Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Debate

I did not listen to the debate last night.  I wasn't in the mood for blood sport.

We had a nice dinner then Hub went to do some shopping and I settled in the den and caught up on some back issues of the Financial Times.  I always enjoy their take on our politics but mostly I have a few favorite columns I read faithfully.

This morning, however, in reading the follow ups on the debate I gather whoever won depends on who you're talking with.  Trump won.  Hillary won.  Sounds like it was pretty much a draw.

I'd really like to see the debates run by some independent source who would choose a non-media personality for a moderator and allow all parties who are running be included.  I would not vote for either the Libertarians nor the Greens but they have some interesting ideas worth noting.

The grand exaggerations and tinged truth of the debates as they are now are just a continuation of the individual campaigns.  The only difference is they shout insults at one another at arms length rather than from rallies and campaign stops. Same-o, same-o.

I'd also like to see them more civil.  The entire process actually.  I know dirty politics is reputed to work but to my way of thinking it diminishes both candidates. If exaggeration and lies don't work than bloody the opposition.  And we complain that one or the other isn't presidential?  What's so presidential about shouting insults at one another?

At least this spectacle is in it's twilight.  We'll only really know who wins in November.  One thing I can say with some certainty, however, is it won't be us.

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