pull up the people

(Joshua Masayoshi Huff)

While (again) flipping AM stations during on of ESPN Radio's commercial breaks, I found myself on the local conservative radio station (are there any liberal ones here?). And, again, I was dismayed by what I heard.

The commentator (who was filling in for Mr. Limbaugh) said that he'd like to hear a debate between Mr. Obama and Mr. McCain. I agree with this. He then went on to say that it won't happen much because Mr. Obama is not a good debater. Again, fine. I'm not going to argue that point.

The host then went on to say that the debates should not be of the "boob tube" variety and should only hosted by elite moderators. He went on to say that Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews should not be involved.

I'm sorry, but this is incredibly flawed. Yes, we do need to have serious debates, but opposing the youtube debates is exactly what the conservatives get wrong. This country is composed primarily of people who are NOT elites. And, the men he said should not be involved just happen to be liberals. We don't see Sean Hannity or Bill O'Reilly mentioned as those who should not be allowed to moderate, but I don't see them as any more elite or any more/less acceptable than Olbermann or Matthews.

The youtube debate allowed the non-elite public--those who have no regular access to such debates--to get their questions heard. It allowed the common folk to straighten out exactly where every politician stands on the issues that they deemed pertinent. The politicians were meant to be responsible to the people, but based on the fact that we're a representative/constitional democracy (and not a direct one), they rarely are. These commentators forget that.

It's easy for the elites to sit in their ivory and glass towers and tell everyone else not to throw stones. It's also easy for them to say that anyone not in said penthouse is uninimportant because they no longer reside there.

What they have to realize is that their tower takes up but a miniscule portion of the country.

It sickens me that anyone buys into this and thinks that only "elites" should be allowed anywhere near the debates. And conservatives wonder why they're not regarded as the "party of the people"