Notwithstanding my first prediction of record-breaking ratings and all joking aside, I think tonight's debate is going to be really dull.
Here's why: First, political debates are almost always really boring. That's because they aren't really debates. Instead the rules are made to minimize the interaction among candidates. So instead of a debate, you get a series of brief parallel canned answers to the moderator's questions. Second, this thing can't possibly meet the sky-high expectations of bizarreness that everyone has. Third, with ten people on stage, each given a 5-10 minute chance to speak, there just isn't going to be much of a chance for fun stuff to happen. At best we will have one outrageous quip from Trump. But that is going to be a few seconds out of the whole event. No matter how good that quip is, it won't be enough to justify the rest of that time spent waiting for the quip to come. Fourth, and this probably goes without saying, there will be no real discussion of any policy issues, and that's what I find the most interesting about these things. The GOP just doesn't do policy anymore. With Trump in the lead, they have even stopped pretending that you need to have anything substantive to say to do well in the GOP primaries.
So I'm probably not going to watch it when it airs. I can always watch the 2 second Trump quip highlight when everyone posts it on the internet later.
Here's why: First, political debates are almost always really boring. That's because they aren't really debates. Instead the rules are made to minimize the interaction among candidates. So instead of a debate, you get a series of brief parallel canned answers to the moderator's questions. Second, this thing can't possibly meet the sky-high expectations of bizarreness that everyone has. Third, with ten people on stage, each given a 5-10 minute chance to speak, there just isn't going to be much of a chance for fun stuff to happen. At best we will have one outrageous quip from Trump. But that is going to be a few seconds out of the whole event. No matter how good that quip is, it won't be enough to justify the rest of that time spent waiting for the quip to come. Fourth, and this probably goes without saying, there will be no real discussion of any policy issues, and that's what I find the most interesting about these things. The GOP just doesn't do policy anymore. With Trump in the lead, they have even stopped pretending that you need to have anything substantive to say to do well in the GOP primaries.
So I'm probably not going to watch it when it airs. I can always watch the 2 second Trump quip highlight when everyone posts it on the internet later.
