Friday, April 18, 2008

An observation on presidential debates

Remember when the debates were organized and run and moderated by the League of Women Voters (peace be upon them and may their children rise up and call them blessed)?

Questions seemed relevant. The moderators did not debate with the principals. There was an element of dignity. No party sponsored the debate. No media conglomerate got involved. We had a shared belief about overall balance and fairness. The event was respected. It had some - dare we even utter the word anymore - integrity.

I believe that for the sake of this nation and its electoral process we should invite (humbly beg, if needed) the League of Women Voters to be in charge of presidential debates once more.

And the networks (regular broadcast or cable) should not be allowed anywhere near except to broadcast them.

Isn't this a rather obvious solution?

Why am I not reading about it everywhere?
--the BB

1 comment:

Jane R said...

Yeah, how did the League (may their descendants be numerous and blessed) get out of the debate business? Did someone make 'em? Or was it their decision?

The level of discourse in those debates is appalling.

Let me quote a genuine letter to the editor(Padre Mickey will love this and recognize the Bay Area language) of the San Francisco Chronicle from a few years ago. "Is there an epidemic of viral galactic stupid?" Sometimes I do miss the Bay Area. It seems we do have such an epidemic. Did we bring this upon ourselves?