Some theater you may have missed last night if you watched the debate on CNN -- AlterNet:
If you watched the debate via the livestreamed Webcast, as I did, you saw a bit of unintentional video after the debate had ended, when Wolf Blitzer approached Rick Perry, saying he hoped they could "get together soon." Then Blitzer patted Perry on the shoulder. "You did an excellent job tonight," he said.
While it might be a good thing that viewers who still retain the capacity for independent thought and have a shred of conscience might have had the opportunity to see Tea Party ugliness in all its glory, CNN's shameless attempt to turn itself into Fox News by partnering with the Tea Party Express also left some important questions completely unasked.
Questions like this one:
"The Senate is voting tonight on $6.9 billion funding for FEMA to help communities recently devastated by natural disasters. Do you believe that disaster relief is an acceptable function of the federal government, and that this appropriation should be approved?"
Because it wasn't -- approved. Republicans followed the admonitions of Eric Cantor in uniting to block a vote on the appropriation 53-33; as usual, 60 votes were needed.
Senator Harry Reid had this to say in an advisory today:
"Last night, Democrats tried to move forward on a measure that would have granted the Federal Emergency Management Agency additional funding to help communities devastated by natural disasters.
"This ought to be the least political issue going – whether to reach out a helping hand to our friends and neighbors in their time of need. They have lost friends and loved ones. Their homes, businesses and livelihoods have been destroyed by acts of god. Their communities are under water or reduced to rubble.
"It’s in our power to help them. But last night Republicans overwhelmingly voted to prevent us from coming to their aid. They prevented us from getting disaster aid to American families and businesses that need it now."
FEMA funds are now running so low as a result of the number and extent of natural disasters this year that FEMA funding for work on rebuilding Joplin, MO has had to come to a halt.
Would the audience have applauded that, too?
It appears that Wolfie wasn't willing to risk upsetting his new pal Rick by asking a question that might have given them that opportunity.