Where Is the League of Women Voters When We Need Them?

Would someone please get the networks out of the presidential debate business?

The networks and the national press love their gotchas, their -gates, their "controversies," their heat. They, alas, are not the grownups in the political process. The grownups are the voters, who -- lamely, in the mind of the political class -- are troubled by the war, the economy and boring stuff like that. Stuff that networks think make for lousy television.

I don't blame news producers for doing what they think their job is, which is scoring bragworthy Nielsens. I don't blame political talking heads for being infatuated with the narratives that they themselves create and market. Blaming them would be like blaming babies for banging their spoons on their highchairs, or addicts for wanting their fix.

But I do blame the candidates, the campaigns and the parties for being complicit with the corporate politainment circus. The first ten people in the phone book could do a better job of asking candidates questions that voters care about. There is no freaking reason in the world to grant the networks a rotating monopoly on staffing and broadcasting these debates. The whole media political system we now suffer from is tilted entirely toward trivial combat, pathetic niggling over words, ridiculous sideshows, and inside baseball. Now that we know how awful it can be, are we really powerless to stop it from continuing to waste our time and turning our political process into a third-rate version of a condescending reality show?

Sorry, I've just got to get a grip on this bitter thing.

Follow Marty Kaplan on Twitter: www.twitter.com/martykaplan

Comments

[pmorlan]

Most of the corporate debates have had their problems (Wolf letting the audience cheer to influence the debate was a low). Tonights debate, however, was the worst of the bunch.

I agree that the League of Women Voters should be put back in charge of the debates NOW, so that they can get up to speed with planning the Fall debates.

[thatvisionthing]

THE best debate was the AFL-CIO one where the audience could applaud. There was some life to that, a pulse, a breathe in and out air exchange. Remember the disabled steelworker who couldn't afford health insurance for his wife? "What's wrong with America and what would you do to change it?" http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/08/07/afl-cio-presidential-forum-emotional-question-from-audience-member-on-health-care/

[FarmerCharlie]

I have not watched ABC much since the Peter Jennings days, and this debate illustrates why. ABC used to feature real news professionals who were knowledgeable and perceptive enough to elicit revealing responses by candidates on important issues. The two questioners tonight looked like they would be more at home on The Gong Show. Some of the other debates hosted by similar network news personalities were not much enlightening.

[thatvisionthing]

And Ted Koppel and the rest of the Nightline crew -- Dave Marash, John Donvan, Chris Bury, Michel Martin...! There couldn't have been a worse time to off them-- or maybe the bad times that followed are a testament to what happens to a country that doesn't think critically and debate openly. They were so good. Ted, come back, come back!

I hope on that first day in office, when the new president is doing all those important things, that he or she is not the only busy restorer..­. we all have things to do... and that someone has the good sense to restore Ted Koppel to a daily news interview show again. There's room for him AND Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Stephen is not the only National Treasure.

[thatvisionthing]

Thanks for catching up to this Marty! I've been screaming for months, since NBC cut Mike Gravel out of the debates on criteria they made up. Think of it, a candidate on the ballot offed by the MSM before any votes were cast. And Kucinich in Nevada, having to go to court to be included--and then being overruled! And I wonder why with all the wishing for Hillary to get out of the race, why the MSM doesn't just do to her what they did to Mike Gravel. Disappear her. It sure works.

Just think what fair debates might be like. No potted plants. Equal talk clock. Open debate, not scripts to fulfill. Mike Gravel and Chris Dodd and Dennis Kucinich given equal time and consideration. This would have been a great year to do it. Think how much better all the later debates could have been, with our democratic engine firing on all cylinders instead of just two. Kucinich, Gravel and Dodd each had better ideas on many issues than the remaining candidates. Even if they themselves didn't earn the nomination, their ideas could have sharpened and enlightened the national debate.

* Sigh *

[BadChristian]

"Would someone please get the networks out of the presidential debate business?"

Please don't call these "talking races" debates.

If the telejournalists want to get into the debate business, that'd be fine... But these aren't debates. These things are just a way for Corporations to frame what you, as the American voter, are looking at. They put an issue in a frame, click a clock (not that the timer actually matters at all, in the end) and see who can string the most "power words," cliches and sound bites together.

It's time for a new Enlightenment.
Don't let the Corporate clowns do your thinking for you.
Have the courage to use your own reason.

[JackAlexander]

The problem with the suggestion that debates appear only on PBS for those without cable is that in Feb. of '09 all TV in this country will be digital and unless one can afford a 'converter box' one won't be seeing the program. (Silly thing to convert Digital to Analog and a waste of time and money-Gee thanks Washington­.)

[RoseMerry]

Years ago, (84? 88? I don't remember) The League of Woman Voter's got fed up with candidate's restrictions that turned these so-called debates in the travesty we have today. They refused to go along and the candidate turned to the networks themselves.

Bravo for the League! They refuse to play this game until the candidates agree to a REAL debate.

Do not hold your breathe.

[BadChristian]

''We have no intention of becoming an accessory to the hoodwinking of the American public.''
Nancy M. Neuman
Published: October 4, 1988
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEEDB1E3CF937A35753C1A96E948260

[julieeiluj]

Get the media out of the election entirely. The only way to find out about a candidate is to turn the t.v. off.

[mounthood]

Yes, why watch political debates? Get a life. Besides, I've already voted. How sad to watch the candidates try to destroy each other. They are attacking the wrong enemy. We deserve better. Makes one bitter.

[bettygg]

I support putting debates on PBS only. Take the corporate media out of it. This would also allow anyone w/o cable access to view them (I believe this was the only one held on broadcast television).

[thatvisionthing]

With love from Archer Daniel Midlands.

[bettygg]

I support putting debates on PBS only. Take the corporate media out of it. This way everyone w/o cable access can also view them (I believe this was the only on held on broadcast television).

[bettygg]

I support putting debates on PBS only. Take the corporate media out of it. And allow everyone w/o cable access to view them (I believe this was the only one on broadcast television).

[Uselessboy]

The League couldn't continue because the parties and candidates wouldn't allow them to run rational debates.

Our political system favors the kind of event we had tonight.

[Artisbey]

Big-league campaigning has become the political equivalent of professional wrestling.

And like pro-wrestling announcers, the various loud-mouth political commentators and shills are in cahoots on the scam, and their shrill observations and pronouncements are just perpetuating the lie -- that an actual contest is going on here.

Like the Roller Derby, all the contestants are drawing a check from the same management. They're going in the same direction, with the same objective.

Obama almost screwed up the script when he rightfully observed that many working-class voters are "bitter." The prompters quickly got him back on message.

If he and his minders only knew. We've lost jobs, medical coverage, pensions, and any hope for a decent future. Bitter? We passed bitter long ago.

It's hard not to be bitter with the leading presidential candidates, all millionaires mind you, trying to pass themselved off as "jus' us folks" -- two of them trying to be Joe Sixpack and the third passing herself off as just a Avon lady who hangs out at the neighborhood bar.

But maybe bitter is not the right word. Maybe nauseaus.

[zozosmom]

Get used to it Marty. This is what the GE will look like. And Obama bombed. Funny to see the Obama folks who have benefitted from-- and promoted-- tabloid, biased "journalism" suddenly crying foul when it's their guy who is on the butt end. Karma is a bitch.

[nk007]

zozosmom:

Can you please give an example of Obama "tabloid, biased journalism?" I don't think tonight's ABC performance benefited Clinton. Most of us know that George Stephanopoulos had conflict of interest. He should never have been a moderator. He was more like Jeff Gannon. A plant pretending to be a journalist. You can not cite an example of any one who has worked for Obama asking questions in a nationally televised debate. This was not about Karma. This was avery vicious ambush. Tonight both George and Hillary lost their souls in their quest for power that they may never get. It is possible that Obama may not be the nominee. But I can almost guarantee that Hillary Clinton is not going to elected president. The majority of people are disgusted with her lies and her win at all costs. So, she may have stolen this battle with the help of George S. but she will surely loose the war. I doubt that George S. will ever get another chance to come to her aid. We are all on to him. By the way Obama is such a strong and decent guy that you will never see him "cry" or whine like Hillary. It is us the Obama supporters that utterly disgusted. So don't blame it on him.