Do the Debates need to be changed?

[TeamJordan23]

I don't know about you guys, but I am very tired of the current debate system. I feel like I really get nothing out of the debates except for 1-2 minutes of a talking point from a candidate. And we get so much repetition of questions, I don't know if the public really gets anything out of it.

I think the system needs to be changed. I would prefer to have maybe one debate per month (starting end of summer or beginning of fall) that deals specifically with one topic (healthcare, foreign policy, education, etc..). And than maybe make the last debate about all the topics, like the ones that we have had.

What do you guys feel about the current debate system?

[CK_John]

1. Only 300k out of 300mil watch the debates anyway. The M$M would rather not have any, but

these are almost zero cost 90 minute productions and they can pretend they are doing their civic duty.

[snowbear]

5. Over two million people watched MSNBC's Democratic debate...

April 27, 2007
MSNBC on its Debate ratings win…

MSNBC scored a huge ratings victory last evening with its presentation of the Democratic Candidates Debate, hosted by “NBC Nightly News” Anchor and Managing Editor Brian Williams. According to Nielsen Media Research Data, MSNBC won the 7:00 to 8:30 pm (ET) debate timeslot with 2,261,000 total viewers, putting it ahead of the cable news competition including CNN (500,000), Fox (1,789,000), and Headline News (411,000).

Continued: http://insidecable.blogsome.com/2007/04/27/msnbc-on-its-debate-ratings-win/

Not too shabby.

[snowbear]

8. BTW.. The Democratic debates drew DOUBLE what the R's drew!

WASHINGTON (AP) - Just over 4 million viewers watched the first debates of the 2008 Democratic and Republican presidential candidates, according to the MSNBC cable news network, which co-hosted the events.

The Democrats' debate at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, S.C., last month attracted the most attention, with nearly 2.3 million viewers tuning in and nearly 900,000 viewers watching post-debate analysis, according Nielsen Media Research Data cited by MSNBC.

About 1.8 million viewers tuned in to last week's GOP debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, Calif., MSNBC said. Post-debate analysis drew 1.2 million viewers

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=213&sid=1136800

I haven't looked up the numbers for the CNN hosted debates yet.. but it looks like debates DO pull in the viewers!

[Norrin Radd]

2. Yes. There should be an "American Gladiators" portion of the debate show.

Make them compete in wacky obstacle courses. That would bring in the viewers.

[stevebreeze]

3. should be single issue per debate with a long form answer

sound bite are just a way to keep the populace ignorant of what the effect of changes in the law will be for them.

[murbley40]

4. Yes, I agree!

If the debates were specifically about one or two topics, the candidates could be required to answer the same questions and there should then be ample time for rebuttals. We would then learn more about where each one of them stand on the issues. It would be more fair and balanced. Now, how do we exercise our influence to try to get this done? .:patriot:

[jillan]

6. Totally agree!

I hope this weekend's debate is not going to be another Hillary and Obama show.

[TeamJordan23]

7. There is a debate this weekend? nt

[snowbear]

9. PBS is hosting a Democratic forum this Thursday...

The one that they hired Frank Luntz to provide the analysis for.

ALERT: PBS Selects Luntz for Democratic forum analysis...

Email from David Brock, June 25, 2007.


Dear Friend:

I'm sure you've already heard that PBS will be hosting the next Democratic presidential forum on Thursday, June 28, at Howard University in Washington, D.C. What you may not know is that PBS has invited Frank Luntz, a longtime Republican pollster and strategist, to provide "immediate public feedback on the performances of the candidates" during post-forum coverage on the Tavis Smiley program.

Of course, when Luntz's appearance was announced, the press release made no mention of his Republican ties or long history of being criticized for his work.

Continued: http://mediamatters.org/items/200706250001

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I wonder if they'll hire a Democrat to provide the forum analysis when the r-THUGS have their PBS forum?

Yeah... right.