Less than $2.2k to Go!
PUNCH HERE
Posted on 08/25/2012 4:33:56 AM PDT by Kaslin
A recent episode of the HBO program "The Newsroom" featured an expose of the lame presidential debate procedure we have accepted in America. The producer of the series, Aaron Sorkin, set up a confrontation between some Republican flunkies and the noble newsroom folks who wanted to change the debate format. Sorkin, a committed leftist, used the scenario to mock the GOP primary contenders, but the point is valid: The debates are largely a sham.
First of all, the candidates don't have to answer the questions posed and often fly off into rehearsed bloviations that are as boring as they are offensive. The debate moderators rarely interrupt the bilge, leaving the politicians free to say whatever they want basically unchallenged. Any interruption would be considered "rude." Yes, there is a follow-up question, but it is rarely: "Is it me, or did you just completely ignore the question I asked you?"
Instead of saying "you have 60 seconds to answer the question," the moderator should be honest and state: "You have a minute to dodge what was asked and talk about anything you want."
This year, the three presidential debates will be moderated by Jim Lehrer, Bob Schieffer and Candy Crowley. They are all veteran hard-news people who know their stuff. They are also polite establishment journalists who understand that they can ask whatever they want but will rarely get a direct answer. And they all seem fine with that.
The third debate will be the most excruciating because it will be "town hall" style. That means some regular citizens will get to ask some questions and stand there while President Obama and Mitt Romney dodge them.
The candidates prep for the debates by having a series of likely questions thrown at them by surrogates and memorizing scripted retorts. They pay consultants big money to advise them on the debates, but, really, fifth graders could do it.
The president knows he'll be hit with statistics that indicate he has badly mismanaged the economy. Romney knows he'll be asked questions about being a rich guy who wants to decimate entitlements for working Americans so that Donald Trump can buy another golf course. These guys know what's coming. Should one of the moderators actually surprise them with a query that is not expected, they'll fall back on how they love America and reality TV or something.
The face-to-face confrontations are also largely bogus, although here there is at least some drama. Historically, only two presidential contenders have benefited from debating: John F. Kennedy and Ronald Reagan. Kennedy looked vibrant standing across from Richard Nixon, who appeared to be auditioning for a role in "Night of the Living Dead." Reagan looked powerful next to Jimmy Carter and openly mocked him for being weak and incompetent, which he was. Once voters got a look at Reagan and his confident pro-American demeanor, it was back to the peanut farm for Jimmy.
By the way, Carter won the presidency largely because of a debate, but it was nothing he did. Incredibly, President Gerald Ford told the world that Poland was a free country, which sent the Soviet leadership into spasms of laughter. Ford did that because he was so over-rehearsed that he completely lost his thought process.
So don't expect much substance from the debates this October; it will not be there. It is conceivable that Obama and Romney could go after each other personally, which would at least be entertaining. I'm not expecting that, but, hey, if one guy is down in the polls big-time, he'll have to go for the jugular. If that were to happen, expect the moderators to break tradition and interrupt. Enough is enough; honest emotion simply will not be tolerated.
The debates will be the sucka## media’s last chance to protect the king who has no clothes. The table will be packed with zero supporters who will throw rose pedals in front of the annointed one. I will not be watching I will vote!
I would not be surprised of those ignorant 0bamaasskissing moderators feed him the answers they want to hear
Yea, right. O'Reilly you are a dufus.
The debates largely perform a disservice in the sense that it’s a contest of who looks the “prettiest” on camera. In the past Republicans have suffered greatly in this area in contrasts between “old” George Bush senior vs. a much younger Bill Clinton, and then again, and even more so in old John McCain vs. Barack Obama. This time, at least our guy looks good on camera.
I think it would be more surprising if they didn't...
Without the TOTUS, Barry will likely become the satmmering, stuttering knucklehead we know him to be. Without TOTUS, his red diaper Marxist persona shines through like what happened with Joe the Plumber and the ‘spread the wealth around’ or ObamaCare town hall ‘take a pain pill instead of getting a pacemaker’ comments. Let’s hope.
The main reason I dropped FOX.
the point is valid: The debates are largely a sham.
No kidding Captain Obvious?
often fly off into rehearsed bloviations that are as boring as they are offensive.
This, coming from BOR the ultimate boring bloviator.
Bill O'Reilly, Jim Lehrer, Bob Schieffer and Candy Crowley.
If you were on an airplane which lost an engine and had to throw three of these people out...who would you pick?
Once voters got a look at Reagan and his confident pro-American demeanor, it was back to the peanut farm for Jimmy.
And why would it be any different this time, with Obama and even one of those aforementioned fifth-graders?
Do you not have any employable skills BORE, where you could make a living without insulting everyone's intelligence?
Can't FNC come up with another body to fill that hour, perhaps a babe?
So many questions, so few answers.
The town hall style makes me want to barf.
Oreilly is a Brain dead A-hole,the Moderators are all Left wing Hacks
I wouldn't. I'd make them choose.....and then I'd toss out whoever was left.
Instead of saying "you have 60 seconds to answer the question," the moderator should be honest and state: "You have a minute to dodge what was asked and talk about anything you want."
You know he's right
Unless they can implant a device that feeds him answers, he will not look good. Even then....
Whenever he goes off script, his real persona leaks out (You didn’t build that.) and it isn’t pretty. Even many lefties, who might agree with the premise, don’t like it. They are all about “feelings” and Zippy looks angry, nasty, sarcastic, frightened, or bewildered. Not good “feelings.”
O’Reilly, cynical much?
My suspicion is that the left knows that Zippy will look bad (or worse, have a public meltdown) and they are trying to discourage people from watching. Good luck with that. Even if nobody watches live, a meltdown would go viral in minutes.
At the least, I’m hoping for a YouTube remix of “um, ah, um, um.” And does he still shovel the words “unprecedented” and “potentially” into every other sentence. That would be an effective addition to the mix.
The debates are worthless and rarely have I watched them. But I must admit, I think I might watch the Vice President’s debate this year. It should be a hoot if they let Joe out.
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