A rare serious post - ccwbass's take on the Big Debate

Utterly. Freaking. Pointless. Tonight was about entertainment. It was about killing 90 minutes of time and selling some advertisement.

My dream debate format? Well, once the field has been winnowed down:

Republican vs. Republican debates:

[1] Several debates can be had, but I want each debate to center on a specific topic (or range of closely-related topics).

The War against radical Islam
The economy
The Supreme Court and Constitution
Education
The separation of church and state
Health Care
The definition of "conservative"

. . . just to name a few possibilities.

[2] Kick the journalists out - at least as the guys who ask the questions. What I want is a panel made of experts in the subject at hand. In fact, imagine the candidates being grilled about the War on Terror by a panel of non-journalists. How about some retired military people, equal numbers of pro vs. con individuals? Toss in left and right think tank guys, maybe a couple of journalists who have been embedded with the troops, and millbloggers and their anti-war counterparts; but otherwise no MSM, save perhaps a token MSM personality to act as a kind of moderator.

What I'm imagining here is something akin to a PhD. examination.

[3] Which means we need to give the candidates time to either hang themselves, or prove themselves. 90 minutes for 10 guys? Absolutely stupid and pointless, and good for nothing but generating a few days' worth of soundbites, which helps the networks and blogs, but isn't exactly a value-added exercise for the voting public. I want these debates - let's not even call them debates; let's call them examinations - to give each candidate at least an hours' worth of talking time. Three candidates? Three hours. Longer, if they're willing. (Screw the networks and their programming problems. This is the age of radio, live-streaming on the 'net and instant video capture.)

Just the proposition of such a debate would scare away the poseurs.

Republican vs Democrat debates

Same thing. One Topic per debate; at least an hour for each candidate, and the journlists have to sit back and let the panel do the grilling.

It'll never, ever happen. But a guy can dream.