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DEL.ICIO.USShould presidential debates be livelier?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
According to Gillian Silverman, an assistant professor of English at the University of Colorado Denver, election debates have not always been the genteel affairs we have seen in recent weeks.
In an opinion column in the Los Angeles Times, Silverman writes: “Running for the Senate 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas faced off in a series of seven debates across Illinois, remembered to this day as among the most important in U.S. history. Each spoke in the open air for a total of 90 minutes, with no amplification to be heard above the jeering crowds.
“The mass of spectators — as many as 20,000 at the first debate in Ottawa — responded to the orators as if they were prizefighters, urging their candidate to ‘hit him again,’ ‘stick it to him,’ ‘don’t spare him.’ According to historian Harold Holzer, Douglas supporters even brought a brass cannon that they set off after he delivered an especially good verbal blow.”
Silverman concludes: “If America really wants an energized electorate, we should embrace the real legacy of Lincoln-Douglas. Brokaw moderating a staged “town hall” — with its carefully selected audience and civil Q&A — is not enough. What’s needed is an unpredictable and raucous environment that forces the candidates to respond extemporaneously to the audience as well as to each other. This might not dignify the debates, but it would do much to bring Americans back to an experience of politics as participatory, communal and fun.”
What do you think of the presidential debate formats thus far and how would you improve them for 2012?
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By theystunk
October 14, 2008 5:25 PM | Link to this
They were very boring, especially the last one, millions of questions came in and Brokaw picked the ones he wanted to ask which were basically the same questions that had already been asked and answered and preached by both candidates almost everytime there’s a microphone. That was no town hall meeting.
By RealityKing
October 14, 2008 9:06 PM | Link to this
I think we can all agree that these debates were a joke, nothing more than pure theather.. Organized by liberals to address the liberal agenda. And then feverishly defended over and over again by other liberal, including this one.
Of course now, sadly.., Americans feel that we can no longer trust the progressive media sources for anything objective outside their own liberal ideals. No longer able to form any sense of fair play or evenness, they simply wallow like pigs in their own progressive poop.
The proof is in the ratings, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN and especailly the AJC’s. No, there is no doubt that future English students will look back at this election, war and it’s corrupt observers to learn how biased observations really do undermine objective reporting. Not to mention the needless trajic effects it has had on our brave volunteer soilders and their families.
All in the name of moving forward the progressive agenda. Congradulations Obama..
By Citizen of Chicago
October 15, 2008 7:33 AM | Link to this
Lively debates in the years preceding the Civil War? I bet they were. Any possibility there was a correlation between a the style of politics and the slide into Civil War?
You know how to tell you have a government that works? When things work and you don’t even have to worry about it. It takes dull (but intelligent) people. It’s like when you turn on a light — its there for you.
Young people today can’t imagine that world anymore, it seems. Everything has to be a big fight, everything is a crisis, everything is about short attention span.
We’re wasting the few decades of oil in fighting — at home and abroad — and we’re not planning any future.
McCain on his little stump yells, “Fight, fight, fight.” That’s all he knows. You notice he never had a combat LEADERSHIP position. Nobody survives following a hothead like McCain and no mission is accomplished that way.
McCain is using fight style politics because he has nothing else.
Bush’s 8 years of leadership “stupid style” has nearly ruined America. Do we want 4 more years with McCain and Palin — he’s unstable, she’s unable. America cannot afford 4 more years of “bottom of the class” leadership.
By zeke
October 15, 2008 8:45 AM | Link to this
What debates? There have been no debates! McCain should put the socialist through the ringer and let the voters see what is in store for all of us if Obama is elected and the demogogs control one or both houses of Congress! Pure disaster for our great country of freedom, capitalism, private ownership and personal success!
By Copyleft
October 15, 2008 9:24 AM | Link to this
I love watching Zeke foam and rave on these blogs. Every hysterical screed he posts adds more voters to the sane, Democratic side of the field.
By RealityKing
October 15, 2008 10:08 AM | Link to this
Pundits, politicians and mostly the progressively corrupt media have been talking America into this economic crisis of confidence since the primaries began last year. And evidently, historically early starts of election cycles is not a good thing for America’s self confidence. Yet we are about to elect a president thats promising massive spending increases and tax cuts to 95% of Americans.(eyes rolling)
Looks like Wall Street’s recession fears are kicking in again this morning, -220 at the moment. Hang onto your hats folks, you might need to eat over the next 4 years. And just so you’d know.., squirrel meat tastes a lot like chicken, it was even a major southeastern survival food during the 30’s. I hear their stewed brains were a delicacy, fought over by family members during dinner time. Are you ready??
By pj
October 15, 2008 10:53 AM | Link to this
The debate i would love to see would be McCain VS Palin. Who you say? I am speaking of Cindy and Sarah. Has anyone but me noticed that these two “Alpha Dogs” have no pleasant interactions between them and that when they do look at each other I can see the smirks from a mile away. I can see in their minds eye saying things like “I’m the cute one”, “no I’m cuter” or “I’m going to be first lady so take that” and the other saying “well I’m going to be his right hand and therefore more important than you”. That’s why Cindy gave that cockamamie speech about war funding. I can here her now “Johnny I want to talk and look important toooooooo!”. I bet he has more on his hands trying to keep the women in his life happy and content. Start watching when they are on stage at the same time. That shows better than all the stump speeches put together.
By Conga
October 15, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this
How about allowing 3rd party candidates into the debate? The present 2—party system is so flawed and outdated something needs to be done!
By paisana
October 15, 2008 1:43 PM | Link to this
The media and Obama campaign have deliberately and carefully destroyed the possibility that McCain might have had to speak freely in the debate by threatening that anything at all relevant to Obama’s qualifications is hate speech or incitement to violence. The term “McCarthyism” will soon be replaced with “John Lewisism” as he has just struck the latest blow in the soon to be accomplished coup. If I may be permitted to speak truth to power may I say to the fifth district public servant —“you have no shame.”
By Get Physical
October 15, 2008 1:44 PM | Link to this
I say put them in the Octagon, MMA style. Only way to make this race interesting…..
By Paul Scanling
October 15, 2008 3:48 PM | Link to this
Let any candidate into the debate that appears on enough ballots to have a mathematical chance of winning enough electoral votes. Take opinion out of the equation.
Allow the candidates to ask each other questions, unscripted, unprepared.
Neither of these will ever happen. The system is broken for us, but it serves it’s purpose well. Nobody can be accused of ducking a debate, and nothing of consequence ever happens. That’s what the politicians want out of this whole process and that is what they are getting.
By NaderisCool
October 15, 2008 5:02 PM | Link to this
The debates are fixed — they don’t let everyone who is running for president participate. Where are the third party candidates? Oh yeah, I forgot they weren’t invited by the 2 party corporate system that runs the debates. This country is screwed with Obama or McCain in charge. I’ll be WRITING in Nader/Gonzales! That is if the Republican made voting machines will even register that that option exists. Last time I voted for Nader, he got 0 votes in GA (according to the secretary of state’s website.) Hmmmm… I smell a consipiracy here.
By reader110
October 15, 2008 5:20 PM | Link to this
Perhaps if there were a talent portion…