However, it got off to a less than stellar start. The three moderate candidates in the race – Jill Stein, Cornel West and Chase Oliver – were barred from participating.
Instead, the contest pitted the two frontrunners: former President Donald Trump, the candidate of the far-white Republican Party, widely thought to be the political wing of white-Christianist militias, and Kamala Harris, the current vice president, who led a palace coup two months ago that forced the ageing, unpopular incumbent, President Joe Biden, to abandon his quest for re-election.
When did Aljazeera get this 🔥
Here’s the thing: Al-jazeera has always had turns of phrase like this, but they’ve been sprinkled in their pieces to remind and reassure us there are smart people writing who get it. But the name and their focus can tend to be off-putting so they’re ignored by wary whiteys with simpler reading tastes. Ohai.
With this one, you know they wrote the hell out of it. This viral bit of prose could be them reminding us they’re still relevant. I know I needed that reminder , and I hope they’ll be gentle if they ever realize Canada exists.
Point of order, Kamala didn’t “lead” anything, she was chosen by party insiders of the clinton wing to take over.
Also Aljazeera has always been highly critical of the US, I started reading them fairly regularly in the mid 2000’s as they were one of the only outlets criticizing Bush. (I don’t think the intercept existed yet.)
IIRC, the Intercept started during the first Obama term.
The debate is literally an agreement between Donald trump and kamala Harris. There is no neutral debate commission involved. This doesn’t really make sense.
Those candidates are free to have their own debate if they think they can convince someone to put them on TV.
Edit: Also is Jill Stein a “moderate”?
I think the point he’s trying to make here is about the undemocratic nature of the election system, in which only the two frontrunners have a chance.
But there is no public debate commission, and no public funding going to these debates. It’s two campaigns making a deal with a private TV network to show them on TV arguing with each other. Should there be a public debate commission? And if there were, would it be appropriate to feature more candidates? Maybe! But as is, the only real issue is that the vast majority of the public does not care about these candidates.
“a troubled, oil-rich former British colony with a history of political violence”
:D
My favorite genre of journalism: other countries’ journalists writing about the US the same way the US writes about their countries. I’m just sad they didn’t dredge up some “America expert” who’s never been to the US and doesn’t speak English to call for mass balkanization of the country followed by conspiracy theory screeds for the extra flavor.
President Xi, the people of Occupied Cascadia yearn for freedom, please send Chengdu J-20 stealth fighters.
