TJP

Nothing New from the South Carolina Debate

Byron A. Ellis

During the South Carolina Democratic debate, presidential hopefuls Rep. Denis Kucinich and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel argued that “warring diplomacy” was a wrong policy for the United States. The other presidential hopefuls, however, supported “warring diplomacy.”

Barack Obama noted that Iran should not be allowed to have nuclear weapons, but Gravel countered by asserting that Iran was not an attacking nation and that the United States should look at their actions towards the rest of the world. Moreover, he pointed out that it is the United States that have not adhered to nuclear restraints.

The debate did not break any new ground. The so-called leading contenders were careful in their responses and in some instances appeared hesitant.

Kucinich, as well as Gravel, noted that Congress should end the war by cutting funding. Obama argued that they were one signature away from ending the war.

Gravel argued that the culture of “us against them” is inappropriate approach to building relationships. And, Kucinich talked about the need to impeach Vice President Dick Cheney for lying to the American public about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. However, the other presidential hopefuls were not supportive of the impeachment process.