The Santos-Vinick Live Debate

West Wing aired a live debate between Matt Santos and Arnold Vinick. As those of on the west coast have not seen it yet I will not say much except to point out a few highlights to hopefully spark your interest.

Kerry supporters will appreciate how Santos responds to having made a statement that he voted for something before he voted against it in explaining they were different votes under different circumstances. I wish Kerry had responded as well.

Santos appears to have a health care pla similar to Kerry's incremental plan. When Vinick, who has no plan, noted that the Santos plan would not provide universal care, Santos notes that his plan is proposed based upon what the Congress might pass. Santos then presents what he would do if not bound to such restrictions--and it is a plan which also makes sense in the real world.

Santos also does an excellent job of responding to Republican attacks on liberals and in responding to the Republican holy grail of cutting taxes. A year after the real debates, Jimmy Smits as Matt Santos reminds us of what could have been if the winner of the real debates won the 2004 election.