The 1984 2nd Presidential Debate: Reagan vs Mondale

[wing2000]

To get some idea of how far our political discourse and civility has fallen, I watched the 2nd Presidential debate between Walter Mondale and Ronald Reagan in 1984. Of note:
1) The entire debate (nearly 90 minutes) was dedicated to foreign policy. I believe an earlier debate focussed on domestic issues.
2) Each candidate was respectful and for the most part, addressed the question asked.
3) Mondale was clearly attempting to highlight Reagan's age weakness and his grasp of the facts. Yet he did so in civil manner....and at one point, Regan cracked a joke about his age.

 

[Pommer]

To get some idea of how far our political discourse and civility has fallen, I watched the 2nd Presidential debate between Walter Mondale and Ronald Reagan in 1984. Of note:
1) The entire debate (nearly 90 minutes) was dedicated to foreign policy. I believe an earlier debate focussed on domestic issues.
2) Each candidate was respectful and for the most part, addressed the question asked.
3) Mondale was clearly attempting to highlight Reagan's age weakness and his grasp of the facts. Yet he did so in civil manner....and at one point, Regan cracked a joke about his age.

Please do not remind us of the before-times!

 

[Laodicean60]

To get some idea of how far our political discourse and civility has fallen, I watched the 2nd Presidential debate between Walter Mondale and Ronald Reagan in 1984. Of note:
1) The entire debate (nearly 90 minutes) was dedicated to foreign policy. I believe an earlier debate focussed on domestic issues.
2) Each candidate was respectful and for the most part, addressed the question asked.
3) Mondale was clearly attempting to highlight Reagan's age weakness and his grasp of the facts. Yet he did so in civil manner....and at one point, Regan cracked a joke about his age.

My father's generation was more sensible and polite than the boomers are. I blame it on drugs.

 

[Pommer]

My father's generation was more sensible and polite than the boomers are. I blame it on drugs.

The (we) Boomers grew up in a haze of tetraethyl lead fumes, that “did things” to us.

 

[Vylo]

To get some idea of how far our political discourse and civility has fallen, I watched the 2nd Presidential debate between Walter Mondale and Ronald Reagan in 1984. Of note:
1) The entire debate (nearly 90 minutes) was dedicated to foreign policy. I believe an earlier debate focussed on domestic issues.
2) Each candidate was respectful and for the most part, addressed the question asked.
3) Mondale was clearly attempting to highlight Reagan's age weakness and his grasp of the facts. Yet he did so in civil manner....and at one point, Regan cracked a joke about his age.

Civility ebbs and flows. the civil war era was brutal, with Lincoln called an ape by his opponents.

 

[Desk trauma]

Civility ebbs and flows. the civil war era was brutal, with Lincoln called an ape by his opponents.

Not to mention the literal with a cane beating of one congressman by another on the floor of the house .

 

[Vylo]

Not to mention the literal with a cane beating of one congressman by another on the floor of the house .

Sumner(sp?) I think it was.,

 

[Desk trauma]

Sumner(sp?) I think it was.,

Looking it up it was the senate not the house with Preston from SC beating Summner from Massachusetts nearly fatally.

 

[wing2000]

Civility ebbs and flows. the civil war era was brutal, with Lincoln called an ape by his opponents.

...having seen civility for the first half of my life, I assumed (wrongly) that it would continue to flow.

 

[A2SG]

Looking it up it was the senate not the house with Preston from SC beating Summner from Massachusetts nearly fatally.

And in remembrance, they named a tunnel after him.

You pretty much have to use it if you're going to the airport from Boston.

-- A2SG, maybe not the most auspicious way to remember someone, but at least his name is constantly on everyone's mind....