Yes.
The other thing is this: while there may have been elections where the presidential debates mattered quite a bit, the country is so polarized now, that I’m not sure this cycle will be in that category in the least.
I can’t imagine that any hard-core Obama/Dem supporter would give a rat’s behind how Obama does in the presidential debates. They are going to vote for Obama.
Likewise, I can’t imagine that any hard-core “anyone-but-Obama” voter is going to give a rat’s behind how the GOP nominee does in the presidential debates. They are going to vote for the GOP nominee.
And if the argument is “yes, but . . . but . . . there are so many Independents, and people in the middle, and . . . and . . .”
I just don’t think so. Not this time. And besides, how in the world does one get “in the middle” anyway, politically? By not paying attention, that’s how. So there again the debates are just not going to be the be-all and end-all of this election.