Debate agreement

[Genx87]

Of course many already knew this but here is proof.

http://gawker.com/5951977/leaked-debate-agreement-shows-both-obama-and-romney-are-sniveling-cowards

Time's Mark Halperin has made himself useful for once by obtaining, and publishing, a copy of the 21-page memorandum of understanding that the Obama and Romney campaigns negotiated with the Commission on Presidential Debates establishing the rules governing this month's presidential and vice presidential face-offs. The upshot: Both campaigns are terrified at anything even remotely spontaneous happening.

They aren't permitted to ask each other questions, propose pledges to each other, or walk outside a "predesignated area." And for the town-hall-style debate tomorrow night, the audience members posing questions aren't allowed to ask follow-ups (their mics will be cut off as soon as they get their questions out). Nor will moderator Candy Crowley.

So who will win in their stump speech tonight?

 

[Theb]

The upshot: Both campaigns are terrified at anything even remotely spontaneous happening.

It sucks, but I can understand their paranoia after the way "You didn't build that." and "I like being able to fire people." were amplified, and of course gems like this

 

[Juddog]

It sucks, but I can understand their paranoia after the way "You didn't build that." and "I like being able to fire people." were amplified, and of course gems like this

Hehe I could just picture some tea bagger standing up and asking Obama about being a socialist Muslim from Kenya.

 

[chucky2]

(their mics will be cut off as soon as they get their questions out)

They should do that to those debating in these things, not just the audience.

Chuck

 

[jackstar7]

Let's see who breaks the rules...

 

[blackangst1]

Seeing how theres been a few articles stating Obama will be focusing on Romney's character, its gonna be a bad night for him. Character assassination usually doesnt go so well.

Yeah lets not focus on the issues, lets focus on the person. Good plan Obama.

 

[Juddog]

Seeing how theres been a few articles stating Obama will be focusing on Romney's character, its gonna be a bad night for him. Character assassination usually doesnt go so well.

Yeah lets not focus on the issues, lets focus on the person. Good plan Obama.

You're criticizing him before the debate even begins. I guess this demonstrates how biased someone can get, where they give someone bad marks before they even do something.

 

[buckshot24]

Let's see who breaks the rules...

I think it would be smart to break the rules. There aren't any downsides for your side. When the other side complains it makes them look like whiners.

 

[Juror No. 8]

And people laughed at me when I compared U.S. elections to scripted WWF wrestling matches...

 

[kage69]

And people laughed at me when I compared U.S. elections to scripted WWF wrestling matches...

I hate to break it to you, but that's not why people laugh at you...





This is going to be the most vapid, worthless debate ever. Advantage Romney for being in a safe environment which precludes him shooting himself in the foot again.

 

[Juror No. 8]

I hate to break it to you, but that's not why people laugh at you...

Who are you again? I must've zinged you pretty good.

LOL. Don't worry, you'll get over it.

 

[kage69]

Who are you again? I must've zinged you pretty good.

LOL. Don't worry, you'll get over it.

Yeah, I remember my first beer...

 

[Screech]

Of course many already knew this but here is proof.

http://gawker.com/5951977/leaked-debate-agreement-shows-both-obama-and-romney-are-sniveling-cowards



So who will win in their stump speech tonight?

After the chargers - broncos game last night neither campaign wants their guy to look like Rivers....

(and yes I know these rules were made before that game)

 

[Schmide]

(predesignated area) Oh the Mr. Puddles rule

 

[Thump553]

And people laughed at me when I compared U.S. elections to scripted WWF wrestling matches...

The figurehead CEO of WWE (Linda McMahon) is running for Senate in my state-$15M of her own money so far. She's using top notch media counsultants and Madison Ave types and very well may win. At the Senate debate last night her supporters even acted like they were at a WWE match. Good move on her part as she truely sucks at debating (unable to go beyond prescripted answers and "shame on you"-her favorite tagline).

It's sad sometimes how such a sizeable portion of the supposedly adult population can be totally bamboolzed by nonsubstantive crap and style. And this is one of the most highly educated and sophisticated states in the Union, flinging themselves at a total phony.

 

[Jaskalas]

(predesignated area) Oh the Mr. Puddles rule

and they blamed Palin..., Mr. Puddles takes the cake.

 

[Farang]

It sucks, but I can understand their paranoia after the way "You didn't build that." and "I like being able to fire people." were amplified, and of course gems like this

Yes, but if Crowley is selecting the questions it kind of defeats the purpose. Especially if she is responsible for any follow-up and their mics are cut off.

i.e. if I'm moderator, and I want to ask 'What do you think of XYZ?' I just sift through enough submitted questions and find it. Somebody else sounds it out for me, then they are out of the equation.

We should just remove the pretense that this is controlled by the public. I have no problem with professionals handling it because the public usually botches it (like that lady in '92 who asked Clinton about the debt and had no clue what she was talking about)

 

[yllus]

Eh, you can't blame them entirely for this. The goal of these debates isn't supposed to be, "How well do you react to stuff that's completely off the wall." In fact, the opposite is what you want in the role of the guy who can launch nukes on a minute's notice.

POTUS should delegate new questions to first be considered by a team comprised of specialists in a hundred different areas. He's there to make a final call, not to do all of the legwork and hazard a guess on his own in ten seconds flat.

This is simple a compare and contrast exercise between two positions. It can be highly scripted - it should be highly rehearsed. Do you really want Newt Gingrich back in the race, coming up with new policy planks (let's build a moon base!) on a whim?

 

[Juror No. 8]

Eh, you can't blame them entirely for this. The goal of these debates isn't supposed to be, "How well do you react to stuff that's completely off the wall."

Yes, good point. These guys shouldn't be expected to display how quickly they can think on the fly or how capable they are at dealing with unexpected circumstances. It's much more important that they show they can follow a script and read a teleprompter, since that's pretty much all they are going to do anyway.

 

[Jaskalas]

What would the British do? (WWTBD)

 

[blackangst1]

You're criticizing him before the debate even begins. I guess this demonstrates how biased someone can get, where they give someone bad marks before they even do something.

Apparently you fail at recognizing a presumptive statement.

 

[yllus]

Yes, good point. These guys shouldn't be expected to display how quickly they can think on the fly or how capable they are at dealing with unexpected circumstances. It's much more important that they show they can follow a script and read a teleprompter, since that's pretty much all they are going to do anyway.

What kind of unexpected circumstance are they going to have to handle all on their own, without referring to advisors or even notes? Because that's what you're "testing" in this scenario.

In their previous lives these guys were community organizers and vulture capitalists. They aren't by any means qualified to find options on how to react to a revolution in China or the collapse of the domestic stock market. There are hundreds of support personnel who probably don't even belong to one administration or another who do that.