Those aren’t debates

Please may we never have another televised political debate? My wife and I were both college debaters and communication PhDs. The political showcases we have are not debates in any way recognizable way and an insult to any thinking person. The first presidential debate was, of course, a bad joke. All Americans should be required to watch SNL’s take off. The true joke. The official staged “debate” was actually like Alec Baldwin’s lunatic Trump trying to insult Joe Biden to throw him off. Jim Carrey’s hilarious impersonation of Biden using a paper bag to control hyper ventilating and not calling Trump a clown, (oops he did anyway) was spot on.

What was truly sad, however, was to read columnist Marc Thiessen’s comments on the debate (“Trump won but needs to tone it down,” Oct. 1). He said Trump won because of his clever remark that he had done more in 47 months than Biden had done in 47 years. Really? Based on what evidence? Actually, what are we comparing? It was nonsense. I have never thought so little of Thiessen.

Everything about both of the debates so far was ridiculous. The vice presidential debate was a showcase in avoidance. Why not tell the debaters the questions ahead of time. In competitive debate the point is to have more evidence and out-reason your opponent. A “gotcha” political brawl is less than useless.

Debates need strict formats that allow the debaters to make their detailed cases. These freewheeling arguments are just two people yelling at each other. Shut it down.

James Becker

Spokane