.

The sneer is gone from ~~Casey's~~ Joey's lip, his teeth are clenched in hate;
He pounds with cruel violence his bat upon the plate.
And now the pitcher holds the ball, and now he lets it go,
And now the air is shattered by the force of ~~Casey's~~ Joey's blow.

Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in DNCville, mighty ~~Casey~~ Joey has struck out.

Joseph Robinette "Joey" Biden, Jr. destroyed himself last night. Little Joey will shortly lose the power of his office. He will lose the ability to look down on anyone. He will be an unemployed ex-hack. He will lose the opportunity to prove what he can do to enhance not destroy himself, with blessings showered upon him by his God.

Somewhere in the not too distant future, will lay the bones of little Joey, a man who lost an opportunity to conduct himself with dignity from a position of power.

On his marker by rights it should say, "Here lay the bones of a little man, with little to show for over forty years in power, a complete failure as a man deserving of respect."

Alas it won't, but that won't matter. Those makers reflect the way family wants to remember their loved one. What will matter is what is written on his marker in the minds of the public. And after last night, that will be none too pretty.

Too bad this wasn't a debate to win the office of third grade class president. Little Joey would probably have been a big hit.., with a few of the children.

Reached for comment late last night, Joey's nine year old running mate stated he couldn't be more proud of him.

It's little wonder they're running on the record they are, and why it has been impossible for them to address that candidly during two debates.

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