VP debate stirs up Basin followers

Hard-fought contest closely followed by area activists

MOSES LAKE —The feisty exchanges between Vice President Dick Cheney and Democratic vice-presidential candidate John Edwards found sharp echoes in the Basin.

Activists on both sides praised their man while deriding the performance of their opponent.

Democrat Joe Rogers, a professor at Big Bend Community College, said the debate had gone "better than expected," with Edwards' demeanor in stark contrast with that of Cheney, he said.

"Cheney looked tired, not all that involved and with that sneering, snarling look of his," Rogers said. "Edwards looked fresh and vigorous."

On the other hand, Grant County Republicans chairman Tom Dent said he was not surprised but disappointed in what he saw as Edwards' attacks on the Bush administration.

Dent praised Cheney's performance, giving it a straight A and calling it that of a man who is "very smart and who understands the issues well." Conversely, he said Edwards was misleading the nation.

"Iraq is improving daily, and I am excited about what is going on there," he said. "There will be an election there soon for the first time ever."

Dent compared Cheney to one of his personal heroes, President Harry Truman, a Democrat.

"Truman made decisions and stood by them," he said, adding that that was what Cheney and Bush had done. On the other hand, Edwards had "kept waffling around" during the debate

"He had a great command of the English language," Dent said, "but he did not tell me anything."

Rogers added that people had gotten a good look at what the person, and not just the candidate had to offer the nation.

"The difference was striking," he said. "Edwards was clear, kind and had a sense of humor. Cheney had no sense of humor and was not clear or kind. Neither is his administration."

For Rogers, the debate between the vice-presidential hopefuls was a synopsis of what the top of the tickets had to offer. While Cheney had no real answers, Edwards was clear on how to get things done, he said.

"(Edwards) said "this is how we stop the costs of litigation and malpractice," he said. "Cheney said that the way to end unemployment was to "get people jobs.'"

Dent refuted such criticism, saying Edwards was not standing by his record.

"If you want to be president, tell us how you are going to do it," he said. "And stand by your record with pride. If you are not, then something is missing."

To Rogers, some of the highlights of Edwards' evening were when he said that billionaires sitting at poolside were receiving tax cuts and soldiers in Iraq weren't thanks to the Bush administration. He also noted Edwards' defense of his short time as a statesman compared to Cheney's decades of service.

"He said, 'a long resume does not guarantee good judgment,'" Rogers said.

Dent said Cheney's performance had aided the Bush ticket, saying the vice-president had projected leadership and a calming effect on the nation.

"That is what America is looking for," he said, "and it will go a long way toward re-electing the president."

At the end of the debate, Edwards and Cheney both addressed what moderator Gwen Ifill dubbed as the division of America. Rogers agreed with Edwards' saying President Bush had not been the uniter he pledged to be when he first entered office.

"I hold the Republican administration almost entirely responsible," he said. "They have not made an effort to bring people together from the very beginning."

The criticism was not limited to Bush, he said, but to Republicans such as Tom DeLay.

Dent agreed with the assessment that it was hard to bring people together, praising President Bush for what he described as his attempt to reach across the aisle.

"Some senators don't want to cooperate, though," Dent said.