Separate Opinion
The US presidential debates
By Isagani A. Cruz
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:37:00 10/12/2008
PROOF of our robust affection for the United States despite its many shortcomings against our country and its growing disaffection from the rest of the world was the thousands of Filipinos who witnessed the presidential debates between Barack Obama and John McCain as televised on CNN and other foreign channels.
The Filipino audience consisted mostly of old-timers like me, who grew up during the American regime in this country and learned more about English grammar and Jeffersonian democracy than the hicks in Kentucky. We were joined by many members of the present generation who passionately believe in the rhythmic appeal of jazz and regard the benefits of the green card as the summit of their ambitions. No less interested were many Ivy League college graduates and serious-minded young poets who, like Robert Frost, “have miles to go before (they) sleep.”
The same cross-section of our concerned population sat also to watch the vice-presidential debate between Sen. Joseph Biden of the Democrats and Gov. Sarah Palin of the Republicans, who represented their respective parties with equal aplomb but different appeal. The former exhibited his political experience and flair as a foreign affairs expert and the latter her novel bid for national prominence as a “hickory mom” in 3-inch heels.
What especially impressed me about the debates was their civility as exhibited by the debaters themselves and the audience without exception although it consisted of supporters from both of the contending parties who usually settle their differences with name-calling or mayhem. Even applause was not allowed, except when the moderators permitted the crowd to welcome the speakers before the start of the verbal fisticuffs.
There were sharp exchanges between McCain and Obama, but neither of them lost his temper. Obama repeatedly told McCain that “you were wrong” but the former Vietcong prisoner of war kept his cool although it characteristically simmered at times. The older senator described Obama as naïve and inexperienced, and the younger rival received but rejected the charge as from an elder but not necessarily wiser brother. In their debate, Palin had the fancy and Biden the facts.
The issues that divided the candidates splendidly reflected the genuine concern of the American citizens in general for the competence of their government and the welfare of their country. The differences in policies between the Republican and Democratic Parties speak highly of the selectiveness of the average voters in the exercise of their suffrages. Al Capone provided the exception during the 1930s when he bragged he had discharged his civic duty on Election Day by voting as many as 11 times in his fiefdom in Chicago.
The debaters discussed many explosive topics, among them the faltering American economy and its effects on the rest of the world, the danger of a resurgent Cold War between their country and Russia, the continuing conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, and the emerging nuclear threat of Iran against Israel. There was also disagreement on diverse controversial domestic issues like energy, social security, taxation, insurance, health care, unemployment, and education.
The present US presidential campaign is a sharp contrast from the way we hold our elections here. Ours is authentically Filipino, but this is said not with pride but with regret and shame. There were times when elections in this country were earnest and perceptive, as during the pro-anti dispute in 1934 and when the Parity amendment was proposed in 1947. But elections now are a far cry from those significant controversies that tested the wisdom of the voters.
We recall with amusement the last presidential election campaign here in 2004, when a popular movie actor evaded a debate with his rival by requiring that it be held only in the slums among his mostly illiterate fans. In the 1998 campaign, all the presidential candidates met at a common stage except the also box-office idol, who did not risk meeting his competent opponents face-to-face. He later won by a landslide.
In election campaigns in our country, all the candidates are in agreement on the motherhood issues. The real contest is only on who among them is the best singer or dancer, practices kung-fu better, could be the handsomest or prettiest head of state, or—most importantly—gives the thickest wad of pesos for their vote or threatens most ferociously for it. The better man is usually only an also-ran.
Elections in the Philippines now are like the old Amateur Hour, where sex and other frippery tests were more important than merit. That is why the quality of our public officials in general has drastically deteriorated. There are impostors in Malacañang, clowns in the Senate, crooks in the lower House, and adjustable judges in the courts. Worst of all is the ordinary Filipino voter, who has desecrated the sanctity of suffrage and soiled the purity of the ballot for mere lack of a civic conscience.
Watch the cheap commercials of the presidential candidates in 2010. Cosmetic appeal will decide who of them shall claim the gaudy plume of victory.
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