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We can now expect three live debates between the power-mad, subnormal incumbent and his challenger, the Lord of Sleep. Both will be primed to the gills with glittering, evasive generalities written by a team of fine communicators. What are your expectations, going into this?

Mudslinging, I am affraid, is my expectation.

I don't expect an actual 'debate' and haven't expected one since the League of Women Voters stopped sponsoring them about five elections ago.

Its going to be a series of sound bites, without any real exchange. I'm not sure I even need to watch them, because I already know who I'm going to vote for. However, I encourage all undecideds to watch the debates. Always better to be as informed as possible.

Er, what debates? Sound-bite sessions don't qualify. Bush would get ripped apart in a real one.

President Bush will win the debates. It doesn't matter what happens; Bush, the news outlets, the pundits, and most of the public (including Democrats who love to shoot arrows at their own man) will declare Bush the winner. Bush will tell a bunch of lies which nobody will call him on, and onlookers will make comments about Kerry's hairstyle or something instead of looking at the substance of his remarks. I honestly don't know if there's any point in having the debates.

I expect both un-charasmatic, hopelessly inept candidates to fail to be even MILDLY interesting. I'm not even going to bother to watch this year (so much more interesting things to do ). Besides, we talk about old white men from rich backgrounds bein liberal or conservative - come on, people! Which is better - Bush or Bush Light (and is there really a difference?)?

[QUOTE=Weasel]...and the other will scare me with his Lurch look...[/QUOTE]

I was kinda thinking Herman Munster myself.

Is there any question that the debates will be of no substance? Bush is boorish, Perry is squeamish, and in the end, their campaigns are nothing but a brawl between 527s, political science undergrads, and the mouthpiece media. Really, a monster truck rally would be more worthy of one's time and attention than this idiocy.

[QUOTE=Tower_Master]Which is better - Bush or Bush Light (and is there really a difference?)?[/QUOTE]

Actually, there is a considerable difference on a host of issues and the way the executive branch of government reveals (or doesn't reveal) information to the other branches and the people who supposedly elected it; but that's getting off-topic. Feel free to start another thread, if you want to discuss the ways Dubya differs, not merely from Mr. Hair, but from any other US president we've had.

All we're saying is, don't expect those differences to be established during the debates. Bush is going to mouth platitudes and hide what he's done. Kerry's going to underwhelm by ignoring the cut-and-thrust of intellectual point which is the hallmark of a good debate, to focus on gray generalities.

[QUOTE=fable]Actually, there is a considerable difference on a host of issues and the way the executive branch of government reveals (or doesn't reveal) information to the other branches and the people who supposedly elected it; but that's getting off-topic. Feel free to start another thread, if you want to discuss the ways Dubya differs, not merely from Mr. Hair, but from any other US president we've had.

All we're saying is, don't expect those differences to be established during the debates. Bush is going to mouth platitudes and hide what he's done. Kerry's going to underwhelm by ignoring the cut-and-thrust of intellectual point which is the hallmark of a good debate, to focus on gray generalities.[/QUOTE]

lol - I wasn't being THAT serious on the "is there a difference thing", man. I'd agree on the platitudes/generalities thing, though.

i'm tired of hearing bush's people undersell him so we are all surprised when he is actually a smooth debater.

and then there's the overplayed stuff about how awesome kerry is in a debate. and he is good. he schooled bill weld when he ran against him for senate in 96. he's a really good speaker when he's not bogging people down with random facts and statistics.

it won't be exciting tv, but it will be interesting.

Kerry: I won these medals and purple hearts in a war!
Bush: Well, yer a dummy head.
Kerry: Atleast I was a war hero!
Bush: And did yer company ride ya? Mistakin ya for a horse and all?
Kerry: Why you stupid little ape! I have medals! I HAVE MEDALS!
Bush: Yeah, well I did coke when I was younger, you see me braggin!
Kerry: That's because doing coke isn't a good thing you stupid little man!
Bush: Really..well then why did it feel good if it wasn't good? Man, yer dumb.

Crowd: JERRY! JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!

Man, that would be so funny to watch them get into a brawl!

Um, no offense meant, but--could we avoid spam, as I requested? Thanks.

Oh, so you shoot ME down for saying something entertaining although most everyone is saying this debate will be boring.

Atleast I am trying to give a comedy edge to what the debates are going to be about.

I'm not trying to shoot you down. This is a serious topic, in which I'm trying to gather opinions about what the upcoming debates will be like, from members. You're welcome to spam elsewhere--just please, don't do it, here.

I'm a European so I won't be watching the debates live as your politics aren't anything I can do about. But, every now and again I tune into Fox News or CNN to sample the mentality that's wreaking this storm of mass destruction around the world at the moment.

These stations go way beyond anything I've ever seen masquerading as journalism bias wise. Quite dispacable really. My question is, will they give you a chance to watch the action or will every statement by the candidates be drowned out by their 'expert commentators' with their small minds, as I will see the edited versions?

Not sure..I am gonna be watching the debates through The Daily Show's Indecision 2004.

Heh, fable, you don't sound very happy with the choices you've got. Can't really blame ya, Mr. Sleep is making it seriously hard for me to to like him over megalomanic man. Still, I'd rather have a piece of wood in the Oval Office than a stick of dynamite.

I am European, but I wouldn't watch the so called "debated" even if I was eligable to vote in the US. In an election campaign where arguments at the level of "Kerry is looking French" has already been presented

I don't understand the point with live TV debates when everything is decided in advance and the canditates are not even going to discuss with each other, or ask each other question other than rethorically. Two well-trained people sitting there saying TV-adapted plattitudes they have learned by heart - this is not a debate, it's not even a discussion. When I look at Kerry's and Bush' campaigns, it looks like they are competing for a "Who want to be a pop-star" TV-show rather than the leadership of the most powerful country in the world. It is depressing.

[QUOTE=C Elegans]I don't understand the point with live TV debates when everything is decided in advance and the canditates are not even going to discuss with each other, or ask each other question other than rethorically.[/QUOTE]

But CE, if they did that, Bush might be asked something he wasn't expecting and then what would he do? (Much like that press conference when he didn't have an answer and complained that the journalist hadn't warned him earlier that he was going to ask that question... )

[quote="Opalescence]Mr. Sleep is making it seriously hard for me to to like him over megalomanic man.[/quote]

What's wrong with [URL=http://gamebanshee.com/forums/member.php?u=103]Mr Sleep[/URL"] ?