Was the Saddleback Forum Style Without Substance?

Some food for thought.

I recently finished reading William F. Buckley, Jr.'s 20th anniversary collection from his PBS show "Firing Line". Among the annotated transcript excerpts included was presidential candidate Ronald Reagan leading a debate on the Panama Canal treaty then under consideration. Reagan was often depicted by the Left Wing Media as a dimbulb, but this transcript finds him in utter command of the facts and holding his own against Buckley (who was for the treaty; Reagan against), Admiral Zumwalt (for), and Pat Buchanan (against). Moreover, Reagan was absolutely right---much of what he'd warned against came to pass in 1989, when America had to invade Panama to take out the dictator Manuel Noriega who threatened the Canal Zone.

To review the transcript of that 30-year-old debate is to be reminded of how weak the candidates are in this election. Neither Obama nor McCain could have outperformed Reagan on style or substance, even in the friendliest of forums.

Thus the "Reagan 2008" bumper stickers WordGirl and I are sporting.