Things I wish for in tomorrow’s Presidential Debate:
I wish the candidates had spent more time discussing substantive issues, and less time discussing the Texas Air National Guard and Swiftboats.
I wish their campaigns had spent less time negotiating the temperature of the rooms and more time finding ways to actually answer questions.
I wish the news media would spend less time pointing out all the behind the scenes maneuvering and backroom politics, and more time listing all the questions that we would really like answered from both candidates.
I wish the debate commission had a backbone, and had forced the candidates to have a real debate where they would have to answer questions and engage each other.
I wish that both candidates would recognize that there are serious issues and questions surrounding both sides, and that the people want answers, not political posturing.
I wish that neither side had a pre-determined “message” that they will stick to relentlessly, and instead would just answer the questions as best they can.
I wish that the news media would analyze the debate in terms of who answers questions more completely and accurately, rather than who projects a better image or aura.
I wish that the news media would actually listen to the candidates answers, and then tell us if any of them are either practical, possible or both or not.
I wish the news media wouldn’t put on anybody from either camp where they already know how the person is going to answer the question “Who won the debate?” Don’t we already know how Dick Cheney and John Edwards are going to answer that question? That’s not news.
I’m sure I’ll think of some others, but I really hope for that last one.
Posted by baltar at September 29, 2004 09:55 AM | TrackBack | Posted to Politics