God, will someone tell me Im dreaming

[stephen davis]

How much time does Biden need to try to express his superiority? two minutes? ten minutes? half an hour?

Biden IS superior to the other product. His knowledge and insight are worth hearing about.

The Republicans, probably rightly, underestimate the American public. They seem sure that nobody has the patience for information that won't fit on a bumper sticker (i.e. "Drill here. Drill now." and Evil - "Destroy it!").

It does take a little longer to inform the public of important positions.

McCain-Palin, and the Commission, are not showing respect to the electorate by further dumbing down the important process of electing the president of the United States.

[Bret Callentine]

McCain-Palin, and the Commission, are not showing respect to the electorate by further dumbing down the important process of electing the president of the United States.

Don't you mean the VICE president?

Biden IS superior to the other product.

completely agree

It does take a little longer to inform the public of important positions.

Step one is to find an audience willing to listen.

Man I miss Ross Perot's pie charts.

[Missy Limkemann]

Ok who else thought that Ross Perot and the Perdue Chicken guy were one in the same? Just me? LOL.
I can't wait for the debates, they get me fired up and then I start screaming at the tv. Just like I do at football games.
I personally think that McCain knows that Palin is just not ready for this. He picked her for "show" and nothing else. Probably fogetting that there were going to be debates. Old age makes the mind go....(so does young age but hey...)so now they are trying everything they can to get around it. LOL.
I think Biden is better qualified than Palin, and you know what I want to do is make a sign that says "This soccer mom is for Obama" (even though I am not a soccer mom!!!)

[Bret Callentine]

If Obama is qualified to be President, then Palin is just as qualified to be Vice President.

[sharon kinsella]

Oh for pete's sake Bret - here's one better for you.

If McCain is better qualified for president then GI Joe is qualified to be a dancer on Broadway.

[Phil Florian]

I would pay money to have Ryan Costa sitting in the foreground (ala Mystery Science Theatre 3000) of the televised coverage of the presidential debates.

Flank him with a robot version of Eisel and O'Bryan and we're talkin' PAY PER VIEW HEAVEN!!!!!

How about pay at least the bar tab? Doesn't Trios have a huge screen that could show the debate with these three in front of it? I think the gauntlet has been thrown!

[stephen davis]

McCain-Palin, and the Commission, are not showing respect to the electorate by further dumbing down the important process of electing the president of the United States.

Don't you mean the VICE president?

Well, I was trying to keep it simple. Obviously, the vice presidential candidate is not getting elected to that office without the presidential candidate.

The 12th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution still calls for separate ballots for president and vice president, but because of the way Electoral College electors are pledged to a party, since sometime in the 19th century, the vice president is just part of the presidential package.

Do we really have to spell out everything here?

Man I miss Ross Perot's pie charts.

Yeah. In retrospect, Perot's words about the "giant sucking sound", with regards to international trade, were quite prophetic.



Steve

.

[stephen davis]

If Obama is qualified to be President, then Palin is just as qualified to be Vice President.

FALSE.

If you substitute eligible for qualified, I might agree.


Steve


.

[Bret Callentine]

So you see Obama as immenently qualified to be president, but Palin is somehow lacking in the same category to be vice president?

How do you figure that?

[Shawn Juris]

So this open format, hypothetically speaking would it be more detrimental to Palin or Biden. Based on past experiences, Palin would probably not be up to speed on topics that should be commonplace, but Biden would probably put his foot in his mouth.
I don't see this negotiation for debate format to be all that surprising. Maybe if there were some context like there has always been a debate like this and this is a departure from the norm to not have it. Based on what I can tell though this was a request that goes beyond the usual debate, so what's the big deal that the request was denied?

[Mark Moran]

So you see Obama as immenently qualified to be president, but Palin is somehow lacking in the same category to be vice president?

How do you figure that?

Concerns about Obama's readiness and experience are entirely justifiable. You and obviously many many other people are not going to vote for him on these grounds. I have wondered and worried about it myself, though I am going to vote for him.

But your equivalency between Obama and Palin is completely false. The issue is Palin's seriousness about serious issues. She has not uttered one single thought about foreign policy, except to say that she had "heard about the surge on the news" (!!!!!) and wanted an exit plan. Which in fact puts her in opposition to McCain. She was chosen as a prop and a symbol--of traditional plain folks virtue and values. Thats swell. But she has not taken a serious interest in serious national issues, which Obama has.

I will also say, and will apologize ahead of time if you take offense because I mean no disrespect: I simply dont believe that you believe what you are saying about this gaming of the debate being nothing more than some kind of technical adjustment in the timing of remarks. They are trying to shield her from a format that would be disadvantageous to her: one in which she would have to wing it on her own about serious issues with an experienced Washington hand. This is transparent.

[Bret Callentine]

You and obviously many many other people are not going to vote for him on these grounds.

actually, I think he's more than qualified to be president. I probably won't vote for him because I don't agree with his economic strategy, or his assesment of how to handle international concerns.

While I agree that Palin has had next to NO experience in international affairs, I think that her (as well as Obama's) areas of lacking will be more than made up for with an able bodied staff.

I'm less concerned with a persons ability to recall the names of some distant dignitary, and more concerned with how I feel they would respond to the stress of undertaking diplomacy.

In that area, my first choice would actually be McCain, with Biden a close second.

I will also say, and will apologize ahead of time if you take offense because I mean no disrespect:

No need to appologize, these are tough issues and major concerns. I just don't see it as somehow against the rules to request a format change.

[Stan Austin]

Brett---good friend--- I'm afraid that undertaking diplomacy is the distinctly one area that McCain is lacking.

In all his years as a politician the one constant refrain has been War, War, War.

Even his reaction to the current economic problems are far from that of a statesman. To that , I refer you to today's George Will column.

Compounding he's predilection to war is the sad fact that he cares not a wit about how to pay for this most recent war or a state of constant warfare against any and all.

He just loves war.

Stan

[Stephen Calhoun]

Mr. Obama strikes me as very well educated, very very bright, and this matches his thoughtfulness on any number of issues.

Mrs. Palin strikes me as a hyper-ambitious end times hockey mom, whose greatest skills set is her ruthless ambition and ability to lie with a straight face.

Where has she written to articulate her well informed knowledge of, and vision about, any issue whatsoever? The answer is: nowhere. Smartly McCain is keeping his pitbull on a short leash so she doesn't embarrass herself as she did in the Gibson interview.

I think that her (as well as Obama's) areas of lacking will be more than made up for with an able bodied staff.

Yeah, Bret, that's a workable concept for right wing governors. Lessee, the last beta test brought us Cheney, Wolfowitz, Rumsfeld, Feith, Addington, Yoo, Gonzo, and other assorted war criminals and thugs.

Yup, she needs a "staff" !!!

LOL

[Bret Callentine]

So because Bush had a worthless (possibly criminal) staff, you automatically assume that will be the case for the next administration?

Or is your premise, that all Republicans are evil and bereft of the ability to do any good for this country?