The Graph and I
I tried to watch the vice presidential debate tonight but it wasn't easy. This was because I was forced to watch it on CNN. I happen to be an MSNBC junkie -- but the TV set was already tuned to CNN so that was pretty much that.
This was the first time I've watched a debate on CNN, and it turns out to have this graph running along the bottom of the screen, a graph that allegedly represents the moment-by-moment feelings of a group of supposedly independent voters in Columbus, Ohio, who sit, with some sort of electronic devices, and register their warmth or cool as the debate goes on.
Well, this is no way to watch a debate. It reminded me of this thing that's happened in New York City, which is that all restaurants with more than fourteen locations have to put on the menu the calorie count of each food item. This is an appalling development. It's hard enough to figure out what you want to order without someone explicitly telling you that you're going to drop dead if you eat it. But more important, I don't believe those calorie counts. Who knows how many calories there are in a grilled cheese sandwich? No one, that's who. But there it is, on the menu, in a grim black and white parenthetical, and it affects you, you can't help it, and as a result you end up not ordering the thing you wanted and instead ordering some stupid bowl of soup that barely gets you through till three in the afternoon.
Well this graph on CNN affected me, it affected me so much that I could barely focus on the debate, I was so busy watching the graph. I knew it was completely unreliable and irrelevant, and yet my heart sank and rose according to it. I sort of heard what the candidates were saying, but mostly I watched the orange (for women) and green (for men) lines rise and fall as each phrase was uttered. When Sarah Palin spoke and the lines went up, I felt irritable. When Joe Biden spoke and the lines went up, I felt happy. Don't get me started on Gwen Ifill.
Every so often Sarah Palin would say things like "darn right" and "bless their hearts" and "you betcha" and I noticed that the people in Columbus were unmoved by Palin's folksy expressions, at least according to the graph; this gave me faith in America. But then I reminded myself that the graph was probably as unreliable as the calorie count that caused me not to order what I really wanted to eat for lunch.
When the debate was over, we were all sad to realize that it had not been the exciting blood bath we were hoping for (I mean, let's admit it) but thrilled to hear that Biden was the winner. So I came home and celebrated: I had a grilled cheese sandwich (530 calories) (not really).
Read more reactions to the Biden-Palin Vice Presidential debate from HuffPost bloggers
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I am an msnbc purist. Only flip to CNN on rare occasion to see what the "other station" is doing.
But I have some appreciation for the "new" news stage. Flipped on local news the other day (rarely see it) and saw this old guy standing up by a round table, too low to lean on or even to be able to read any papers sitting there. And I realized: they all stand now. It's almost like some joke: all the news people have to stand up all day on the job, like they're doormen, or they're being punished ("We're taking the chairs away until you learn to act like grown-ups.")
I think we should do the same thing in Congress. And the White House. Wouldn't that be wonderful, take away all the seats, make them stand there all day doing -- nothing.
Actually, throw the cameras in everywhere too. Bug all the phones. Every communication, every single thing they do, all filmed, clocked, for the people to see. Every blooper, so to speak, exposed. Every phone call to Wall Street ("You guys better come through big for me if I get you this $700 billion gift") -- all on a 24-hour feed, available to the public. But they also have to stand up the whole time. I think it would be very entertaining.
I'm glad somebody said it! I was prepared to watch the 1st Presidential debate on CNN and the pre-debate show told of this new instantly gratifying emoto-meter, so I changed the channel ( I did watch a re-run of the debate later that night to judge for myself this new instant graph). I want to listen to the candidates without the "biorhythms" of Dems, Repubs and undecideds jumping up and down so I can feel like I know what complete strangers are feeling. So I have not watched any debate on CNN and won't unless they remove that thing...it's such a distraction. Like when I'm watching X-File re-runs on TNT and then "The Closer" walks on screen, strikes a pose and makes me sick of the whole thing. I too doubt the graphs reliability, but more so, it's just an distraction and an annoyance
I'm glad that I didn't watch the debate on CNN, but I am VERY glad I watched it again, later, on CNN.
Knowing how Americans respond to debates instinctively, "from the gut," I was gratified to see the lines peak when Biden choked up, and then flatline the instant Palin repeated the word "maverick" for the seventh time.
As a voter, the graph is useless clutter. As a blogger and a poli-sci student, that graph is pure gold.
http://www.osborneink.com
I had to laugh at the fact that it seemed like each time she opened her mouth, the graph tanked. In fact, sometimes it tanked BEFORE she opened her mouth, in anticipation of some inane talking point or folksy "Well golly gee whiz doncha know".
Save that crap for Fargo reunions, NOT the VP debate!
That is why i love C-span for these kinds of things....the MSm is getting outrageous with all the clutter it was like you couldn't even focus on the debate. Not wonder adults are getting AADD
I'm sure if you bought a carton of chicken livers and tried to read the livers( not the carton), you'd end up with the exact same mechanized guess. And then have enough livers to make something nice.
Since I wrote-in my ballot and did not vote for either candidate, I can watch this travesty with a sense of gloom, regardless. I've already lost.
Although, since I live in the Flyover , I'd be lying if I said I wasn't certain from the utter lack of interest in Obama since day one that it's like it or not McCain.
Which makes Palin even scarier. Especially since she is the darling of every small town Main Street from Anchorage to Key West.
After endless months of too much obsessing, it finally occurred to me that Rove has spent his life getting paid for only on reason--elections.
And so I applied Rovian logic and have come to the conclusion that people primarily don't vote as much for someone as mostly against someone else.
And everyone here tells me way too many reasons they're not voting for Obama and no one has changed their mind.
So it will come to urban versus rural ---and there is way more unhappy rural.
I'm calling it 53 to 55 McCain.
It is the folly that it is.
-gala1
Confused?
2000 census indicates 80% of US population lives in urban areas and 20% rural. I certainly hope you're right and the election turns on urban vs. rural.
See Us census @ http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/census/cps2k.htm
You had me until 53-55 McCain. Just for your sake (because I know that was a typo), what were the numbers you were thinking?
loved it !! it was like crack, couldn't take our eyes off those lines - lol
you could see nobody was falling for the folksy shtick, especially when ID'd herself with it
told the story in moments and in summation - pretty much matched national polling as well
for those of us who were fascinated by it - think about it - that was the 'Pong' of these gadgets, imagine what we'll have in 2012.
Having calorie information is long overdue, though these restaurants should have constantly updated, complete nutritional info (e.g., fat, protein, carbs, fiber, calories) at each register.
Do you people think food labels on grocery store food is so "nanny state" or confusing? I mean, obviously cookies are bad for you, so why bother with more information?
McDonalds is a favorite example... yes most people know Big Macs are pretty bad for you, but tons of fast food is far worse. People think McDonalds' salads drenched in dressing are healthier. They are in for a shock.
Do you people really think 99% of consumers know how many calories many Starbucks drinks have? What about the 1000+ calorie Chipotle burritos? How much sugar is in Pinkberry?
What is the harm to these restaurants, unless they have something to hide... unless they count on consumers' ignorance for the continued purchase of their products?
ok so I've been watching CNN here in Canada, maybe I should be changing to the other channels mentioned here???
True, I felt the same about the graph, very distracting, glad to know I'm not the only one.....I like CNN so I try to ignore it but it's impossible......although I do have to say I think the calorie count for restaurants is a great idea in our junk food society....we should follow Obama's advice of prevention... :)
CNN introduced us to the graph participants beforehand, with a few comments by many of them and some background personal info. While the graph was admittedly distracting- it gave me some insights into how others think. I mean, I was amazed at some of the Palin moments that actually made the lines go up but each time it happened it was a reality check for me, a necessary truth about different values and ranges of perception, that hopefully I won't have to employ at any time after November 4.
Sorry. There's no way this woman could have learned so much in so short a time. Perhaps she enjoyed the benefit of the same technology W used for his debates; you know, the one that gave him that unsightly lump in his back. How convenient that she wore a dark suit and her hair was down, but what was she writing when the questions were asked?
Come on Norah - you're a smart woman - an accomplished novelist and filmmaker -- and you couldn't change the channel b/c it was already tuned to CNN?? Great excuse for a blog post, but you should've done what I did when I realized how irritating that graph was -- I switched to PBS's coverage. I encourage you to watch PBS's coverage for the reaming two presidential debates. No graphs, no blow-hards, just an honest and civil post-debate analysis.
I know it was probably a typo, but there is truly some poetry in your phrase, "...for the reaming two presidential debates."
Maybe it's just my sick sense of humour.
That graph was bizarre. I felt like I was in a crowd of spectators watching a heart patient's monitor in some kind of sick, demented sporting event. "Here he comes everybody!! He's coming back!! OOOhhh, there he goes again. We may have lost him this time...Oh no..wait...here he comes!! Yup! This looks good. I think he's gaining strength and....Ohhhh NOT AGAIN...!! lol
I shouldn't have laughed at this, but I did. lol
I mean IF O does NOT win.
I hated those graphs it was very distracting. Also amazing as to what they responded to and how they reacted. Some things I thought had impact produced zero reaction from them, so I switched to MSNBC. I will be glad when the election is over I have been addicted to Google News (then drilling down) Read Clear Politics Polling and Huffington Post. My husband says he would like to see more of me but he will wait until November 5.
Of course I will be depressed if O does win.
Thats funny, that is what my husband say's ...and we are not even American (in Canada). I have Huff Po in my computer fast link bar and it's getting ridiculous how much I'm reading it...LOL
oh thank you....I thought I was one of the few crazed canucks....
This country will be more depressed than you (in MANY ways) if McCain - Palin get a hold of it. Do you really think that their ticket is going to lead to anything other than the status-quo? Do you think our economy, our security, our standing in world will change for the better? What possibly could a two-faced career politician (yes, he was a hero too) and an Alaskan Gov. who believes that the Earth is 5,000 years old and seeks to be protected from witchcraft do for this country? Personally, I feel they would be spending much time (like this Admin) covering their arses after blunder, after, blunder, and lie after lie...never getting anything done that doesn't serve themselves and their friends. (P.S. You and I are NOT their friends)
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