Silly, stereotypical debate questions

Without a doubt, CNN blew it. They let a guy with easily traceable ties (e.g., via Google) to the Hillary Clinton campaign pose one of the questions at Wednesday night's Republican debate in St. Petersburg. A couple other questioners also were supporters of one of the Democratic candidates. This should seriously damage the network's credibility as an impartial (or even competent) stager of debates.

Beyond those oversights, however, I thought the overall tenor of the questions selected by CNN were stereotypical and shallow -- as if they represented a bunch of young, Democratic TV producers' idea of what a Republican debate ought to be.

So, you've got videos of gun nuts being tossed their weapons. You've got a wild-eyed Bible-thumper asking about Biblical inerrancy. You've got a Confederate flag-waver demanding that the candidates pledge allegiance.

Of the thousands of videos submitted, I wonder -- didn't anybody ask anything substantive about the economy? The mortgage-lending crisis? How about the nation's energy future? How about the collapse of democracy in Russia, the threat of Hugo Chavez, the prospects for Cuba? How about stem-cell research, the U.S. obesity epidemic, food inspection safety?

Comments

[20/20]

Howard,

I couldn’t agree with you more. CNN most certainly blew this one big time. I watched the entire debate, and along about 20-minutes into it, I knew exactly what I was watching.

However, I wasn’t sure the “Bible-Thumper” was asking his question to gauge defense or divergence. It was peculiar to say the least.

In retrospect, I’m not too sure we would have gotten substantive answers to substantive questions, were they asked. From my perspective, the modern “Televised Debate” structure has become a mockery in and of itself. Plants, shills, staged questions, meaningless sound bite answers, and a heck of a lot of eye make-up and face pancake.

I say we head out to a field, chop a couple of trees down to 2-feet (although much to the chagrin of environmentalists)… and get on about the good ol’ fashioned, unscripted 6-hour stump… televised “live” of course. Now that’s my idea of reality TV!

[Don Mott]

I agree with most of 20/20's statements above. I don't watch debates for those reasons. Much more can be determined from the candidates history than from 30 second sound bites to questions that are really just an afterthought to this countries problems. At this point in the process it is turning into a he said, she said ordeal with false statements and accusations, rumors, and distortions of truth. All for a $400,000 a year mess that is being left behind by an incompetent leader. The allure of power is certainly strong to attract and cause all of this.

[Jim Johnson]

Howard,

Okay. I give up. Why are you surprised at the nonsense? This nation spent the last 40 years grooming imbeciles to fret about nonsense.

We should hand out I WAS THERE ribbons to grads instead of diplomas.

[Miss Trashahassee]

C'mon, now.

You ain't surprised about how it turned out, are you? Seriously?

BFF,
Miss T