last Wednesday, the President pissed me off

[andym]

56. In a divided country, the the debates closest to the election may be the most important

The best example is Reagan vs Carter, where people finally made up their minds in the last week. Of course, that was both their first and last debate.

The first debate usually has the highest rating, but this year I expect all the debates to be highly watched. Especially with the entertainment factor of the unexpected being stronger this year than others.

As for what is being said on the campaign trail, few people hear it. it matters much less than what is said before around 50 million people. Still, it should be used to foreshadow the next debate. I hope there is an emphasis on taking credit for the economy's improvement.