General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Hoping not to sound facile... (wish me luck!) [View all]OilemFirchen
(7,143 posts)I've already given him the necessary props in the OP. You and my other interlocutor have offered platitudes that fail to address the central question posed: How does he win a debate against a well-coached woman, given that the public's scoring will be based mostly on style?
The TRUTH is rarely relevant in Presidential debates. 2012 was a prime example - Romney's litany of lies was epic, yet the viewing public either disregarded, were indifferent to, or ignorant of what, under normal debate rules, would have been demerits. He was abetted by the media, of course, and they also fostered the notion that the moderator was biased. Those are simple realities. Do you think that, somehow, telling the TRUTH in 2016 will suddenly become the standard by which these debates will be scored?
By contrast, the only takeaway from one of Clinton's debates with Lazio was that he was bullying her by approaching her, demanding that she sign a pledge. Under any debate rules, that would have lost him points. Per the standards of political debate, however, that one moment cost him the entire debate and likely the Senatorship. Note: He deserved to lose, so please refrain from the presumption bubbling up in your head.
BTW, I don't understand what you mean by "She will NOT debate Bernie as he has requested, I am willing to bet on that". How, exactly, do you see that playing out?