HOW TO MAKE THE LAST DEBATE MATTER

The next debate is a final opportunity for both presidential candidates. It is their last chance to have all Americans focused on both of their candidacies at the same time. The last chance for any impromptu reactions or unscripted responses that help give any indication of the natural instincts which the next President possesses.

From hereon, after the debate, every word uttered, by either side, will be rehearsed, poll tested and formatted with precision. That is the nature of modern day politics and whether we like it or not, that’s the way it is. Even the debate will be as scripted as possible. The candidates and their responses have been programmed to the very best abilities of their campaign organizations.

 The likely as well as the unlikely questions that might be asked in this debate have already been raised by each respective side behind closed doors. The candidates have practiced a response to those questions that polls have indicated to be popular with the people or segments of the electorate that each candidate is targeting.

So despite the excitement over the perceived opportunity for spontaneity during a debate, there is very little in the way of spontaneous, unscripted reactions during them. Even those answers which may seem off the cuff or spontaneous are rehearsed. In fact, modern day political debates are conducted in such a way that the greatest challenge to each candidate is finding the right opportunity and moment to answer a question with certain, rehearsed talking points that they want to give air time to. This makes the question asked less than something which must be answered and more an opportunity to fit in a charge or provocative point that polls shows hits home with the sector of the electorate that one candidate or the other needs to appeal to.

Given these points and seeing as how none of the previous debates in this election shed new light on the perspectives of either man running for President, what in this final debate could possibly be asked and make a real difference? A difference in the minds of voters? What question and or it’s answer could change the minds of people with strongly held opinions of the candidates for President?

The way this election and it’s debates have gone so far, I do not think there is any question or answer that can achieve such a goal.

All except for one.

In this last official debate, I believe the most important and valuable thing that Bob Schieffer, the moderator, can do or say is:

“Senator Obama, Senator McCain,…I can ask you about the economy. I can ask you for specifics regarding foreign affairs, homeland security, immigration education or your reasons for choosing the your running mates but I wont. Instead I am going to ask you to ask your opponent a question.”

I would like to see the candidates have to ask each other two questions on the economy, two questions on issues dealing with foreign affairs, and two each on energy and immigration. If each candidate came into this forum expecting to just answer questions, it would be interesting to see how Obama and McCain would react and how they would use the opportunity. Would they use this rare and valuable chance to pull off a political gotcha or would they use it as an opportunity to shed new light on policy differences and their directions for our nation?

Would they use the opportunity for political exploitation or honest issue and policy clarification?

In some cases, the type of question they ask could be even more telling and important than the answers given to those questions asked.

Reality dictates that this type of mutual candidate query will not take place but Bob Schieffer can still give John McCain and Barack Obama the chance to ask one question of each other.

Being limited to only asking one question could be even more telling. It would give a true sense of what is most important in the mind of the questioner. Are they more concerned with a politically driven questions that is geared towards electoral politics? Or are they more concerned with the issues facing the people of our nation who do not divide themselves up by class, race, religion, orientation or party affiliation? You know, the average, non-political citizen who calls themselves an American.

This final debate is suppose to be dedicated to foreign affairs. That’s quite an important issue and one that deals with the most essential, constitutional responsibility of our government. Yet, given the information produced from the past few debates, I expect no new information or mind changing explanations to come out of this one too. Surprising the candidates with a chance to ask one question of one another might provide one of the most insightful moments in this entire election to date.

 

 

 

A little boy wanted $100 badly and prayed for two weeks but nothing happened.

Then he decided to write GOD a letter requesting the $100.

When the postal authorities received the letter addressed to GOD USA, they decided to send it to President Bush.

The President was so impressed, touched, and amused that he instructed his secretary to send the little boy a $5.00 bill.

President Bush thought this would appear to be a lot of money to a little boy.

The little boy was delighted with the $5.00 and sat down to write a thank you note to GOD, which read:

Dear GOD,

Thank you very much for sending the money, however, I noticed that for some reason you had to send it through Washington D.C. and, as usual, those idiots deducted $95.00!

 

 

 

Submitted by boloo2