After ONE debate, we shouldn't be ignoring all but 4 candidates...

[dalton99a]

1. Why the Democratic Debates Are Starting to Feel Like a Reality Show

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/19/us/politics/next-democratic-debates.html

Why the Democratic Debates Are Starting to Feel Like a Reality Show
By Reid J. Epstein
July 19, 2019

...

From the heavily rehearsed jabs, gimmicks and one-liners at the June debates to the elaborately staged “live drawing” for the July debate lineups that aired Thursday night on CNN, it’s starting to look like Democrats have been drawn into the reality TV genre that President Trump, who first entered most homes as a character on “The Apprentice,” started spreading in American politics.

The 10-candidate debates, said Seth Grossman, who produced reality series including “Hollywood Hillbillies” and “Intervention,” are like opening episodes, when contestants are scrapping to not be thrown off the island by appearing boring.

Candidates including Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Representative Eric Swalwell of California tried interrupting their way to debate moments in June, but they were brushed aside. Mr. Swalwell ended his campaign soon afterward.

“What makes somebody good at conflict is narcissism. As soon as you have a healthy ability to empathize with another person’s point of view, you’re less likely to verbally insult that person,” Mr. Grossman said. “Audiences get off on watching narcissists go head to head.”

The characters who do the best on reality shows often wind up being the ones audiences dislike the most.