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RESOLVED: Presidential Debates Are An Insult To Us And Need Fixing
AngelHedgie
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
At least, that's what the folks at FDL think.
And frankly, I agree with them. These aren't debates, they're a sham. If we're going to do debates, let's do them right:
Let's have a real discussion in front of the American people, not this constrained bullshit.
And frankly, I agree with them. These aren't debates, they're a sham. If we're going to do debates, let's do them right:
- First off, no more negotiating the format. The debate organizers will set the debate format, and if the candidate doesn't like it, then he or she is welcome to not show up.
- Second, let's make it a real debate. That means periods for proposing, rebuttal, and counterpoint.
- Third, lets have some real topics that the candidates can really sink into. The topics as is are too broad and vague for solid answers. Narrower, more focused debates are much more powerful.
Let's have a real discussion in front of the American people, not this constrained bullshit.
XBL: Nox Aeternum / PSN: NoxAeternum / NN:NoxAeternum / Steam: noxaeternum
AngelHedgie on
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Maybe a turn to add a Nuclear War harm?
The camera is unforgiving. Nixon lost his debate against JFK partially because he was sweating so profusely.
So, as a result, the debate committees have to make compromise after compromise until we get the bullshit jokes that are the modern political debate.
Really, in order to reform modern Presidential campaign debates, you'd have to reform modern Presidential campaign politics.
I believe I've located the critical flaw in this proposal.
Seriously though, I'm fairly confident that the reason all that organizing exists is because if you were going to have a good old fashioned debate, the candidates have a lot of room to come up stupid, and it's not worth the risk to them.
twitch.tv/tehsloth
Even a 50/50 format selection, where each candidate had absolute control over the format for their debate would be better than what we have today.
What debates are you referring to?
The ones where people had to show up in person to watch them. Like the original Lincoln-Douglas debates.
That was for the Senate, not the Presidency. Kennedy-Nixon was the first ever Presidential general election debate to occur in our history. It then had a 16 year lull. We have only ever had 9 series of debates between Presidential candidates.
This.
However, how about passing a law requiring candidates to engage in such a debate? Would that require a Constiutional Ammendment?
I don't know, maybe if both presidential and vice presidential candidates were in the same room together, they could support each other, thus lessening the chances of major gaffes. They really need to move away from these rehearsed responses and engage in direct dialogue. It feels like two separate speeches rather than a debate, really. You could tell Bob Schieffer wanted to get them to talk to each other, but you have to change the entire format of the thing if you really expect that to succeed.
Honestly, they should probably just scrap the "town hall" format since the people are so heavily screened in the first place and the moderator controls what question gets asked. It's basically just interactive props and plausible deniability on Brokaw's part for asking shitty questions. Especially that last one. They might as well have been asked what kind of a plant they'd be.
Well, it wouldn't be a problem if they just chose someone who wasn't retarded.
Let's be realistic. This isn't some French-speaking country where a Philosophy PhD can be President. If anything, the debates of tomorrow will involve kegstands and/or mechanical bull riding.
I support this because it would be hilarious.
twitch.tv/tehsloth
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crdk8Vns2BU
Holy crap, that is awesome. Fuck this shit, I am so moving to Canada.
In all seriousness, a roundtable debate does work well, especially with many candidates. If the states did this and included 3rd parties I believe that it would be more hard hitting and less like mini speeches by each candidate while the other guy just happens to be standing there.