Oh, this started way before Trump. Nixon was on track to beat Kennedy in ‘60 until the TV debates, where his sweaty upper lip and five o’clock shadow doomed him against Kennedy’s suave good looks. Ever since then it’s just been one refinement after another. Let’s face it, when it comes to understanding ratings, Trump is a master and every other politician is an amateur.
Just remember that Trump said and did things that should have gotten him a massive fail. Until the fix was in and despite losing by 3 million votes the Russians got him the Electoral votes he needed.
I don’t watch these “debates”. They are uninformative on substance and too much like a cheesy game show. You want to know how one candidate or another thinks on his/her feet, then go to the town hall-type presentations. Yes, it takes more time than the slap-dash free-for-all of these shows, but then you also get something more meaningful about the various candidates, what they think (their policy suggestions) and how they think in citizen interactions. If we aren’t willing to put in the effort to learn about these kinds of things, maybe we deserve what we get.
I was unhappy about the Presidential election becoming a horse race. Making it a circus is not helping. It seems more and more — the skill set needed to win the election is not what we need in a President.
Obviously, what America NEEDS is a minimum set of standards for controlling who can run for president – our current set of standards (upright & breathing) has failed to keep out the “riffraff”.
I’ll start watching the Democratic Debates when the time-wasters are gone (a “self-help” guru? Seriously?)
I will grant you that even Maggie would make a ‘better’ president than what we’ve got now, that’s such a low bar, it’s ridiculous.
Use the parliamentary system for nominees. Card carrying members of a party convene and vote on platform and candidate. Last place candidate is dropped and they vote again. Repeat until someone gets a majority.
streetbeater over 4 years ago
Oh, this started way before Trump. Nixon was on track to beat Kennedy in ‘60 until the TV debates, where his sweaty upper lip and five o’clock shadow doomed him against Kennedy’s suave good looks. Ever since then it’s just been one refinement after another. Let’s face it, when it comes to understanding ratings, Trump is a master and every other politician is an amateur.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smcP6Vp21As
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KAoU_TQehRU
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 4 years ago
Just remember that Trump said and did things that should have gotten him a massive fail. Until the fix was in and despite losing by 3 million votes the Russians got him the Electoral votes he needed.
Masterskrain Premium Member over 4 years ago
As if the Republican Debacle in 2016 WASN’T a “Game Show”…
Ontman over 4 years ago
I like and watch CNN but they were too over the top with the debates and the ads for them. It did seem circus like.
martens over 4 years ago
I don’t watch these “debates”. They are uninformative on substance and too much like a cheesy game show. You want to know how one candidate or another thinks on his/her feet, then go to the town hall-type presentations. Yes, it takes more time than the slap-dash free-for-all of these shows, but then you also get something more meaningful about the various candidates, what they think (their policy suggestions) and how they think in citizen interactions. If we aren’t willing to put in the effort to learn about these kinds of things, maybe we deserve what we get.
Radish the wordsmith over 4 years ago
Joe Friday’s famous business-like catch phrase, “Just the facts, ma’am.”
Concretionist over 4 years ago
Politics is all about getting the minds and pocketbooks of the folks who have one or the other. Pocketbooks are more important though.
Yontrop over 4 years ago
I was unhappy about the Presidential election becoming a horse race. Making it a circus is not helping. It seems more and more — the skill set needed to win the election is not what we need in a President.
wellis1947 Premium Member over 4 years ago
Obviously, what America NEEDS is a minimum set of standards for controlling who can run for president – our current set of standards (upright & breathing) has failed to keep out the “riffraff”.
I’ll start watching the Democratic Debates when the time-wasters are gone (a “self-help” guru? Seriously?)
I will grant you that even Maggie would make a ‘better’ president than what we’ve got now, that’s such a low bar, it’s ridiculous.
Hippogriff over 4 years ago
Use the parliamentary system for nominees. Card carrying members of a party convene and vote on platform and candidate. Last place candidate is dropped and they vote again. Repeat until someone gets a majority.