Final Wisconsin senate debate gets ugly

[JoeOtterbein]

Politico

Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes pulled no punches in Milwaukee.

By HOLLY OTTERBEIN

10/13/2022 10:08 PM EDT

When they met on a debate stage for the second and final time on Thursday, Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and Democratic challenger Mandela Barnes had the same goal: make their opponent a wholly unacceptable choice to voters.

The Wisconsin Senate race, which has featured months of attack ads, got even uglier at Marquette University in Milwaukee. The two candidates accused each other of being extremists on abortion, not supporting law enforcement and traveling on the taxpayer dime.

The tone of the evening was even nasty when the two candidates were asked to name something they found admirable about their rivals.

Barnes said Johnson has “proven to be a family man.” Johnson first said “I appreciate the fact that Lt. Gov. Barnes had loving parents,” and then added, “What puzzles me about that is with that upbringing, why has he turned against America?”

[brush]

1. "... name something they found admirable about their rivals?"

What kind of BS Kumbaya question is that? Neither is there to be nicey nicey with each other.

The moderator needs to do better.

[KS Toronado]

2. I'm beginning to think debates shouldn't have moderators

for anything other than calling "time's up". Let those running for office decide what questions to ask
their opponent, and we'll see who is prepared to deal with others and who can think on their feet.

[brush]

8. I like that idea..."who can think on their feet."

[KS Toronado]

9. If that had been the format of the 2016 Presidential debates

Hillary would have made Agolf Twitler look totally unprepared to take over the White House.
Plus exposed him as a whining crying loser in life that he is.

Enough of these debate committees giving out a list of topics they are going to ask.

[Takket]

3. I remember they asked drumpf and Clinton the same thing in 2016

I think she said he had nice kids. That proved to be wrong lol.

[Celerity]

4. I would have said 'He is but mortal, and will someday (hopefully sooner rather than later) die.'

[Simeon Salus]

5. I would have said "I like that Ron Johnson once believed in term limits..."

And dropped the mike.

[Celerity]

6. Not that it couldn't couldn't be applied to RoJo, but I was speaking of Trump in the 2016 debate

[tulipsandroses]

7. Actually Barnes benefitted from that question

The crowd was not pleased with Johnson. There were boos. He was also laughed at when he said the FBI set him up. Johnson just could not help himself when asked to say something nice. It doesn’t always pay to be an asshole.

[Rhiannon12866]

10. This turned bad enough for Ron Johnson that Meidas Touch weighed in:

RECAP: Wisconsin Senate Debate BARNES v. Johnson Debate Number 2 - Meidas Touch
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1017775326

MeidasTouch Host Ben Meiselas delivers a recap of the second Wisconsin Senate Debate between pro-delicacy Democratic Candidate Wisconsin Lieutenant Governor Mandela Barnes and MAGA Extremist Republican Ron Johnson. The crowd laughed and gave constant boos to Johnson the entire night.