From: puccio@media.mit.edu (Jim Puccio)
Newsgroups: alt.politics.bush,alt.politics.clinton,alt.politics.perot,talk.politics.misc
Subject: The Democratic Debate with Peter Jennings (was Re: Thoughts on '92)
Date: 28 Jul 92 22:35:31 GMT
	<1992Jul24.181045.22126@noose.ecn.purdue.edu>
	<1992Jul27.041531.10665@noose.ecn.purdue.edu>
	<1992Jul27.134752.28985@oakhill.sps.mot.com>
	<16831BB14.MEDELMA@cms.cc.wayne.edu>
	<1992Jul28.050907.6055@noose.ecn.pu
Distribution: usa
Organization: M.I.T. Media Laboratory

In article <1992Jul28.050907.6055@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> helz@ecn.purdue.edu 
  (Randall A Helzerman) writes:

> Remember the group interview that the Dem candidates had before the primaries
> with Peter Jennings?  Two things impressed me about the meeting:

>   1.  Clinton sounded _great_ in 30 second intervals.
>   2.  Tsongas sounded _funny_ in 30 second intervals.

Actually, not only do I remember the interview, but I *took notes* on what the
candidates had to say for themselves, which I reproduce below to jog everyone's
memories, even if they are somwhat sketchy.  I must say I rather enjoyed the
debate.  It was a welcome relief from the heavily filtered interpretations of
news anchors and commentators, or typical sound bite pablum.  I was surprised
by the fact that I actually liked all the candidates in the debate.

Afterwards, I personally had a rank-ordering somewhat like this:

1. Harkin  ]  Both sounded pretty intelligent and reasonable.  I liked their
2. Clinton ]  views.  Personally, I didn't care much which one would win the
              primary, but preferred Harkin to Clinton, since Clinton was so
              bruised by the media.  Harkin didn't last long.  Interesting.

3. Tsongas ]  Too ineloquent (I am being kind).
4. Brown   ]  Did not convey leadership qualities.  I saw him as a welcome
              devil's advocate, but not a viable candidate.
              Both fellows were clearly losers.

THE DEBATE, IN OUTLINE:

Brown:  Revamp tax code.  Tax 13% income + value-added taxes - rent.  Proposes
    conservation-orientated jobs for battling energy and waste.  Sounds vaguely
    New Deal in nature.  Waxes forth on the importance of energy efficiency.

Harkin:  35 Billion should go to cities and communities for infrastructure.
    Japan and Germany are more competitive due to superior infrastructure.
    Uses Headstart as example.

Clinton:  Agrees with Brown about energy.  Says we should invest in education
    and training, including worker training.  (After the highly-filtered
    pounding I've heard from the media, I am struck by how intelligent the man
    sounds - it's the first time I've really had a chance to hear him speak
    unedited.)

Tsongas:  Waxes forth on competitive advantage vs. Japan.  (I notice that
    despite whatever he has to say, the man *sounds* idiotic.  At this point
    I am convinced that he can't play to the voters, and am soon vindicated in
    this belief.)

Brown:  Talks about the rigged system.  Holds forth on the need to strengthen
    labor unions, on employee empowerment, and worker ownership.

Clinton:  Says he created jobs at 10x the national average in Arkansas.

Harkin:  Says he is the "#1 opponent to Reagan and Bush"

Clinton:  Would focus on competing with other countries, on education and
    training.

All:  Favor cuts in defense spending.

Tsongas:  Capital gains tax cuts for long-term investment.  Talks about growing
    new companies.

Harkin:  Says what we need is *investment* tax credits, not *capital gains*
    tax credits, since that will promote long-term investment in business, as
    opposed to the selling of businesses.  Calls for a "Children's Trust
    Initiative," consisting of women's, infants' and children's programs.

Clinton:  Calls for a "Commercial ARPA" !!!!!  Stresses the need for the US to
    invest in future technologies.

Brown:  Says we should focus attention at home:  crime, drugs.

Harkin:  Calls for something new to replace NATO.  Claims to have written a
    book on the subject.

Tsongas:  Is opposed to quarterly reports - they make business too oriented
    towards short-term goals.

Harkin:  Stockholders should have the right to control salaries of CEOs.  Calls
    for education reform, job training, and extra resources for police forces,
    to ensure swifter and more sure prosecution.

Tsongas:  Not in favor of the death penalty for crimes against individuals,
    though he thought it was OK for crimes against society (e.g. drug dealers,
    killing police, etc).

Brown:  Morally opposed to death penalty.

Harkin:  Opposed to the death penalty.  It is arbitrarily applied, and not a
    proven deterrent.

Clinton:  Supports the death penalty.  Calls for passage of the Brady Bill.

[My notes get pretty raggedy here.  I think maybe things turned chaotic, or
perhaps the candidates were not making clear enough points for me to capture
them succinctly, or maybe they were repeating themselves, and I didn't bother
to write things down.  Oh, well.]

Clinton:  Very pro-education.

Harkin:  Says something about the "Rosa Martinez" story.  (Anybody out there
    know what this refers to?)  Against the free trade agreement.

Tsongas:  Pro-free trade agreement.

Clinton:  Basically in favor of free trade agreement, but thinks it is flawed
    in its details.

Harkin:  Calls for a value-based foreign policy (uniform respect for human
    rights), and arms abatement.

Brown:  Plugs his 800 number.

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