The Debates: No Podiums?

[Jack_Dawson]

I think the sit-down-and-chat format is weak. I wanted to see Kerry tower over Shrub.

http://www.debates.org/pages/news_040813.html

[2Design]

1. yes I think kerry does better on his feet -

[tjdee]

2. Shrubbie doesn't like podiums. Too grown up like and you gots to stand.

His wittle wegs get tired.

I think the table is too informal, and that's EXACTLY what Baker wanted for his baby boy.

[cheshire]

6. He doesn't like them because he lays on it like a bored kid.

[dave123williams]

3. I want them to debate with a selection of weapons scattered on the stage..

[ShaneGR]

13. LOL, two men enter one man leaves

All we would need then is Tina Turner watching from the balcony.

[dave123williams]

16. Wouldn't be much sport, though...

To watch Bush start crying like a little girl in the first minute, coward that he is to the bone.

[zbdent]

22. Whooooooo!

Space Mountain!

[GimmeDANEger]

41. Flair was at a Kerry event??

I thought he was a Republican....

[David Dunham]

4. The new agreement between K and B will have podiums.

[Jack_Dawson]

8. Are You Sure? Link?

[DemDogs]

5. Edwards-Cheney?

Did Kerry say that Cheney would only sit? Figures. Edwards would make him look dead if they were standing.

[Pirate Smile]

34. I thought he said on Letterman that he got the VP debate to be

standing.

[Pirate Smile]

35. Cheney always sits during his campaign stops. What a lazy ass!

[Sparkly]

36. Right, he and his wife on the stools with microphones

look like a really hideous "Steve & Edie" (old husband/wife singers). I always expect them to break into song.

[secular_warrior]

7. Yet another mistake by the Democrats !

I HATE the sit down format ! These people are not friends, they are opponents in an election for the most powerful office in the world !

The sit down format only benefits Bush/Cheney because it is a 'folksy' setting and the media always tries to spin the 'Bush is charming' meme and 'Cheney is America's grandfather' meme.

The stand up debate is the only type of debate the Democrats should've agreed to ! We desperately need to strike an adversarial position, to showcase Kerry as tall and presidential .. a man with gravitas, a statesman, and Edwards as a tough, country lawyer who fights for the people.

Why doesn't our side get it ? The Republicans are always kicking our ass on the little things, the symbolism, the simple messages -- which is all the sheeple understand !

[Jack_Dawson]

9. Amen - Dems are Fucking Idiots

"Kicking our ass on the little things" - Perfect Summation.

[TheDonkey]

23. vote republican then. Why are you posting on DEMocratic Underground

if they are all fucking idiots?

[Jack_Dawson]

24. We get outmanuevered on the little things, that's all

and letting ourselves get outmanuevered is fucking idiotic.

[TheDonkey]

26. There is no way of knowing we were out manuevered

We couldn't see the debate negotiations. I'm sure the thugs wanted sit downs for all 3 debates. Kerry people probably got somethings (like having 3 debates) and the bushies probably got their things (like sitting down).

I'm sure the negotiators and Kerry knew it would have been much better to have a standing debate with the chimp. I wouldn't just guess they are fucking idiots because that's how the negotiations worked out.

[Pirate Smile]

38. Are you going by the link up above that is to the debate

commissions rules before K/E and B/C had their negotiations?

[Jack_Dawson]

39. That's the updated link

If you have another one, by all means post it.

[Pirate Smile]

40. Well, I searched and here is a link to the full agreement (if it is

in your link above, I didn't see it). It is in adobe format and it is from the B/C website (I'm sorry, I looked on Kerry's and didn't see it but goggle sent me here).

Sh@#. It does say the VP one is sitting.

http://www.georgewbush.com/media/debateagreement.pdf

[Mz Pip]

10. I want to see Bush

wet himself. :evilgrin:

MzPip
:dem:

[Barney Rocks]

11. you know,

I don't think it is going to matter that much. Bush is toast whether he stands or sits. With Cheney I can kind of understand--inhumane to make an old guy with a heart condition stand for so long in a stressful situation--he might die on stage. I am not worried--4 debates are going to be 4 wins for us.

[Jack_Dawson]

12. U don't get it

Kerry kicked ass in the primaries (yes, even against my boy Clark) by standing at the podium. Dude oozed presidentiality. Bush will have to stand on a phone book to be in the same ballpark. At the table, Bush will look like he's at another cabinet meeting. :puke:

[Barney Rocks]

17. I get it. But

Kerry can kick ass whether he stands or sits. I have complete confidence in his abilities. I am sure that our negotiating team thought he would do well--or they would not have agreed to it. I am just glad we are getting 3 debates, he is going to have a chance to shine. And yes--he can do it while sitting. It may be a handicap, but not an insurmountable one.

[athena]

14. I think Kerry will come across just as well sitting.

Didn't he look great on David Letterman sitting down? Shrub will probably slouch in his chair and look ridiculous. Besides, the Repugs would have had something for him to stand on behind the podium, anyway.

[MazeRat7]

15. I hate to nit-pick... but....

I think you mean a lectern as in something you stand behind and lecture from. A podium is something stand upon like a base, generally speaking of course. *grin. And yes, shrub might have both to make him appear "equal" to Kerry.

That aside, visual impression means a lot in one of these however I suspect the relative difference in their height will be obscured by the camera framing...

Too bad, Kerry defiantly "stands" taller.

MZr7

[wuushew]

18. But Merriam-Webster disagrees

Main Entry: po·di·um
Pronunciation: 'pO-dE-&m
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural podiums or po·dia /-dE-&/
Etymology: Latin -- more at PEW
1 : a low wall serving as a foundation or terrace wall: as a : one around the arena of an ancient amphitheater serving as a base for the tiers of seats b : the masonry under the stylobate of a temple
2 a : a dais especially for an orchestral conductor b : LECTERN


Main Entry: lec·tern
Pronunciation: 'lek-t&rn
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English lettorne, from Middle French letrun, from Medieval Latin lectorinum, from Latin lector reader, from legere to read -- more at LEGEND
: a stand used to support a book in a convenient position for a standing reader; especially : one from which scripture lessons are read in a church service

[Jack_Dawson]

19. Doh!

Wuushew's got my back in da hizzouse...

[MazeRat7]

20. That is what I said isn't it ?

1) Lectern: a stand used to support a book in a convenient position for a standing reader;

2) Podium: one around the arena of an ancient amphitheater serving as a base for the tiers of seats. a dais especially for an orchestral conductor (to stand on)

Podium as in "at your feet" .... hey if I am wrong I need to "unlearn something".. this is some obscure mis-use of language I learned many years ago.....being a software engineer we tend to be pretty picky about "language". *grin

Thanks for the link.....

MZr7

[Pirate Smile]

37. I believe one thing included in the rules was that no risers or

things to stand on were allowed.

Who do you think that one was aimed at?

[against all enemies]

21. No interaction between candidates, are the rules.

What kind of fucked up country has "debates" where the debaters are not allowed to address each other? And the town meeting debate - no follow up questions. And they call this important.

[independentpiney]

25. Gibson gets to preselect the town hall questions

And is going to cut anyone off who varies from the approved question. I hope to hell this doesn't mean * gets them ahead of time too.

[npincus]

27. I want Edwards & Darth Vader to stand, not sit at a table

The Lord of Darkness will just look like a CEO at a board meeting and Edwards will look like a junior Partner. Eeeech. That one ought to be done standing, for sure.

[DemDogs]

28. Didn't Kerry say they had tried to stand him up

and it turned out he had no spine?

[Jack_Dawson]

29. OMFG you're so right

[John_H]

30. Jesus!!!! Chimp gets town hall Q's of Gallop chosen Freepers in advance

And they don't even need the FBI to get them. Gibson will just select the ones he knows chimp will just loooove. Fuck.

[The Chronicler]

31. What a FUCK UP by the Kerry people.

I CANNOT BELIEVE THEY AGREED TO THIS. Kerry, the tallest presidential candidate since Lincoln, can't even show off his height. I really cant believe Kerry agreed to this. This may sound silly, but this could end up costing us the election.

[I Lean Left]

32. The sit downs are by the far the weirdest of the debates.

You sit there pretending you're answering only to the moderator and that your opponent isn't there. Kerry should make a point of looking as though he is addressing his answers to Bush. Every time he is inclined to say 'this president' he should look right at Bush and say 'you'. It'll unnerve Bush. As long as he doesn't ask for a response of any form, I think he's within the rules.

[Jack_Dawson]

33. "You" would unnerve Chimpy

Remember when some cub reporter called him "Sir" at one of his three press conferences? He almost melted down right there.

[Pirate Smile]

42. Both * and Darth Vader get to have their personal physicians in

the wings. Why?

Sure, Dick could have a heart attack at any time but why does a health strapping man like Shrubby need his doctor standing right there? Hmmmmm

"In addition to Secret Service personnel, the
President's military aide, and the President's
physician and the Vice President's military aide
and the Vice President's physician, each
candidate will be permitted to have one (1) predesignated
staff member in the wings or in the
immediate backstage area during the debate at a
location to be mutually agreed upon by
representatives of the campaigns at each site."

[Pirate Smile]

43. The following applies to the Sept 30th and Oct 13th debates:

"No candidate shall be permitted to use
risers or any other device to create an
impression of elevated height, and no candidate
shall be permitted to use chairs, stools, or
other seating devices during the debate."

[mbee]

44. Hey maybe shrub wants to re-do his seven minutes staring into

space during the debates. Just give him the pet goat book and he's good to go!