True about the debate set-up.
The GOP cannot prevail in a dust up over these matters. Mitt Romney needs these debates more than Obama needs them. Look what the first debate did for him. He won by far more than anyone since such things have been measured.
Therefore, you go and you do your best to come across to the audience in a way that helps you.
Another example was how Biden behaved so badly against Ryan, the ticket actually got sympathetic response off of the stark behavior contrast between Biden and Ryan.
And now, going into the last debate, the Benghazi question is a hanging curve ball for Romney.
I agree with your opinion about the debate set-up going in, but there’s a time to play the hand you’re dealt and make the most of it you can.
So I guess we only differ in whether they could have prevailed in a fight over the set-up, whether it would’ve hurt them more not to debate than to debate, and whether so far they’ve still made the best of a stupid set-up.