The three co-chairs of the Commission on Presidential Debates are all over the age of 70 (two of them are more than 80 years old), are all white, and all are deeply entrenched in the clubby Washington, D.C., world of former politicians, think tanks and lobbyists.
I disagree with the authors racist and sexist assertion that white males can't adequately run the commission. The author, being filled with such racist hatred, obviously isn't able to reason well on this. It's not that they're old while men, it's that they're all leftist. And please, don't try to argue that just because some are "Republicans" that this doesn't make them liberals. Swamp creature Republicans are exactly the same as Democrats.
After seeing the first Presidential debate and seeing Scully's remark to Scaramucci, it's clear we need a change. One exception to the problem was Susan Page who moderated the Vice Presidential debate. She may be liberal (I'm guessing since I don't know anything about her), but I thought she was fair with both candidates and did a very nice job of moderating. She seemed to be timing both of them equally and interrupted both of them when their time was up, and I never saw her actually joining in the debate the way Chris Wallace did.
1. You said, "...the commission knows it can’t select commentators or hosts from Fox News or MSNBC; ..."
Did you not watch the first debate wherein Chris Wallace of Fox News questioned the candidates?
2. You have a reasonable point to make, but the ageism openly voiced in this essay are discouraging and tiresome, although to some degree my fed-up-edness is cumulative - we've been subjected to it for an awfully long time by an awfully large number of opinion-shapers.
3. Your naivete is almost amusing in that you apparently think that the "quality" (as judged by you?) of the questions asked will have ANYthing to do with the answers the candidates give. They don't answer questions - they give carefully rehearsed, carefully timed, canned answers ** to the questions they wish the mods would ask.
** Exception: President Trump who just rambles whatever pops into his head.
Yashar, until lately I’d never given this committee a first thought much less a second. What you’ve reported though not only is informative but enlightening as well. Certainly it would make sense to diversify this bunch and for gods sake, get some younger faces on board. My generation(I’m 74 so that should tell everyone straight off)has made a perfect hash out of things so far so I’m all for letting those with skin in the game take charge to see if they can demand better of their leaders than we have of ours. Sad but terribly true.
I am also in my late 70's but it wasn't me that made a mess of things in Washington. I could see a long time ago that this country was teetering on the brink of, if not socialism, something quite close to socialism. Our great country can only be destroyed from within and there are people who wish to do that...thinking naively that what they are doing is noble. For the commission to unilaterally decide to hold a "virtual debate" without evidence of its' necessity is ludicrous. The consequence, either intended or not, is to give Biden a leg up over Trump. The only way for a virtual debate to work would be to have someone from the each party's election committee at the opponent's actual site to monitor in real time any aid being transmitted to the nominee.
Well that certainly one man’s way of looking at it I guess. I can only assume that since you’re taking no responsibility in what you have described as creeping socialism in this country, you have never bothered to vote. We have all had a hand in the royal cluster f**k whether it was because of non participation or disaffection for results you didn’t approve of. You don’t even give us an idea of what you consider as socialist society. If we were anywhere close to that I could almost guarantee that the likes of a Donald Trump. Ever since the founding of this country it has been far too top-heavy with connected, white men for the most part. Our Native American populations were decimated by the white explorers and then, under Manifest Destiny, the marauding hoards of mostly white immigrants. I haven’t even mentioned that we were built on the backs of African slaves, the ship loads of which enabled even more monied power to be consolidated into the hands of white men. It’s always been about men, money and power. Blacks were supposedly “set free” with the Civil War but you and I both know that that would really upset the apple cart. The reaction to such white power effrontery was the rise of the terrorist thugs of the KKK made up of the fine, upstanding members of the white community. Up to now, what we’ve witnessed is that the white power structure is built on the raw emotion of fear. In a truly socialistic society, the U S would not be so layered. Women just got the vote a hundred years ago and yet we are still fighting to be seen as on an equal footing with men. Black men, Black women, Latinos, Latinas then everyone else gets to suck the hind teat. So, we’re not anywhere near being socialist so I have no idea about what you’re even saying.
At this point we are a crumbling state. We are in debt up past our national eyeballs. We are sick with a deadly virus, getting sicker by the day because our president has gutted the very institutions that could respond. We have a segment of the population that thinks it’s cool to deny and make fun of science. There are groups that are willing to tear up our founding documents, the country, everything and they’re being cheered on by this president. We aren’t socialist. We’re sick.
The party affiliation does not necessarily reflect a persons true position....there are many RINOs out there. False flag is a democrat specialty.
...BI PARTISAN ???....MY BALLS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I disagree with the authors racist and sexist assertion that white males can't adequately run the commission. The author, being filled with such racist hatred, obviously isn't able to reason well on this. It's not that they're old while men, it's that they're all leftist. And please, don't try to argue that just because some are "Republicans" that this doesn't make them liberals. Swamp creature Republicans are exactly the same as Democrats.
take a closer look, bill & Derp....the leadership is all JEWS! 3rd Moderator - JEW.
None of you made mention that the Commission excludes any third party candidate unless they reach unreasonable poll numbers.
a reporter with a profile pic like yours is not trustworthy at all. it makes me so sad, man. just show your real face, its alright to be fat
Why is white not capitalized, while black, latina and asian are in your article?
White is not a cultural descriptor. Caucasian is the proper term to use for WASPs.
After seeing the first Presidential debate and seeing Scully's remark to Scaramucci, it's clear we need a change. One exception to the problem was Susan Page who moderated the Vice Presidential debate. She may be liberal (I'm guessing since I don't know anything about her), but I thought she was fair with both candidates and did a very nice job of moderating. She seemed to be timing both of them equally and interrupted both of them when their time was up, and I never saw her actually joining in the debate the way Chris Wallace did.
1. You said, "...the commission knows it can’t select commentators or hosts from Fox News or MSNBC; ..."
Did you not watch the first debate wherein Chris Wallace of Fox News questioned the candidates?
2. You have a reasonable point to make, but the ageism openly voiced in this essay are discouraging and tiresome, although to some degree my fed-up-edness is cumulative - we've been subjected to it for an awfully long time by an awfully large number of opinion-shapers.
3. Your naivete is almost amusing in that you apparently think that the "quality" (as judged by you?) of the questions asked will have ANYthing to do with the answers the candidates give. They don't answer questions - they give carefully rehearsed, carefully timed, canned answers ** to the questions they wish the mods would ask.
** Exception: President Trump who just rambles whatever pops into his head.
Author takes issue with members of commission being 70+ in their ages and white.
Has the author looked at the two nominees for POTUS 2020?
Author states the commission would never have a moderator from Fox News.
Does the author realize the 1st debate was moderated by Chris Wallace... of Fox News.
You do remember that we went through a primary selection, right?
Chris Wallace... Of fox news... Is a Democrat. She meant they'd never have an honest person moderate the debate.
i'd be happy to sign up but you have to unblock me on twitter first. @joelockhart
Haha! Done! Unblocked and followed
Yashar, until lately I’d never given this committee a first thought much less a second. What you’ve reported though not only is informative but enlightening as well. Certainly it would make sense to diversify this bunch and for gods sake, get some younger faces on board. My generation(I’m 74 so that should tell everyone straight off)has made a perfect hash out of things so far so I’m all for letting those with skin in the game take charge to see if they can demand better of their leaders than we have of ours. Sad but terribly true.
I am also in my late 70's but it wasn't me that made a mess of things in Washington. I could see a long time ago that this country was teetering on the brink of, if not socialism, something quite close to socialism. Our great country can only be destroyed from within and there are people who wish to do that...thinking naively that what they are doing is noble. For the commission to unilaterally decide to hold a "virtual debate" without evidence of its' necessity is ludicrous. The consequence, either intended or not, is to give Biden a leg up over Trump. The only way for a virtual debate to work would be to have someone from the each party's election committee at the opponent's actual site to monitor in real time any aid being transmitted to the nominee.
Well that certainly one man’s way of looking at it I guess. I can only assume that since you’re taking no responsibility in what you have described as creeping socialism in this country, you have never bothered to vote. We have all had a hand in the royal cluster f**k whether it was because of non participation or disaffection for results you didn’t approve of. You don’t even give us an idea of what you consider as socialist society. If we were anywhere close to that I could almost guarantee that the likes of a Donald Trump. Ever since the founding of this country it has been far too top-heavy with connected, white men for the most part. Our Native American populations were decimated by the white explorers and then, under Manifest Destiny, the marauding hoards of mostly white immigrants. I haven’t even mentioned that we were built on the backs of African slaves, the ship loads of which enabled even more monied power to be consolidated into the hands of white men. It’s always been about men, money and power. Blacks were supposedly “set free” with the Civil War but you and I both know that that would really upset the apple cart. The reaction to such white power effrontery was the rise of the terrorist thugs of the KKK made up of the fine, upstanding members of the white community. Up to now, what we’ve witnessed is that the white power structure is built on the raw emotion of fear. In a truly socialistic society, the U S would not be so layered. Women just got the vote a hundred years ago and yet we are still fighting to be seen as on an equal footing with men. Black men, Black women, Latinos, Latinas then everyone else gets to suck the hind teat. So, we’re not anywhere near being socialist so I have no idea about what you’re even saying.
At this point we are a crumbling state. We are in debt up past our national eyeballs. We are sick with a deadly virus, getting sicker by the day because our president has gutted the very institutions that could respond. We have a segment of the population that thinks it’s cool to deny and make fun of science. There are groups that are willing to tear up our founding documents, the country, everything and they’re being cheered on by this president. We aren’t socialist. We’re sick.
Agree. But maybe give Antonia Hernandez an asterisk. Long career pre-philanthropy/CCF in social justice, MALDEF, etc.
Thank you for such an informative, well-reasoned analysis.