Question. WHy are their so few debates?

[nightrider767]

I don't understand. How often do they have one, once every three weeks?

WHy not more? They are far from perfect, but it's the closest we get to getting unscripted insight into the candidates.

Not to mention costs. How much money is flushed down the toilet with political ads? Televised debates are sponsored, for the most part, by advertisers. They generate good income for the networks.

So why not have more?

:shrug:

[MadBadger]

1. What I want to know is why there has been so few of late

We had so many early on, but now that it matters most, we havent had once in a little while.

[Sherman A1]

2. There was one this week on Tuesday

It was on NPR during the afternoon. I think there have been a lot of debates, myself. They may not have been good ones, but I feel as though there have been a significant number.

[sandnsea]

3. Road to the White House is best

They usually manage to catch the candidates in unscripted situations. If you watch it over the entire primary, you get a really good sense of who each candidate is. The most you'll ever get from a debate is to see who can sling a red meat line the best.

[Breeze54]

4. Who's having debates? Did I miss something?

:shrug:

[Syrinx]

5. we need quality, not necessarily quantity

We've had plenty of so-called debates, but none of them could properly be described as debates.

Give the candidates on each side, say, three or four hours, to go head to head, and really debate.

The "debates" as they stand are pretty much a waste of time -- fishing expeditions for soundbites, at the expense of anything truly informative.

Hey C-SPAN!?

[Oeditpus Rex]

6. There have been no debates

What we've been being fed are forums.

I'd love to see actual debates between the candidates instead of this softball Q&A crap.

[Wiregrass Willie]

7. I'd prefer one real debate to 100 press conferences.

Expanded-press conferences is all we have seen this year. A real debate has the candidates posing questions to each other -- instead of by a ratings conscious nitwit from entertainment TV. I wonder if Lincoln would have beaten Douglas in a press conference ?

[Perry Logan]

8. I think there are way too many.

[RC]

9. Debates? How many ways can you phrase "Pearls or Diamonds" in a question?

How about some hard ball questions like; "Why if you really are a Democrat, why are you not against the bu$h wars"?

Or "Do you think bu$h and Cheney are guilty of war crimes?" "Explain why, defend your answer."

Or "What will you do to enforce the constitutional rights of the 'detainees' at Guantanamo and ensure they get fair trials?"

Or "Yes or No, is water-boarding torture?"

You know, realistic questions that will wipe the smiles off their faces!

[nightrider767]

11. Yes, those are all good questions.

I wish Wolf Blitzer would get the hint.

[annabanana]

10. The fact that they are "closest we get to unscripted ". . .

is a sad commentary on the whole process. We should outlaw "handlers".

[nightrider767]

12. The Debates are like the food we eat.

They look real, they're pretty, but deep down they processed and packaged garbage.

[madmom]

13. I did hear something about a dem debate being canceled because they wouldn't cross picket lines, not

sure of details, didn't catch whole story.