Finally the debates are over. The last one was the most boring. I lasted all of 15 minutes. I have seen the early morning news with the debate highlights and listened to pundit comments. Obama had the advantage, as President. He was the president, in charge. So in my book, Governor Romney clearly won the first debate. The second was tied. And the third belongs to the President, the Commander-in-Chief.
The debates have been a deciding factor in this election. The first one was a game changer for Romney. President Obama's bowed head made him the loser. The debate was about aggression, stand up, body language and Romney had it. The moderator was weak.
The second debate, the candidates were on equal footing. Heads up, issue focused and the town hall meeting was helpful, adding a new dimension. The moderator was better. Romney was still the most aggressive and in Obama's face.
The third debate was boring and the men chatted like polite guys at the cocktail party. Their differences were minor.
Where is Joe's question?
The debates have a flaw. As we watch the TV medium, body language, voice tone, posture, aggression, the tie and the look become equally as important as the discussion. Romney and Obama perfectly attired, dressed as model executives. The teleprompter was absent, note taking was in gear, and the questions were fluid. The moderator is important. None of the moderators were challenging. How do they come up with the questions? Why not take face book or tweet question from the viewing audience? Enough already about GM and Wall Street and Medicare, we've heard it before. Where is the real economic turnaround plan and how does it affect Joe is the real question?
The debates have missed Joe's Issues, that is, the question that people on the street, on the ground want answered. How about the next paycheck? How about small businesses that create the most jobs? How about the future of public education? How about safety in the streets? How about gun control in urban areas? How about benefits for the returning solider?
Because the debates are so important and help shape a voter's decision, why not have in 2016, if you dare, a people's debate. That is, a debate where Joe the average citizen can pose a question. No staging, just go to a local auditorium and let real people, question the candidates on the issues as they see it. The debates would be different, real and lively.
The other flaw of the debates is there was absolutely no diversity, to reflect the American public. Where was the Black, Hispanic and young moderator? The moderator has a lot to do with the debate, because that person conducts the conversation, setting the stage and determines the question.
New Moderators:
How about Bill O'Reilly as a moderator? How about Joe of Good Morning Joe? How about Al Sharpton or Rev. Jesse Jackson? How about Cornel West, Diane Sawyer, Oprah Winfrey or Charlie Rose? How about the local minister, the local schoolteacher, the local small business owner as a panelist? One moderator is too narrow; the debate is richer with a panel.
The debates have been a real game changer for this election, that is, still, too close to call. This is a dead heat election and every vote will count. The deciding state appears to be Ohio. But in all of the discussion and the debates, it would be nice to have the candidates speak to the people, that is, Joe on the ground, to answer real issues, as people experienced them. The debates need real questions from real people.