did you watch the debates? did you wish the candidates would just speak their minds instead of repeating their stump speeches and dodging questions? actually, the candidates have no choice but to act this way, and here are the 5 reasons why.
1 Not enough people watch the debates
soon computer
58m viewers equals less than 20% of the population. that means most of us were politics junkies looking to observe how things pan out rather than make up our minds - we already have. think this debate was for you? think again...
2 the debates are a ritual performed for the media
oh yeah
most voters will read or hear about them the on the next day through second hand reporting by some media outlet. that means that it doesn't really matter what is said but who produces the best sound bite and the best optics.
3 the media doesn't like complexity because viewers turn it off
i feel like...
talking about the issues can lead to complicated arguments weighing the pros and cons of a proposed solution, while viewers switch off. this is not a recipe for success in the media, which is all about eyeballs on commercials. so instead, the media concentrates on gossip-like news like who looked more statesmanlike or nervous and who looked into the camera more. expect it to be trotted out by talking heads and self-appointed experts ad nauseam. this concentration on secondary messages leads to...
4 candidates are afraid to be branded "divisive"
yeah, right
doesn't almost every sports store have merchandise saying "the other team sucks"? divisiveness is as American as apple pie, yet the word has strong negative connotations. for some reason, voters are uncomfortable with conflict, although the conflict of ideas is what it's all about.
that means that when Romney talks about how he worked across the isle as a governor, Obama can't reply that he tried that, and republicans threw away the invite. and when Obama talks about his grandma having worked and paid into social security so that she could then draw from it when she needed it most, Romney can't reply how much he hates moochers that are "unwilling to take responsibility for their lives."
5 debates are for the undecided, aka the uninformed
huh?
seriously, if you still don't know by now who you prefer, you just haven't been paying attention. that's just the kind of person who'd get swayed by the kind of gossip dominating the media. unfortunately, this voting block is what swings the electron, so all messages we will be seeing will be at their level.
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