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Watching a Presidential Debate: Is It Like Watching Your Favorite Team Play?

Preparation for the spectacle.

The experts say 94 percent of the electorate knows who they are going to vote for in the presidential election.

The pundits also say only 9 to 10 states are actually up for grabs, and quite frankly New York State is not one of them.

Somehow to me, watching the debate is more like watching the first game of the World Series or football playoffs than politics except nobody wins and nobody is eliminated. So what does one see?

I think seeing the two candidates standing next to each other is sort of like what it felt like when the late Steve Jobs and Bill Gates appeared together to debate technology. Too bad they never ran against each other for president (LOL).

I have found while watching debates that both sides believe the questions asked benefit the other candidate, the one they don't support (just like the umpire calls, or referee's calls in sports). Viewers squirm when they see their candidate uncomfortably answering a question, and enjoy the zingers as if they were home runs or touchdowns.

Occasionally news is made in a debate when one of the candidates really screws up, but most of the time the seasoned debaters stay out of that sort of situation. The thing I hate about these debates is the amount of canned B.S. the candidates throw out that has nothing to do with the question asked. Pure propaganda, almost in insulting simplicity.

Secondly I have an acute distaste for the pandering to the groups the candidates believe they need to win. What we will see is lots of deflection, ducking, mental vocal maneuvering, and in my opinion too much insincerity. What makes this great theater is the clash of the egos of two narcissist who feel they are the one that should be chosen to be the most powerful man on earth because they deserve it.

The sad part is we all know there are others more qualified for the job who won't run and step up to be chosen because of the brutal circus act one must be to get to the top. There is no doubt in my mind that during the debates  everyone watching will feel uncomfortable about their candidate at some point. Think of who you consider to be the smartest you have ever known, seen, met, admired, and experienced and most likely it was never a man who became/ or was/ or is the president of the United States.

So tonight while you watch think of this question, is this the best there is? Or are we being sold soap suds? Perhaps in the future a candiate for President should have to pass a test like the LSATs or Bar exam or something tougher to be even be able to consider a run. 

Patrice Dalton October 4, 2012 at 12:45 pm
Well said, I often feel that there must be better people for the job who choose not to run because they don't want to be part of the "brutal circus act".

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