As promised, my “review” of last night’s Republican
Debate…
Debates like this bother me. Scripted questions, the “rules,”
timed responses and rebuttals… it just comes off as political theater where,
like in a movie theater, the audience is there to watch and be quiet. What
bothers me the most is what the moderator of last night’s debate said at the
beginning: “… a platform for the candidates to talk about what’s important to
their campaigns.”
What about what’s important to us? I think in-person Town
Halls are a much better way to connect with people during a campaign. No rules,
no time limits… just let it all flow naturally, spontaneously. And it ain’t
over ‘til all the folks’ questions are asked and satisfactorily answered.
Ahem… regarding last night’s Republican Debate in Cumming:
Rob Woodall, two thumbs up. Shane Hazel, well, to say “two
thumbs down” would be a compliment.
I haven’t been impressed at all by Shane Hazel, even before
last night’s debate, and meeting him briefly before it started and watching his
performance during the debate confirmed what I had already figured out. Based
on my observation, he comes across as arrogant, aloof, boastful, pompous – a
bully who seems to think he’s the smartest person on the planet. That’s just
not who we are, so why would we want a representative who seems to blatantly
disrespect us? In my view, Shane Hazel is the personification of the lesson
from the Bible’s book of James – “Pride Goeth Before Destruction.”
To wit…
The Republican challenger approached me before the debate
and forced a handshake. “Hi. I’m Shane Hazel. Thanks for coming.”
“I didn’t come for you,” I said, then asked, “Do you
recognize me?” (I knew he did.) “I’m
Toddy Lentz.”
“Oh yeah,” he replied in that condescending way he’s got
going on. “I’m still waiting for your phone call.”
And I thought to myself, “Say what?!? What makes you think I
want to call you?!?” Instead, I just told him, well, rather warned him, “Do not
bait Rob. Be nice.”
He said he would be cool, then just grinned an evil looking grin and walked away. That’s
when I knew that Hazel was going to turn the debate into a full-on assault. I
knew he would look for any opening to make jabs and take cheap shots. For
Hazel, I presumed, and correctly so as it turned out, this wasn’t a Republican
Debate; it was The Shane Hazel Show!
And so for about an hour I listened to Mr. Big Stuff take
his shots while I got angrier with each one. Toward the end of the event, when
the candidates were given the opportunity to ask each other a question, I
finally reached my boiling point. Hazel’s question was the hook, the ultimate
slap that he likely figured would embarrass Rob into finally taking the bait.
He began with a patronizing “Congressman… “ with a pause for
effect, I suppose, then rattled off some silly “grades” of Rob’s performance.
Then the punch: “Why aren’t you running as a Democrat?”
Wellllllll, that was it! I totally lost it! I sprang from my
seat and went out to the aisle and shouted down Hazel for his grandstanding. I
don’t remember all of what I said (I know
I didn’t curse like Hazel had earlier in one of his responses) but it was worth
almost getting escorted out by security to see the instant shell-shocked look
on Hazel’s face when I pointed at him and yelled, “JUST WHO DO YOU THINK YOU
ARE?!?”
But I digress…
