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Show Who won debate? That's easy. It was. . , ' the editor's column "Did you watch the 'Great Debate' last night?" Everybody had been asking me, so I figured I should ask Big John when we sat down to lunch Monday. It seemed like a good way to start a conversation. "Yeah, I watched it." He sounded bored. "Couldn't watch anything else, since the networks ganged up on us there." "So, who do you think won? " "What difference does it make?" Big John answered. He always makes things sound so crystal clear. I'd spent all night listening to the commentators following the debate, and I'd read the morning papers. I was ready, for once, to dazzle Big John with my grasp of the political situation. "It makes a lot of difference," I explained. "I mean, if Mondale won, it could be the start of a real campaign. cam-paign. After all, Reagan looked tired, and even lost his place there towards the end. I thought he was looking around for Nancy to help him answer one of those questions." "Look, if you think that debate is going to .change anything, you're wrong," BigJohn -said scornfully. "All political debates do is' strengthen each candidate's position. With Mondale, that's not a bright prospect." "I don't get it." I was at Big John's mercy once again, as he lead me to his brand of enlightenment. commit yourself to a position, you'll do anything to avoid looking stupid just because you are wrong. "That's why debates like the one last night don't make any difference. The people committed to the Republicans are never going to admit that Mondale, of all people, might have some valid points. "That's also true for the liberals who are backing a Democratic ticket they know can't win. At least that way they don't have to admit that Reagan had done anything right." I protested that. "But Mondale praised Reagan for producing an upbeat mood in the country." "Look, Mondale's running against one of the nicest presidents we've ever had. He was just trying to look nice too. As for Reagan's lapse, that was pure Madison Avenue." "Madison Avenue? That's ridiculous." This time Big John had gone too far. "No it's not. Remember that cigarette jingle you used to be forced to listen to when you were little? . 'You can take Salem out of the country, but . . .' ""You can't take the country out of Salem,' " I finished. "Sure. It was a great advertising ad-vertising ploy because it forced our minds to fill in the blank. We talked about it in our college advertising classes." "Well, they don't call the man the 'Great Communicator' for nothing," Big John said. "When Reagan u suddenly at a loss for words yoiia. G bet that every Reagan supporter " the country was filling in ail c blanks with the same c they've been subjected to st(. before the man was elected to c just solidifed Reagan's posit' ; d anything, by reinforcing it, c message that's been put across ' many times before." "And what did the rest of debate accomplish?" I asked. "Reinforcement. Reagan , porters are more pro-Reagan k , ever, and Mondale supporters lb their man finally de-whimpedt: image. And that's about all." t "And the winner?" "Oh, Reagan will "win the eta There's no question about that Hi; the Dallas Cowboys of poliia , America's candidate. He does ah the things that political analysts si; shouldn't be done, but that the puti would like to do. , "Like when he joked ata bombing the Russians. Event' missed the point that Reagan n ( saying out loud what k American's feel-that they'dalii , to bomb the hell out of Russia. ""But the debate," 1 persif. "Who won the debate?" "There's no question about U Big John responded casual 1 "Barbara Walters came awj'i big winner there. I thought she' great. Didn't you?" -- t By MARC HADDOCK "Have you ever won an argument?" That seemed like an easy question. "Sure." "Has anyone ever changed your mind in an argument - has anyone ever convinced you to change sides "just because he putmaneuvered you with words?" "Not that I can remember. " "Right." Big John's eyes glowed with that killer instinct. He was going to teach me a lesson. "That's because when you take a side and |
