Awkward debate format

[cgallery]

Nothing political here.

Just the presidential debate tonight, where the moderator (Jim Lehrer) keeps asking the candidates to respond directly to one another.

Anyone else think it feels a little awkward?

[Bruce Cohen]

Don't know, I'm not watching it

Bruce

[Salty]

Nothing political here.

Just the presidential debate tonight, where the moderator (Jim Lehrer) keeps asking the candidates to respond directly to one another.

Anyone else think it feels a little awkward?

Yes, I agree, it is. Silly too.
Of the 3 people talking the moderator was the most irritating. I had to quit watching.

[crokett]

Yes, I agree, it is. Silly too.
Of the 3 people talking the moderator was the most irritating. I had to quit watching.

As did I and for the same reason.

[TB Roye]

Needed a brake from all the politics and economic c+%$ so took the dog to the dog park, much better use of my time. Spent a good deal of time over at church moving our money out of WAMU. I know it was safe, but some members of the church wanted the Church Council to move it, so we did.

Tom

[Hoover]

I watched the debate, but it was awkward way to handle a debate. I will be happier November 5th, when this nonsense gets back to the important issues, like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan antics.

[jackellis]

We listened to a few minutes then did other things.

I'm interested in what they're going to do, not what they have to say about one another. Lehrer was being deliberately provocative, which might be good for ratings but wasn't helpful for me.

One analyst did say that the debates may help the undecided make up their minds but anyone who had already decided was unlikely to change their mind.

[herb fellows]

Given the fact that these 2 candidates are just about 180 degrees from each other on virtually every issue, I find it hard to believe there are any undecided voters.
Assuming that they have opinions on the issues of the day, what could possibly be undecided in their minds?

[steve-norrell]

Anyone else think it feels a little awkward?

And . . . boring, boring, boring!

Regards, Steve

[germdoc]

After the debate I channel-surfed and saw a WFA cage match (that's Ultimate Fighting, in case ya don't know).

Now that would be a great debate format: in a cage, one ref, can use your hands or feet but not your teeth, no holds barred.

I'd like to see that for the VP debate especially.

[cgallery]

I'd like to see that for the VP debate especially.

Not sure that would be a fair fight. After all, one of them is a soft, weak, fair and effeminate legislator, and the other is Sarah Palin.

[BTW, I don't really feel that way. Just a boilerplate joke.]

[Texas splinter]

I actually enjoyed the format. I felt it was much better that the old way of the moderator asking a question, each candidate spending their alloted time making their boilerplate sturnp speech abour that subject, then the moderator asking another question, etc, etc, etc.
This looked more like a real discussion, realizing that nothing they say is real...
I'm sure you all have gotten the email joke about the Senator that died and went to heaven... That was the campaign!

[jhart]

Given the fact that these 2 candidates are just about 180 degrees from each other on virtually every issue, I find it hard to believe there are any undecided voters.
Assuming that they have opinions on the issues of the day, what could possibly be undecided in their minds?

Unfortunately, there are an awful lot of people who are just plain uninformed, as the do not listen to the news, do not read the paper or anything else to become informed. They get most of their information from sound bites or jokes about candidates from the Lenos, Dailys and other comedians. The really unfortunate aspect of that is that they then vote, not knowing who they are voting for.

Just my .02 cents worth.

[Ed62]

I'm interested in what they're going to do, not what they have to say about one another.

I'll go along with that. I don't need half-truths or suggestions to sway my vote. Unfortunately, I guess that's politics.

Given the fact that these 2 candidates are just about 180 degrees from each other on virtually every issue, I find it hard to believe there are any undecided voters.
Assuming that they have opinions on the issues of the day, what could possibly be undecided in their minds?

I'm one of the undecided. There are things I like and dislike about both candidates. So I'll have to decide which one I think will be best for America in the long run.

Ed

[Alex Franke]

I thought it would have been a good format, too -- if it worked. But it really didn't work, and that made it a bit annoying.

I think it would be nice to see how each candidate interacts *directly* with the other. It's one thing when you overtly spin a fact to the media or to a moderator, but I think it's entirely different when you try to do that while actually looking at the person you're debating -- especially if it's a criticism.

Someone on the news commented on the way debates are handled in some other country -- don't remember where. But they moderator asks a question and then the debaters sit facing each other and discuss/argue their positions on the question -- a *real* debate, rather than just taking turns repeating what you've said before.... I think something like that would be nice to see...

I'm with Ed on undecidedness...