Flashes of Authenticity in the Democratic Debate

My favorite moments from last night’s Democratic debate were the moments of unscripted authenticity.  Here are the ones I remember:

• John Edwards pondering who he considers to be his moral leader.  He paused for several seconds — an eternity on TV — and said: “I don’t think I could identify one person that I consider to be my moral leader. My Lord is important to me. I go to him in prayer every day and ask for both forgiveness and counsel. My wife, who I think is the finest human being I’ve ever known, is a source of great conscience for me.”  He also mentioned his dad.

• Bill Richardson, saying that on his very first day in office as president, he would (almost verbatim) “end the Iraq war through diplomacy.”  He couldn’t possibly have thought that one out.

• More from Bill Richardson, this time admitting that he delayed in calling on Alberto Gonzales to resign because the Attorney General, like Richardson, is Mexican-American.   Richardson fessed up to the ethnic pride, saying, “That’s how I felt” and argued that Americans don’t want “blow-dried candidates” who are afraid to say what they really think.

• Former Senator Mike Gravel of Alaska, who managed to out-peacenik Dennis Kucinich: “And I got to tell you, after standing up with [the Democratic candidates], some of these people frighten me — they frighten me.”  The reason?  The “top-tier” candidates, he said, were keeping “all options on the table” with respect to Iran — which Gravel said was “code” for threatening to use nuclear weapons.

• The subject of Iran came up later in the form of a tense interchange between the lefties — Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel — and Barack Obama.

Kucinich: “You [Obama] previously said that all options are on the table respect to Iran.  And I think that it’s important for people to reflect on the real meaning of that, that you’re setting the stage for another war.”

Obama: “I think it would be a profound mistake for us to initiate a war with Iran.  But have no doubt, Iran possessing nuclear weapons will be a major threat to us — ”

Kucinich: They do not —

Obama: “— and to the region.  I understand that.  But they’re in the process of developing it, and I don’t think that’s disputed by any experts.  They are the largest state sponsor of terrorism, Hezbollah and Hamas.

Kucinich: “It is disputed by — it is disputed.”

Obama: “And — and there is no contradiction, Dennis, between —”

Kucinich: “It is disputed.”

Obama: “Let me finish. There is no contradiction between us taking seriously the need, as you do, to want to strengthen our alliances around the world.  But I think it is important for us to also recognize that if we have nuclear proliferators around the world that potentially can place a nuclear weapon into the hands of terrorists, that is a profound security threat for America and one that we have to take seriously.”

Gravel: “With respect to Iran, we’ve sanctioned them for 26 years.  We’ve scared the bejesus out of them when the president says they’re evil.  Well, you know something?  These things don’t work, they don’t work.  We need to recognize them.  And you know something, who is the greatest violator of the Non-Proliferation Treaty?  The United States of America.  We signed a pledge that we would begin to disarm, and we’re not doing it.  We’re expanding our nukes.  Who the hell are we going to nuke?”

Brian Williams, the moderator: “Senator?”

Gravel: “Tell me, Barack. Who — Barack, who’s — who do you want to nuke?”

Obama: “I’m not planning to nuke anybody right now, Mike, I promise you.”

Gravel: “Good, good, we’re safe then — for a while.”

I won’t be voting for Gravel when Illinois’s primary comes around, but I have to say, it’s fun having him onstage. 

My pick for the night’s worst moment: Chris Matthews, after the debate, raving about Hillary’s pearl necklace.  Get over it, Chris.  We have a country to save.