If the media gurus were interested in facts, the debates wouldn't even be televised or broadcast at all except for reports of notarized position papers presented by each candidate. In 1959, a large majority of people who listened to the Kennedy/Nixon debate on the radio thought Nixon won. A majority of those who watched the televised debate thought Kennedy won--Kennedy was much more photogenic and personable on TV.
Those who read the transcript in the newspaper again sided with Nixon.
George the First hated the debates with a passion and I would guess nobody can remember anything he said in the debates with Bill Clinton. What do we remember? He glanced at his watch - twice.
The debates aren't about substance. They are about charisma, stage presence, likeability. It won't matter what the candidates say if they can make it sound good. It is unfortunate that a large chunk of the American public puts the most importance on such things.
I disagree completely. The debates are important. Idealy they give each participant the opportunity to express their views and a chance to answer real questions and we get to see them at once side by side to be able to compare their positions.
If it is about charisma, then the other side won't have to worry. We don't have Clinton up there this time. But if it is about the issues, then the other side will have to worry.
I agree about the media though coloring everything with their opinions. I wish we were back to the age where the media just were after facts.
I watched Paula Zahn (xspell) last night a little while because Mrs. Edwards was on. (I like her)Paula did her best to shake her but she just gave it right back and stayed calm. I was proud.
The debates were good. I'm sure it reinforced all the polarizations.
That includes the mass of individuals who don't like either candidate.
I thought Mr. Kerry handled himself well considering that he is the well seasoned debater and Bush is well seasoned demagogue.
I thought they both bore out this fact with great consistency. Mr. Kerry was cordial with Mr. Bush but critical of his record.
Mr. Bush spent most of his time attacking Mr. Kerry's charisma as if an unelected Governor serving as President could have charisma.
Between the media and Mr. Bush himself and the Republican Party there has been a great effort to manufacture charisma in Mr. Bush.
But half of us think he's not just a bad president but an evil one.
The fact that he sanctimoniously invokes the name of God more often than he should while engaging in a religious war against all of islam shows him to be incompetent.
That so many (almost half of us) may see these tactics as just and necessary shows them to be racist paranoids.
