Archive: Opinions

I decided not to watch the presidential debate.  I believed it would be predictable and obnoxious, would not cover issues of substance in depth, and -- most importantly -- would not change my mind on how I intend to vote.  But I thought I would keep my wife company while she watched it.  I would sit with her and read my book.  Bad idea.

Because this debate was possibly the most annoying debate ever.  It was impossible to concentrate on my book with Trump exclaiming and Clinton baiting him.  And it was impossible to partake of my second best activity -- falling asleep while allegedly reading -- with all that noise in the room!

What, exactly, is the purpose of presidential debates?  The country is so polarized that neither the candidates nor the networks could possibly expect these debates to influence votes, even if there were any substance to them.  They are not pleasant for the candidates.  They must spend endless hours preparing for them, and, even so, one flub will generate countless headlines around the world.  And there is always a flub.

This year people chose to concentrate on Trump sniffing.  As a person with terminal runny nose I am somewhat sympathetic to someone who probably hasn't consciously chosen to sniff on national television.  While a number of Youtube Trump sniffing compilations were -- well, not really so amusing, I couldn't help by being struck by the fact that sniffing was what people wanted to talk about when formulating their vote on who the next leader of the free world will be.

In recent years Web sites have begun live posting their fact-checking during the debates so that anyone on either side can immediately make their own posts calling the candidate they oppose a dirty rotten liar.  If they are even checking the fact-checkers.  Many of my Facebook 'friends' were live posting their outrage at the candidate they didn't happen to  favor, leaving no doubt in my mind that they deplored that candidate (I saw their posts the next morning).

As if they haven't already made it abundantly clear that they hate that candidate.  And as if they think that the endless tirades I have tolerated over the past several months hadn't already convinced me that they didn't like that particular candidate (I am a non-sectarian Facebook friend.  I let people be my friend even if they like Trump.  Or Clinton.  I try not to hold it against them).

To answer my own question, the purpose of modern presidential debates is to stoke the commercial networks that will make plenty of money off of televising them and then endlessly analyzing them, pointing out the obvious ad-nauseam.  A secondary purpose is to fuel my Facebook friends' endless rants, which you might regard as a public service.  If it weren't for the fact that they are ranting.  Of course I hope it will relieve any high blood pressure they may be suffering, but I have to think it is simply exacerbating it.

I really worry for their health.  There are two more presidential debates, the next one at my alma mater Washington University in Saint Louis on October 9th, and the third at the University of Nevata at Las Vegas on October 19th (do you think it is a political gamble to debate there?), not to mention a vice-presidential debate at Longwood university in Farmville, VA on October 4th.  Hmm... Farmville... a lot of my Facebook friends seem to like Farmville...  Seriously, if these debates kill any of my 'friends' from elevated blood pressure I will be irritated.

As for me, though I love spending time in my wife's company, I had to leave the room and go to bed.  I could no longer fool myself into thinking any reading was going to happen, and it was impossible to sleep when Trump and Clinton were going at it.  Man! that Trump and that Clinton were inconsiderate!  Didn't they have a jot of consideration for someone that was trying to sleep?

By the way, the various recaps and video compilations of Trump sniffing confirmed my thesis that the debate was entirely predictable and wouldn't have changed my vote if I had watched it.  That debate was time in their lives my Facebook friends will never be able to get back.  For me, it was time well spent.  There is nothing like a good night's sleep!

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