MTV is now airing it's first 30-minute special on the youth vote.

There were two stand-out moments in last night's special.

The first: A man in the "safe audience" at a Bush rally of the hand-picked chosen said, "Mr. President I have been voting Republican for 60 years and this is the first time ever that I feel like God is finally in The White House." Bush smiles and looks away. Another woman said, "I love you." UGH!

The second: MTV asked to speak directly with Kerry and Bush. Kerry came out of one of his rallies and spoke. Bush, on the other hand, SENT John McCaine. One candidate is brave...the other is a coward. Not much changes in 30 years!

The MTV special was pretty good. Kerry came across as very intelligent and actually kinda hip.

The Bush campaign "rallies" that they showed were some of the most jaw-dropping moments seen on TV this year. The Q&A sessions that Bush does with his hand-picked audience and the fake questions are beyond laughable. But at least he got the tough questions from the people in the audience... I especially liked the one from the 10-year-old girl who said, "Mr. President, I just have one question. Are you a Christian?" Simply nauseating.

I cannot comprehend how the religious right cannot see how that comment makes a person like me (a gay jew from Texas with more pagan friends than friends of any other persuasion) absolutely terrified.

They don't care. They see anyone who does not view things the exact same distorted way that they do as bound for hell and not needed in the world. They probably also see most of us as evil-doers and would prefer us to disagree so they can pound their chests and proclaim their righteousness.

Uh yeah, the Christian right-wingers could care less about Jews, unless they're willing to be "saved" and accept their (CRW) version of the prophet from Nazareth. They do like Israel, though, at least to the extent that it fits into their Biblical worldview--Revelations, End of Days, the Rapture, etc.

As for the homosexuality part, they sort of forget everything in the New Testament and fixate on what the Old Testament has to say--and distort even that. It's not the best way to function as religious people, but a hell of a lot of them seem to go along with it.

I'm not surprised W didn't show up. His handlers are well aware that an unscripted MTV audience might, by asking basic questions, make him look like the total moron he is. Didn't both Clinton and Gore talk with the MTV young'uns? Both of them were elected, so maybe Kerry's got history on his side too.

This was not an assembly of viewers asking questions. This was Gideon Yago travelling around the country with the campaigns. He then asked Kerry and McCaine some questions. Kerry will undoubtedly do an audience Q&A at some point in the future. Bush will undoubtedly be the chicken he has been for the past 30 years and refuse any sort of live interview. If you recall, the last time he had a live press conference, he said that he cannot think of a single thing he has done wrong as president.