Keller @ Large: You May Be Surprised By What You Hear At Debate
BOSTON (CBS) - Tonight at 9, live on WBZ-TV, WBZ NewsRadio 1030 and CBS Boston.com, it's the first presidential debate between the major party contenders.
Listen to Jon's commentary:
Podcast
Finally, we get a chance to see the candidates together, explaining who they are and what they want to do with the most powerful job in the world.
The debate is supposed to focus strictly on domestic policy, and Jim Lehrer of PBS will be our expert moderator.
And if you bring anything close to an open mind to this debate, I think you may be surprised at what you hear, given the junk food that's been peddled to you for years now about both men.
Let's start with President Obama.
If you tune in expecting to see a wild-eyed socialist bent on inciting class warfare, you will be disappointed. The first thing Mr. Obama did after taking office was the same first thing the previous allegedly-scary liberal Democrat to occupy the White House – Bill Clinton – did: bring in establishment Wall Street figures and endorse their capitalism-friendly solutions to the economic crisis, including corporate bailouts and dirt-cheap interest rates.
Just like Clinton in 1993, Obama backed a stimulus that was far less than what real liberals wanted. The health-care bill is controversial, but it includes ideas endorsed by conservatives and benefits some of the country's wealthiest insurance and health-care corporations.
They sure don't make socialist radicals like they used to.
As for Mitt Romney, he has at times been his own worst enemy as a candidate, but the vulgar stereotyping of him as an uncaring country-clubber who hates anyone without a yacht is a sick joke to anyone who knows the man.
Romney's public career displays frugality, integrity, and an admirable desire to serve. Despite what local partisans now claim, he was a good governor while we had his full attention, which unfortunately didn't last his full term.
These are two pretty good men, smart, honest within the constraints of politics, and competent.
Maybe tonight we can hear their differences without the burden of all the foolish mud that's been dumped on both of them.
You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.
