Trump: $5 Million, Or No Debate!

Image from source, CNN

Was he joking? Just being (more of) an asshat? I guess we'll find out.

[Excerpt]

Trump Threatens CNN: Give Me $5 Million Or I Won’t Show Up for Next Debate!

Remember back in September how Donald Trump said that CNN shouldn’t accept any of the profits they made from the second GOP debate and should give it all to veterans charities? Well, he’s doing it again. . .

Read more at: CNN

The Solution to the FOX "News" 2016 GOP Debate Dilemma

I was listening to the radio on my walk today, listening to The Stephanie Miller Show, about the FOX "News" 2016 GOP debate dilemma. Namely, how do they decide who is going to be on the stage? There are--so far--16 candidates declared, with possibly more to come. Most of them are within the margin of error on any single poll, and any hint of diversity (cough, Fiorina, cough, Carson) could unwittingly get bumped off if they aren't careful.

 

I started thinking about stagecraft, and how it could be done. Then it hit me: 1 vs 100. It was a game show, during network television's post Who Wants to be a Millionaire? game show phase. They managed to make a stage with 100 contestants, and it worked. And then my mind, as it often does, took that several steps down the line. A game show format would be perfect! This is already chaos. Why not make each "contestant" leap for a buzzer? It even solves the problem of candidates complaining that they don't get enough camera time. You have to buzz in, Lindsey!

 

If FOX decided it was still too much trouble to put everyone on a stage at once, why not heats? Put six out there at a time, let a winner be selected, and so on, and then have championship rounds! They could do variations on Celebrity Jeopardy! or if that's too hard, maybe Celebrity Family Feud. Hell, wouldn't everybody like to see Donald Trump on the other side of the boardroom table?

 

My personal favorite is my version of Match Game '74: Ass Game '16, only flip it so that moderators Steve Doocey and Megyn Kelly, emceed by Sean Hannity, ask the questions and the candidates have to fill in the blanks! "Dumb Dora was so dumb [How dumb was she? Thank you for asking], she thought you could repeal and replace ObamaCare with BLANK!]"

 

I think it would be awesome, and I'd pay-per-view to watch it.

Rachel Maddow Discusses the Debates with David Letterman

Can't help it, love Dave, love Rachel. Here you go!

Willard Has Romnesia, Republicans Do Too

I loved President Obama's new attack on Mitt Romney: Romnesia. It isn't just a cute turn of a phrase, it fits so very well. Romney has shown to have multiple positions on virtually every topic. Sometimes, he debuts a new position right in the middle of a presidential debate! It's such a sight to behold, the President himself was caught flat-footed when presented with the staggering changes of positions during the first debate.

But it isn't just Willard who is afflicted. The entire Republican/conservative/tea bagger conglomerate has a form of amnesia. Remember how after 9/11 we all pulled together? Remember that the Democrats did not attack President Bush during or even long after the terrorist attack? Remember how just saying something mildly against Bush during this time (and for years after) was "unpatriotic," and "attacking the President during a time of war?" Contrast that with how Republicans pounced after the Benghazi attack, and other attacks in the Middle East. Willard was nipping at the President's heels while the attacks were still happening. No right-wing pundit, politician, blogger or you weird Uncle Louie has been shy about blasting President Obama. All of them are seemingly Middle East experts now, and none of them feels the least bit un-patriotic for. . .attacking the president during a time of war. Amnesia. Or hypocrisy. You choose.

Bad Lip Reading's Take on the First Debate

It's not quite as funny as the one with Newt Gingrich saying, "I went poo-poo in the egg salad, and, oh, Mary! Ohmigawrsh" but it's close!

Romney Debate Bounce Evaporates?

Whoa! Image from source.

Obviously, polling can be misleading, and can vary wildly between pollsters. They also seem to have a lag time, and drawing conclusions from them can be quite confusing. I mean, whenever there is a shift in the polls, what do you conclude? If Romney is suddenly doing better, does that mean that some Barack Obama voters watched a debate, and because Obama was off his game, the voters switch to Romeny? Because the candidates are so similar, it boils down to debate performance? It just doesn't add up to me.

But whatever conclusions you draw, the fact remains that the horse race between the candidates gets far more attention than policy, or much of anything else. And while Mitt Romney did get a bounce from his debate "win," it has seemingly already evaporated.

[Excerpt]

Romney’s Post Debate Bounce Evaporates as Obama Returns to Leading by 5

Mitt Romney may have gotten one of the shortest post-debate bounces in history as swing state and national polls reveal Obama in the lead. . .

Read more at: PoliticusUSA

History Lesson on Presidential Debates and Winners

As I said, I got slammed with work, so my posts have been short, even if my choices have been entertaining. Now, I'm going to throw you something entertaining and educational. Did you know there have only now been seven televised first debates for incumbent presidents? It's true, they only go back as far as the Ford/Carter debate of 1976, which was marred by technical difficulties.

What I like about this clip from The Rachel Maddow Show is that--contrary to right-wing critics' expectations--Rachel makes no effort to spin President Obama's debate performance as anything other than a loss. What she does is put the debate itself into a historical perspective: the challenger to almost all modern incumbent presidents win in the first debate. But how many go on to win the election? Watch the clip below to find out.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Obama's Romney Debate Practice Stand-in: John Kerry

Well, this is interesting. Not only is John Kerry a great choice as a Mitt Romney stand-in in debate practice, he's a great analogue to the candidate himself.

Do you remember the criticism of Kerry?  I'm referring to when they weren't criticizing his looks or his wife. Yes, it was his elitism. This wealthy, out-of-touch, upper-crust, elitist. Forget that he was a war hero, he was not a guy you could sit down and have a beer with. Forget that George W. Bush was an alcoholic. Curious how that stuff isn't coming up this time, isn't it?

[Excerpt]


Obama picks John Kerry to play Romney in mock debate rehearsals

President Obama has tapped Sen. John Kerry, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee, to play Republican Mitt Romney in mock debate rehearsals, Obama campaign officials and the senator’s office confirmed Monday. . .

Read more at: Washington Post

GOP Debate Audience Boos Mitt Romney's Mexican Roots

Romney looks like Ken, Gingrich looks like a Fisher-Price person.
Image from Raw Story.

I avoided the first half of this most recent debate, mostly because I didn't know there was one until it had already started. By that time, I was watching my Rachel, so I saw no point in changing the channel. I did catch some commentary during TRMS, by reading my twitter feed. My feed is populated so many funny politicos and comedians (and porn stars), I can't bear to watch a debate without them. But after Rachel was done, I did switch over. It's the same thing, only minus Jon Huntsman vacillating between being rational, and being a a hard-right zealot. And there is something still missing, what with Cain and Bachmann out.

The one steady thread through most of the debates is the audiences. For the life of me, I do not know why they've turned debates into a spectator sport. These things are supposed to be serious, dare I say it, even sorta classy. Not this year. They've booed and hissed at a gay soldier and a hypothetical dying man, while cheering executions. They might as well hold these things in The Coliseum.


[Excerpt]


GOP debate audience boos Romney’s Mexican heritage

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney may be in the lead in the Palmetto state, but that doesn’t mean South Carolinians necessarily like him.

During a Fox News debate at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center on Monday, the Republican audience booed loudly after being told that Romney’s father was born in Mexico. . .

Read more at: Raw Story