Last night's CNN-You Tube Debate was a parody of its promise. Not since the SNL version of the Bush-Dukakis debate has so much political absurdity occurred on a presidential debate platform. Don't get me wrong. I think we - the small percentage of Americans who pay attention to the issues and vote every two years - are very noble for trying to think up creative ways to get all the others to give a damn about our country's direction before we slide irretrievably into a Sodom and Gomorrah like state. Yay us! But does that mean we need to lose all respectability and decorum in the process? Certainly our current president has shown an abject disregard for all societal conventions, but that hardly bolsters the case for more of such behavior. Now, I also understand that CNN is desperately looking for ways to dominate Fox News in the ratings, but reaching for the lowest common denominator of snowmen asking the candidates questions crosses some kind of line that frankly makes me uncomfortable. The candidates took it all in stride yesterday and feigned laughter as necessary. But I wish one of them would have said what had to be on all of their minds: If we want a serious president this time and not a coked-up frat boy, why are we subjecting our candidates to such a moronic event?
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Civility in Our Debate?
Last night's CNN-You Tube Debate was a parody of its promise. Not since the SNL version of the Bush-Dukakis debate has so much political absurdity occurred on a presidential debate platform. Don't get me wrong. I think we - the small percentage of Americans who pay attention to the issues and vote every two years - are very noble for trying to think up creative ways to get all the others to give a damn about our country's direction before we slide irretrievably into a Sodom and Gomorrah like state. Yay us! But does that mean we need to lose all respectability and decorum in the process? Certainly our current president has shown an abject disregard for all societal conventions, but that hardly bolsters the case for more of such behavior. Now, I also understand that CNN is desperately looking for ways to dominate Fox News in the ratings, but reaching for the lowest common denominator of snowmen asking the candidates questions crosses some kind of line that frankly makes me uncomfortable. The candidates took it all in stride yesterday and feigned laughter as necessary. But I wish one of them would have said what had to be on all of their minds: If we want a serious president this time and not a coked-up frat boy, why are we subjecting our candidates to such a moronic event?
