A Second Rate Debate — Literally
December 13, 2007 at 8:58 am
In America we believe in redemption. In politics we believe in second lives. So we’re not yet ready to declare the Des Moines Register/Iowa Public Television’s debate-hosting skills as lousy as CNN’s, because they have a chance to improve today with the Democrats.
Still, with set-ups from moderator Carolyn Washburn, editor of the Des Moines Register, like these …
- “Do you agree our country’s financial situation creates a security risk? And why or why not? We’re going to just go down the line, starting with Mayor Giuliani. And please limit your answers on this to 30 seconds.”
- “We do need to stay at 30 seconds. This is not the time to get behind.”
- “I want to dig into the budget issue a little bit more. You’ll have 30 seconds to answer this next question.”
- “15 seconds or so: Who in this country is paying more than a fair share of taxes relative to everyone else — the wealthy, the middle class, the poor or corporations?”
- “I will offer up to 30 seconds of rebuttal time for any candidate criticized by name.”
- “Periodically throughout the debate we’ll give each of the candidates 30 seconds to make a free statement.”
- “Want to come back to some issues that affect the economy. You’ll have 30 seconds again. The longer you go on, the shorter we’ll have to go. Thirty seconds to answer these questions.”
- “I need you to keep your remarks to 30 seconds.”
- “We’re going to talk about New Year’s resolutions. You have 15 seconds.”
… we don’t hold out much hope. Will they do better today? We’ll set the Jack Bauer stopwatch right now and say you have one second to answer. And no shows of hands. Just feet.
Jimmie said,
December 13, 2007 @ 9:36 am
“Candidates. You’ll notice that you are bound and gagged. Please answer the questions to follow with one blink for “yes” and two blinks for “no”. Senator McCain, no tricky Morse Code blinking either. Interns with cattle prods are standing bnehind you to inforce the blinkiness rule.”
Reagan's Ghost said,
December 13, 2007 @ 10:43 am
Sorry, but I only have thirty seconds to read Extreme Mortman and but fifteen seconds to leave a comment but here it is: S-L-O-W D-O-W-N, M-S-M.
Meanwhile:
Somehow, Hillary, Her Queen of Thighness, managed to even make it into weather story that her campaign is stalling in Iowa:
http://wtop.com/?nid=104&pid=0&sid=1302135&page=2
Winter Storm Heads Toward East
Hillary Rodham Clinton, campaigning in Iowa, was stranded in the Midwest and could not make a New Jersey fundraiser. She had her husband substitute.
Phineas J. Whoopee said,
December 13, 2007 @ 10:50 am
So what’s Alan Keyes making now?
edh said,
December 13, 2007 @ 11:09 am
I wonder if she says “you have 30 seconds” to her husband, well, you know when.
Charlie said,
December 13, 2007 @ 11:56 am
As each new debate degenerates below the level of its predecessors, I’ve grown more discouraged about the candidates (I’m only paying attention to Repubs).
Doesn’t one of them have the capacity to preview the formats and say, hey, this doesn’t work!? It’s to the point that the first one to refuse to play along will get my vote, forget his views on immigration, terror or whatever… just show some judgment and some spine. Fred Thompson’s refusal to answer a stupid request was a baby step in the right direction, but, so far, the pack’s willingness to play along with debate setups that, through willfulness or ignorance, show them and their party off so poorly indicates to me that none of these guys are presidential timber.
Lee Annis said,
December 13, 2007 @ 12:01 pm
no more shows of hands; all candidates and reporters need to play by the Thompson rules