On the Debates

The obvious & key problem with more debates, and even a debate tomorrow on transportation, is that regardless of how Obama and Keyes ACTUALLY perform, a small minority of voters will witness this debate.

How will they form their opinion on the performance of the candidates? From the media! Particularly the news media. Which, in order to seem “non-partisan,” will at least attempt to treat Keyes as a legitimate candidate, and will turn it into a “he said/he said” discussion, and presto! Instant validity for the pretend candidate.

Or, as austinmayor has suggested, Keyes will say five hundred bizarre things and Obama will be insufficiently strong on a relatively obscure question and the right wing attack machine will PUMMEL the real candidate. Which will then become the story.

It’s already bizarre that they feel comfortable attacking Obama’s legislative record, while ignoring that NONE of their candidates, not Jack!, not Ditka, not Keyes, hell, not even Barthwell, has ANY kind of legislative record at ALL! It’s representative of anti-democratic leanings in the hopes of having empty suits who can and will unthinkingly end up voting for legislation that suits the needs of the lobbyists and party leaders.

(By the way, I think it’s fine to have fresh voices, new ideas, smart people from other fields enter politics. Democrats certainly do it all the time. But between Schwarzeneggar, Coors, Steve Largent, Tom Osborne, and too many others to count, the Republicans seem freakishly enamored with the whole “celebrity politician” thing. Particularly given their stated disgust for celebrities with actual, you know, opinions.)

Keyes really doesn’t want to debate Obama 6 times unless each one is televised nationally live, in prime time, broadcast and cable. It’s just bluster, and everyone knows it.

In any case it would be practically 1 a week until the election! When would either of them have time to actually go out and meet voters, especially downstate? Or is this going to be just a media-only campaign? How many debates did Durbin/Durkin have?

In any case, Keyes could care less about meeting actual voters. Much easier just to blather on from his sudden pulpit about generalities — what he apparently insists is his strength.

State Fair coming up. Should be good fun

My view is, bring ’em on, as many debates as possible. Keyes is SO bizarre (read the Slate articles about the GOP primary debates in 1999/2000 ) that Obama will look by comparison 1) extremely moderate and 2) a much more normal human being.

I think jakester makes a very good point about how the media typically spins things, but Keyes is so barking mad even the media will have no choice but to focus on his self-evident insanity. Obama just needs to have a few good one-liners in his pocket to use (preferably ones that will set Keyes off–the angrier/nuttier he is, the better for Obama and dare I say the entire Democratic ticket).

I’ve seen nothing in recent days to change my position that Obama wins by 40 points. And the more debates they have, the bigger that number will get.