Heh, "my friends" X 9.

Lot of good work there for sure - not much of a point to be made, thought.

Their job is to 'stay on message' - that pretty much means repeating the same points whenever the opportunity is presented.

The Palin/McCain debate was more entertaining.

These mouth pieces have a finite number of talking points. I think more than one debate is overkill.

The Iconoclast: Heh, "my friends" X 9.

Kind of reminded me of that commercial, "and so on...and so on..."

Excellent mashup. I mean, it's one thing to have talking points, but the fact that those points are memorized and repeated to a point where they use the exact same cadence and tone is, well, hilarious.

Still, they needed to find some new ones. I got especially sick of "countries that don't like us very much," "my friends," "worst financial crisis since the Great Depression," "bomb-bomb Iran."

And thanks to the mashup artists for not including McCain saying "goodies." Gives me the willies every time.

Mugato: I think more than one debate is overkill.

Agreed - I think if it was an actual debate, that would help.

This is just a forum for them to speak sort of at each other with no other intention than to support their already stated positions.

To call those events "debates" is an insult to our intelligence. There was no actual debate or discussion of ideas, just trading barbs and soundbites. The fact that both candidates gladly participated in such a farce says a lot about what they truly think of us. Neither one thinks the American people can handle an actual, intelligent debate of the issues. Either that or they both think they wouldn't benefit from such a debate.

That was somewhat creepy.

Churchill2004: To call those events "debates" is an insult to our intelligence. There was no actual debate or discussion of ideas, just trading barbs and soundbites.

DarkJohnson: This is just a forum for them to speak sort of at each other with no other intention than to support their already stated positions.

Yeah, you guys said it better than I did. There's no real exchange of ideas going on. Lincoln and Douglas have been dead for a long time. These are just two assholes regurgitating whatever it is they rehearsed the night before.

we are the borg

The "My friends" x9 bit scared the hell out of me. I felt like I was being ambushed by a small McCain army.

my friends

And McCain wanted ten of these things....ug.

The third debate was far different than the first two, though I doubt most people paid enough attention to notice that without a a youtube mash.

i dare a major network to run that

Fun fact: presidential "debates" do not involve any real debating. They are just televised venues for the candidates to spout their opposing rhetoric and attacks at each other in person.

As such, any one debate will essentially be the same as any other, with the exception of a few new buzzword and attacks.

And there we have the reason why I'm unable to watch them without feeling my jaw attempting to wrap around and swallow my own head.

Churchill2004: To call those events "debates" is an insult to our intelligence. There was no actual debate or discussion of ideas, just trading barbs and soundbites. The fact that both candidates gladly participated in such a farce says a lot about what they truly think of us. Neither one thinks the American people can handle an actual, intelligent debate of the issues. Either that or they both think they wouldn't benefit from such a debate.

Honestly, I do have respect for your line of thinking and I agree that it would be nice if they said how they actually stand on things. But the reality is, the way that the media, internet and general populous react to the debates makes the candidates act this way. The debates are still a contest that can be won, but the major kicker is that losing is a hundred times worse proportionally than winning is a gain for the victor. In other words, if you win it's great and can help your campaign a few points in the polls, but if over the course of 3 debates you have a major gaffe it can end your campaign instantly. A conservative style of play is required because a few errant words and it's over.

Unfortunately, I don't know what rule changes or pressure you could apply to change this. The forum is great and I think that if we had no debates it would be very, very bad in general. I am just thankful we have at least this, even if it is kind of silly

http://www.orwell.ru/library/essays/politics/english/e_polit

George Orwell
Politics and the English Language

SnakeLee: Honestly, I do have respect for your line of thinking and I agree that it would be nice if they said how they actually stand on things. But the reality is, the way that the media, internet and general populous react to the debates makes the candidates act this way. The debates are still a contest that can be won, but the major kicker is that losing is a hundred times worse proportionally than winning is a gain for the victor. In other words, if you win it's great and can help your campaign a few points in the polls, but if over the course of 3 debates you have a major gaffe it can end your campaign instantly. A conservative style of play is required because a few errant words and it's over.

Unfortunately, I don't know what rule changes or pressure you could apply to change this. The forum is great and I think that if we had no debates it would be very, very bad in general. I am just thankful we have at least this, even if it is kind of silly

Well said.

Also of note in my opinion: this is related to why the media always sees things as close, always sees two sides to every issue, creates controversy out of thin air, reports on the easy to understand stories, and is susceptible to mouth breathing retards screaming bias at them.

It's the economy ratings, stupid.

SnakeLee:
Unfortunately, I don't know what rule changes or pressure you could apply to change this. The forum is great and I think that if we had no debates it would be very, very bad in general. I am just thankful we have at least this, even if it is kind of silly

How about rules and a scoring system? Hey, it makes baseball watchable.

My friends My friends My friends
My friends My friends My friends
My friends My friends My friends

Not sure why this is a surprise.

They have to assume that some number of people are tuning in for the first time, with each debate. So they separate the standard stump speech into smaller talking points, and try to match them to the question. It's both relatively safe speaking territory (omg he gaffed!!1!), and targeted toward the first-time or "undecided" viewer.

/my friends

DEATH TO FAKE DEMOCRACY! BOTH PARTIES ARE THE SAME!

Blame those asking the questions as well as those answering them.

Obama was too big of a pussy to do town halls with McCain across the country where Obama's canned bullshiat wouldn't play.

As far as strategy goes, it was a smart move.

Obama has stayed away from the media for the last month and now says he will speak to them on Wednesday. So, he's voting present again. It's just more proof that Obama is the left wing crazy version of Bush's right wing crazy.

Not much will change with this guy, except that the FAIL will be coming from the left instead of from the right. And if you don't worship him, you're a racist instead of just being unpatriotic.

SnakeLee: Unfortunately, I don't know what rule changes or pressure you could apply to change this. The forum is great and I think that if we had no debates it would be very, very bad in general. I am just thankful we have at least this, even if it is kind of silly

One of the best things that could happen is that the commission on presidential debates could be run by a truly independent body. Currently it is run by shills from the two major parties that allow the campaigns negotiate the format and content of the debate.

The quality of debates was better (not great, but better) when the League of Women Voters sponsored debates. However, the two parties got mad because the LWV "allowed" Ross Perot in the debates.

The debates are just another mechanism that is help perpetuate our current, broken, two party system.

barneyfifesbullet: ... has stayed away from the media for the last month

I know, he's been like a ghost. No one is even talking about him. It's like he doesn't even exist.

We are talking about Bush, right?

Mugato: Churchill2004: To call those events "debates" is an insult to our intelligence. There was no actual debate or discussion of ideas, just trading barbs and soundbites.

DarkJohnson: This is just a forum for them to speak sort of at each other with no other intention than to support their already stated positions.

Yeah, you guys said it better than I did. There's no real exchange of ideas going on. Lincoln and Douglas have been dead for a long time. These are just two assholes regurgitating whatever it is they rehearsed the night before.

The last person that actually 'debated' in the traditional sense was Walter Mondale.

"Let's tell the truth. It must be done, it must be done. Mr. Reagan will raise taxes, and so will I. He won't tell you. I just did."

And it cost him the election.

Let's be honest - we don't LIKE honest if a lie feels better. A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth, said Michael Kinsley, and he was right. People WANT to be conforted, even lied to, instead of being told the hard facts. In fact, Obama saying the recovery won't happen overnight and the work is hard is the ONLY occasion I can recall of Presidential candidates profiting from honesty. Because people WANT honesty this time around.

lolmadillo: i dare a major network to run that

CNN ran it saturday morning.Notice how all the shots are from CNN.

Churchill2004: To call those events "debates" is an insult to our intelligence. There was no actual debate or discussion of ideas, just trading barbs and soundbites.

True, and I think that was the gist of this clip. Kudos to whomever made it. They should have been talking to each other. The first 'debate', where McCain wouldn't even make eye contact with Obama, was pitiful. The VP 'debate', where Sarah Palin wouldn't even answer the 'moderator's questions, was the worst.

They were publicly-funded stump speeches for the most part. It was nice to see Obama occasionally clear up the Republican lies, because god knows the O'Reilly/dittoheads don't question what they're fed.

Churchill2004: To call those events "debates" is an insult to our intelligence. There was no actual debate or discussion of ideas, just trading barbs and soundbites. The fact that both candidates gladly participated in such a farce says a lot about what they truly think of us. Neither one thinks the American people can handle an actual, intelligent debate of the issues. Either that or they both think they wouldn't benefit from such a debate.

yeah, and for the most part, they're right

bigheadface: yeah, and for the most part, they're right

This is inevitable when politics, because of the scope of government intervention in society, touches on such a wide range of issues that it's humanly impossible for even the candidates themselves to truly be informed about the huge number of things the office they're seeking exercises power over. Most people, understandably so, are much more concerned with living their own lives than trying to keep tabs on the operation of the entire US government. Which is the way it should be- people's lives shouldn't be centered around the government. The government should ideally be something that hums along quietly in the background, not the center of the universe.

The debates are not real debates. They have been watered down to a point where they are just a platform for the candidates to spout their talking points.

Death to America 2008-11-02 02:40:10 PM
DEATH TO FAKE DEMOCRACY! BOTH PARTIES ARE THE SAME!

What do you offer in its place, pig-troll?

Whoops!!!

That should be:

Death to America 2008-11-02 02:40:10 PM
DEATH TO FAKE DEMOCRACY! BOTH PARTIES ARE TEH McSAME!(picks toejam, eats it)

FTFY

Aside from that, your point is.....?
As if you were capable of having a point, you stinking troll.

Lastly, why don't you go beat up a litter of stillborn piglets and leave the grownups to their business, Travis?