From: "John Beamish" 

Interesting piece on PBS last weekend (Bill Moyers' "Now"
program) about the history of the debates from the first ones through those
hosted by the League of Women Voters up to the current ones held under the
auspices of the Commission for Presidential Debates (which is shown to be a
sucker's front for the backroom boys in both parties).  The guest was the
author of "No Debate" (Amazon shows the hardcover with a subtitle
"How the Republican and Democratic Parties Secretly Control the
Presidential Debates" and the softcover has the subtitle " How
the Two Major Parties Secretly Ruin the Presidential Debates").

Anyway ... there was a delicious segment from the 2000 election debate
showing Gore and Bush going "I agree", "I agree" on and
on and on regarding what their opponent had said.

One stat that came out was that earlier debates (before the Commission) had
viewership of 60% of tv-owning families and, since then, about 30%.  Yeah,
yeah, I know there can be lots of reasons to explain some of the drop off
but it was quite clear that a significant part of the drop off was due to
the Commission's lack-of-meaningful-debate format.


"Rich Gauszka"  wrote in message
news:4158a91f$1{at}w3.nls.net...
>
> "Steve Ewing"  wrote in message
> news:opse0ewnelsagvys{at}news.barkto.com...
> > >
> > Yeah, but looking at the formats, it's going to be a milquetoast
> > "debate"-- more like side-by-side campaign speeches. 
Between the two
> > sides are so many restrictions that the idea of any back-and-forth is
> > lost, alas.
> >
> > Not even any reaction shots-- GHW Bush checking his watch, Gore rolling
> > his eyes, etc. (Kerry sneezing, "Ah-Bullshit!")
> >
> > --
> >
>
> It wouldn't be sneezing for Kerry. Everyone will be looking for the excess
> perspiration that he has a tendency to display. The Dems tried to have the
> temperature of the debate room lowered but that was rejected by the Bush
> group. I'm sure Gary B and Mark will be looking at the debate on HDTV to
see
> if they can find any droplets 
>
>

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