Harris gets points for style, not substance
There's a new debate strategy this young presidential campaign season: the Bentsen/Babbitt Option. Don't bother Googling. I made it up.
Remember 1988 Vice Presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen's "You're no Jack Kennedy" VP debate takedown of Sen. Dan Quayle? It's arguably the mother of all debate knockout one-liners.
Crowd reaction is a large part of the line's legend, but that ignores two points:
Quayle hit Bentsen earlier in the debate over PAC money that the Texas senator had accepted and eventually regretted; but since neither crowd noise nor pundit material was generated, the exchange was forgotten. Quayle didn't compare himself personally to John F. Kennedy; only their experience by the time they each ran for the White House.
No matter, perception is reality in politics. Why let facts get in the way of a really good sound bite?
Another 1988 Democratic presidential candidate, Bruce Babbitt, also had a nose for news-cycle notoriety. Asked by NBC's Tom Brokaw if any of the candidates supported raising taxes, Babbitt was the only one to stand up. The stunt didn't match Bentsen's stinging "Jack Kennedy" line, but it gave Babbitt's campaign a much-needed, though temporary boost.
My Bentsen/Babbitt Option holds that candidates who attempt the knockout line but fail may then default to a less risky Bruce Babbitt-type stunt.
Many disagree, but I say that 2020 Democratic candidate Kamala Harris' polished busing remarks toward Joe Biden were more theatrics than substance. Biden fumbled but countered well enough to stump another day.
Harris is still photogenic, tough and a strong communicator while Biden remains old, white and generally likable. Most politicians will settle for half-a-loaf over nothing, even in a debate.
I give Harris style points and a "Bruce Babbitt" door prize, but that's all.
James H. Newton
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