OK, perhaps the title “King Of Dunces” will rotate from time to time, but for now, it’s George Allen’s to lose (via TPM and Balloon Juice):
Later on, Allen criticized Kaine for accepting the role of chairman of the Democratic National Committee, saying he should have spent his final year as governor on state priorities, “not the national partisan role of advocating for the likes of, not only President Obama’s policies, but those of Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid.”
“The likes of President Obama?” Kaine responded.
“Well, the policies and agenda of President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid,” said Allen. “Were you or were you not advocating for their agenda? And their agenda surely wasn’t consistent with what’s in the best interests of the people of Virginia.”
“Wiping out al-Qaeda?” Kaine responded “Stopping the Iraq War? Saving the auto industry? Is that not being consistent with Virginia’s interests? I just see it a different way than you do, George.”
You’ll never believe it, but it actually got worse:
Later in the debate, Allen had a fumble on some basic science. The candidates were asked about conservative proposals to declare that life begins at conception. Kaine opposed this, explaining that it would not only outlaw abortion, but would outlaw contraception such as the birth control pill and intra-uterine devices.
Allen said that defining life as beginning at conception would not outlaw contraception, as “contraception” means stopping conception — that is, preventing fertilization from taking place.
Later on, there was this awkward exchange with a moderator:
Moderator: Could you tell us, how do you think birth control pills and intra-uterine devices work?
Allen: I’m not – I don’t profess to be a doctor. i’m just using logic of — maybe a little bit of Latin, that contraception means it stops conception – and so you do not have a fertilized egg.
Moderator: Don’t they work by preventing implantation of a fertilized egg?
Allen: Well if the egg is not fertilized, there is not conception.
When Kaine’s turn came up to speak, he explained that the common birth control pill works by a dual mechanism — both preventing fertilization, and preventing successful implantation when fertilization does occur. Also, he added, intra-uterine devices work singly by preventing implantation.
Note to the Ferengi Controlled Media: THIS is how you ask questions of a political candidate.
My Ready Room 