First Presidential Debate To Focus On Vague Platitudes

[still_one]

"On Monday, Sept. 26th, the nation will come together as one to watch the first of three presidential debates between Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton and Republican nominee Donald Trump. The candidates have just a few days of preparation left, and to better facilitate that, the debate’s moderator, NBC News’ Lester Holt, has announced the topic areas that he will be covering over the course of the 90-minute tilt.

Those topics are... well, pretty vague! Here’s the announcement from the Commission on Presidential Debates:

Subject to possible changes because of news developments, the topics for the September 26 debate are as follows, not necessarily to be brought up in this order:

America’s Direction
Achieving Prosperity
Securing America

The debate will be held on Monday, September 26 at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. The format calls for six 15-minute time segments. Two 15-minute segments will focus on each of the topics listed above.

So, apparently, the debate will double as each candidate’s college admissions essay.

These aren’t debate topics, they’re platitudes. They are the sort of subjects on which sixth graders write penmanship themes. How does knowing this help the candidates prepare for the debate? How does knowing this enable the debate’s audience to be more informed about the proceedings? Literally who is this announcement for?"

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/presidential-debate-topics_us_57e14611e4b0071a6e097971?section=&

[rumdude]

1. I know they sound lame

but the Hillary team should be able to marshal its own vision for each broad subject, and then work in their policy and facts.

This is about painting a picture; it's debate 101.

I hope they know what they're doing.

[eppur_se_muova]

7. "America's Direction -- increasing wealth inequality ?"

See ? Like that.

[LisaM]

2. Good Lord, I thought that was an Onion headline.

This is ridiculous.

[still_one]

4. I think so too. Then again the specific questions could actually be quite hard hitting

[yellowcanine]

3. Vague Platitudes sounds like the name of a 50s rock band.

[still_one]

5. 60's

[geek tragedy]

6. Tailor made for a candidate like Trump who lives and breathes vague platitudes.

Those subjects just also happen to be the names of Super PACs.

[SaschaHM]

8. I'm kind of fine with this as long as specific questions are asked.

Without a roadmap, Kelly Anne Conway isn't going to be able to feed Trump lines for him to remember and recite. He knows next to nothing and a specific question will surely stump him like the CC forum did. That relies on Holt to answer specific questions and to press for answers.

On the other hand, Holt may just let Trump avoid specifics thanks to the vagueness of these "themes". Hell, it should have just been "everything".

[still_one]

9. If it allows trump to avoid specifics it will be up to Hillary to give specifics, and demand

specifics from Trump