I am really looking forward to the next Dem debate

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

Although I would like to see Dennis Kucinich included. I really dislike the changing of the ground rules when he had previously been invited. (He's not my candidate, but I respect him and his views)

But anyway, Clinton and Obama and Edwards are all very different and I can't wait to see it all revealed before us. And I will be watching very closely to see if they try to exclude Edwards or diminish his participation in any way.

(I'll miss Dodd and Biden and Richardson, but hey, it was their decision to dropout after all)

[JDPriestly]

1. Edwards, will, as usual, keep the other two on their toes.

I expect the moderator to give Edwards a tough time. I expect Edwards will take the opportunity to show what a great candidate he is. I can't wait either. Four more days.

[libbygurl]

3. I dunno, last debate, Edwards blatantly teamed up with Obama against Clinton, no?

I do hope he DOES keep the other TWO on their toes this time around.

[Yukari Yakumo]

8. And that worked well for them, didn't it? {nt}

uguu

[libbygurl]

2. I can't wait, either. Viewership will break all previous records again. Meanwhile...

...NPR has even had to cancel a sponsored Republican debate next week due to low turnout.

[goldcanyonaz]

4. I love the debates! I wish they were on sooner, but will just have to wait.

[itsrobert]

5. Edwards will win another debate

But it won't matter as Hillary will play the "victim" card and the play crying "game" and Obama gets points for just showing up because he's a rock star. 24 hours later BO will give one of his flowery speeches that has no substance but the media will lap it up.

[balantz]

15. Ain't that about right!

And people buy that shit :eyes:

If Americans swallow that kind of crap then we all get nowhere and the elites continue to rape the world, and we continue to lose everything more and more.

[Muttocracy]

6. who dropped out

"(I'll miss Dodd and Biden and Richardson, but hey, it was their decision to dropout after all)"

Do you honestly think they would have dropped out if they had (a) ability to keep participating in debates and (b) funds to attempt a campaign

Sorry, that was salt in a wound for me and I expect others

[libbygurl]

7. I'm sorry they're not in, either. The media simply ignored these guys...

...and I really hated that they didn't give them equal exposure anywhere - print, TV, internet. I really liked Biden and Richardson's ideas, their gentlemanly mien, self-deprecating humour. Lightened the atmosphere a lot.

[Muttocracy]

9. more importantly...issues

they were a lot more important than humor/wit.

And boy have the personal attacks gone up since the pack was "thinned"

again, sorry if I sound strident and it's not personal at you.

[libbygurl]

10. Yes, Biden and Richardson really pushed to discuss more meaty stuff...

...in the debates, but the moderators kept asking dumb questions, too!

Hey, no offense taken. I understand your frustration.

[Muttocracy]

11. here's an idea for the future

When the moderators CAUSE the problems in the debate, instead of moderating them... Maybe we can do debates between the candidates with no moderator!!! Like they each take turns asking questions of all the others. And then we could also judge their ability to lead meetings and moderate discussion... Hmmmmm.....

[libbygurl]

12. That's a brilliant idea, and I'm all for it. Hey, maybe C-SPAN could sponsor such a (real) debate,

no?

[frogcycle]

13. Here's what we need

Biden, Dodd, Richardson, and Gore are the "doctoral committee". Each of the candidates is to go through "oral exams". Alternately ask each the same question. Keep the others in a soundproof room like in the old quiz shows, so they cannot hear each others answers. The panel decides whether to ask followup questions based on candidate's response. No timeclock, but the panel is allowed to stop them if they ramble off course, just like an attorney would an unresponsive witness. They grill them until they are satisfied they have gotten all they are going to get out of them on the topic.

With that panel, you can be pretty sure there won't be "fluff" questions to waste our time.

It needn't be televised live. Take a full day to do it; let them have bio breaks and such. Tape it all, put the questions/responses on the web and also run in a continuous loop on CSPAN. For people without hispeed internet or cable, mandate that public libraries establish viewing areas. Maybe mandate each broadcast network has to run them - use government funding to compensate them for loss of revenue if necessary.

[libbygurl]

14. I like the idea of a panel of people without conflict of interest moderating, although I'd...

...prefer that the candidates heard each others' responses, so they can offer rebuttals/explanations/clarifications.

So I wonder how one could broach the idea to C-SPAN (the only channel that I think would take it up)? Who decides the who, what, why and when of the debates, anyway? The respective parties?

And do you think such a plan would get some traction in the media (who will only want Roman colosseum-type, bread and circuses 'debates', as they call 'em)?

Perhaps the people themselves should push for such a brilliant idea?



edited for clarification.

[frogcycle]

16. i am of mixed thoughts on having them hear responses

maybe you get them to respond WITHOUT hearing the other, them let them watch video of the others and respond.

All too often candidates avoiud taking a position and just snipe at the other's answers. I want to hear their unvarnished, unhurried, thoughtful response. Of course they will "prep" for it, so it will still be a planned answer, but at least they have to answer.

Hey, maybe to make sure there is no 'packaging' we could prohibit makeup - and clothes! naaaahhh, that might be distracting to the fundies.

[frogcycle]

18. another thought...

since that probably won't be happening

I assembled a lot of Biden video here: Meet Joe Biden
It was done to promote an indiviudual candidate, but the same thing could be done assembling representative clips - not ads - of each on a given topic. It could also include multiple responses if they've not been consistent. More risk of it being slanted, of course. They's all be screaming that the 'wrong' clip was used here and there.

Maybe the League of Women Voters could get behind this.

[guidod]

17. What time is the debate and what channel?

Help!!!!! I can't find it anywhere.