The Dangers Of Watching Political Candidates Debate

[Revoltingest]

I don't watch debates. Why?
I'd see their appearances...hear their voices & accents...judge them as
eloquent or trumpish...find them quick on their feet or slow....etc, etc.
These things don't directly relate to their ability to govern... to manage
underlings...cooperate with co-workers....or tell me what agenda they
offer would actually be pursued.
It's too easy to pick a favored candidate based upon the wrong criteria.
I'd rather know them thru their record in office, & written proposals.

I'm thinking of the old joke about Massachusetts....
Voters take a good hard look at the issues,
& then vote for the handsomest candidate.

 

[Stevicus]

There seems to be a difference of perception between listening to a debate on radio versus watching it on TV. That's what a lot of people said about the Nixon-Kennedy debate in 1960.

 

[The Reverend Bob]

The Biden v. Eddie Munster debate was still high comedy

 

[Revoltingest]

The Biden v. Eddie Munster debate was still high comedy

I demand a link!

 

[The Reverend Bob]

I demand a link!

Ahh...

 

[Terry Sampson]

I don't watch debates.

Gee, too bad. You missed all the anti-Democrat ads.

 

[Revoltingest]

Gee, too bad. You missed all the anti-Democrat ads.

More good news!
I hate political ads.

Yes, I'm a hater.

 

[Estro Felino]

Politics is also fun, entertainment, tabloid , gossiping....
In Italy tabloids are really making fun of Jean Carroll's story....
I won't go into details...but you can imagine them....lol
Btw it is a relief nobody can understand Italian

 

[Subduction Zone]

More good news!
I hate political ads.

Yes, I'm a hater.

The one good thing about living in either a solid red or a solid blue state is that now ads are much more targeted than they were in the past. The last election I was amazed and relieved in how few presidential ads that there were where I live.. Odds are that the same will happen with the next one. And even though I would suffer hugely if the Electoral College was eliminated I would still like to see that dinosaur eliminated.

 

[dybmh]

All kidding asside ( except for the intentional miss-spelling )

Watching debates is a glimpse at elect-ability, not competency, IMHO.

 

[Enoch07]

Politics is also fun, entertainment, tabloid , gossiping....
In Italy tabloids are really making fun of Jean Carroll's story....
I won't go into details...but you can imagine them....lol
Btw it is a relief nobody can understand Italian

You gotta love Italian politics! Trump is boring AF compared to Ilona Staller - Wikipedia!

 

[siti]

Watching debates is a glimpse at elect-ability, not competency, IMHO.

Oh Good Lord no! We wouldn't want to elect a competent person to the White House - or Number 10 on the other side of the pond - they might start fixing stuff...what a frightening prospect!

 

[sun rise]

I actually intended to turn in the debates but did not - I was taking a nap at the time. The joys of age.

In any event, the format is not really a debate but a series of live commercials for the candidates with points given for zingers and acting presidential (I know that to some, this is a negative). I'd watch a real substantive debate once the horde of candidates is whittled down.

 

[sun rise]

twitter summary that made sense to me

Sam Wang‏Verified account @SamWangPhD 5h5 hours ago

Anyway, here's the prediction: 1) Somebody's going to get a boomlet. 2) It will probably last 1-2 months, then fade. 3) The fuel of that rise and fall: reporters and pundits. God save us all.

 

[dybmh]

Oh Good Lord no! We wouldn't want to elect a competent person to the White House - or Number 10 on the other side of the pond - they might start fixing stuff...what a frightening prospect!

Yes. I agree with your sentiment.

The real work is done in congress, IMO. The POTUS is most important when it comes to the Supreme Court and military deployments. because of that, even minutiae of policy is less important than elect-ability, at least for me.

I mean, I'm really only going to get to choose between 2 people, right? So it's pretty easy:

Management | Labor
War | Peace
More Regulation | Less Regulation
Less Taxes | More Taxes

I am looking for someone who is generally Pro [ Labor | Peace | Regulation | Taxes ]. And they have to be electable, or else it doesn't matter.

 

[ChristineM]

Btw it is a relief nobody can understand Italian

I can, a bit.

 

[metis]

I didn't watch it, nor will I watch it tonight as it's too early for me to get excited about this (it's an age thingy). Nowadays it seems that campaigns begin the day after an election.

 

[siti]

...they have to be electable, or else it doesn't matter.

OK - so I was wondering, is the opposite of electable delectable?

 

[Milton Platt]

All kidding asside ( except for the intentional miss-spelling )

Watching debates is a glimpse at elect-ability, not competency, IMHO.

And it is very unfortunate that the two are not necessarily related.

 

[dybmh]

OK - so I was wondering, is the opposite of electable delectable?

So many ways to answer this question...

Are you asking if would vote for a blueberry pie?

It depends on who is running against said pie.