So, I've been thinking. . .

[moe.ron]

has anyone notice that this United States presidential election has little to do with actual policies, and more to do with image. It seems that the two candidates are more concerns about how each other looks. Debate has little substance and I feel like I'm watching WWE wrestling when they were debating. Remind me of Hogan bashing Andre the Giants then actual debate on issues.

So, here is my proposal, if you can technically win the electioni (you are represented in enough states to win it) you should be allowed to debate in national televised election. As it is now, it seems neither party really want to have a good, hard debate. What do you think?

[hoosier]

Originally posted by moe.ron
has anyone notice that this United States presidential election has little to do with actual policies, and more to do with image. It seems that the two candidates are more concerns about how each other looks. Debate has little substance and I feel like I'm watching WWE wrestling when they were debating. Remind me of Hogan bashing Andre the Giants then actual debate on issues.

So, here is my proposal, if you can technically win the electioni (you are represented in enough states to win it) you should be allowed to debate in national televised election. As it is now, it seems neither party really want to have a good, hard debate. What do you think?

1 - only two candidates have a chance. Ralph isn't on enough ballots/states to win, I believe.

2 - the media is much too concerned with "gotcha" - a slip is repeated endlessly, and it makes the image. Gerald Ford slipped on a few steps, and became a bumbler, despite the fact that he was a great college football athlete and frequent skiier. How many times did you see Dan Quayle spell potato? How many verbal goofs by Bush have been repeated? Enough to convince many that Bush - who has a degree from Yale and an MBA too - is stoopid.

3 - the media has an agenda. All three presidents in #2 above are Republicans, not surprisingly. Dan Rather's forgeries, and his repeated defenses of them, are the tip of the media bias iceberg. The leaked ABC president's memo is another bit of proof.

4 - the inmates are running the asylum (I mean the candidates are running the debates) - with 32 pages of conditions. The founders of the debates, the League of Women voters, dropped out after the candidates started to make and ignore the rules. Do away with the audiences, moderators, and rules - it's 90 minutes of discussion/debate, with a coin toss deciding which candidate asks the first question.

5 - I also hope the Democrats will change the primary system, so there is a long and hard race for the nomination. This year, it was decided in one month, after Iowa and New Hampshire. A longer battle would let us learn more about them, and give the challengers more opportunities to make a front-runner squirm. The winners in Iowa and NH got all of the contributions, and the others withered (or screamed) away.

Just a few thoughts Sunday afternoon.