September 13, 2005

Two Debates tomorrow

I would love to have real broadband for tomorrow. (We are far enough in the sticks that Satellite is the only option and latency issues with satellites makes streaming media a no-go.) Two debates are happening tomorrow. Debate One is between the wonderfully acerbic Christopher Hitchens and Red George Galloway -- Christopher lays out his strategy in this article at Slate:
George Galloway Is Gruesome, Not Gorgeous
Now, watch me debate him.
My old friend and frequent critic Geoffrey Wheatcroft once tried to define a moment of perfect contentment and came up with the idea of opening a vintage wine while settling down to read an undiscovered work by P.G. Wodehouse. Another comrade identified bliss with writing or reading very hard in the afternoon, knowing that someone really, really nice was coming to dinner. I, too, have a taste for the simpler pleasures. Can I convey the deep sense of delight that stole over me when I learned that George Galloway and Jane Fonda were to go on an "anti-war" tour together and that the idea of this perfect partnership had come from Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues?

The pure silliness and risibility of the thing would have been quite beyond one's power of invention. And, oh, just to be present when they finally meet. Jane can shyly tell George, who yells daily about the rape of Jerusalem by Zionism, of the brave days in 1982 when she and Tom Hayden went to entertain Gen. Sharon's invading troops in Lebanon. He can huskily and modestly discuss (he says he's a great admirer of her role in Barefoot in the Park) his long record as one of Britain's leading pro-life politicians, and his more recent outrage at the judicial "murder" of Terri Schiavo.
As is usual with Hitchens, this post just keeps getting better and better and better. Red Georgie will not know what hit him. The term "blindsided" was coined for events like this. The debate is being hosted here: Baruch College, CUNY The next one is one I had just heard of through a private email. One of my favorite writers is Victor Davis Hanson. His Friday essays are something I look forward to each week. A Classicist and Historian, he brings the long view into today's events. He is a serious and well-grounded scholar. Grand Valley State University (Allendale, MI) is sponsoring a debate between him and media gadfly Arianna Huffington. I am sure that text transcripts and downloadable media will abound after these events but I would love to be there watching. Fish in the barrel? Meet Mr. Shotgun. Mr. Shotgun is not your friend. Posted by DaveH at September 13, 2005 9:02 PM
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