At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
Tom Paine ·
October 25, 2011 at 1:16am
Over at NRO, Bob Costa reports that Newt Gingrich and Herman Cain have agreed upon a Lincoln/Douglas style debate on entitlement reform. Gutsy move from both candidates, and a very welcome step away from the inane format with which we've suffered for too long.
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Aug '11
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
Excellent! I hope it airs in some way that I can watch.
Aug '10
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
Wow, Gingrich is going to make Cain look real bad. Cain's soundbite marketing lines will pale in comparison to Newt's substantive and eloquent answers.
I suspect the other candidates wisely passed when given the opportunity to go mano y mano with Newt...
Apr '11
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
My curiosity has been appropriately piqued ... I must see more!
Dec '10
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
I actually started salivating when I read this post. I would rather this be a Gingrich/Romney debate, but I'm sure Newt has the steam to do 9 of these if necessary. I only hope this may become popular enough to consider doing during the general election.
That is, unless it turns out to be Obama v. Romney, at which point I imagine this would simply turn into a Douglas/Douglas debate with both candidates spontaneously breaking into song midway through, caroling in unison *tomato...tomatoe....potato....potatoe...Lets call the whole thing off* before holding hands and skipping off stage together.
Edited on October 25, 2011 at 1:35amSep '10
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
I love the idea. Both of these guys need more exposure, and I mean that in every sense of the word. Focusing on a single issue has pluses and minuses, but it's a great start.
Apr '11
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
Frozen Chosen: Wow, Gingrich is going to make Cain look real bad. Cain's soundbite marketing lines will pale in comparison to Newt's substantive and eloquent answers.
I suspect the other candidates wisely passed when given the opportunity to go mano y mano with Newt... · Oct 24 at 3:14pm
I'm not so sure, I love Newt for his intellect and his sometimes unorthodox approaches to problems, however, at times he can manage to talk himself into the weeds. When that happens it is not too difficult to make him look foolish. I admire both men for taking this challenge, it's a gutsy move, and we are going to need a leader willing to take a chance now and then to turn this mess around. It speaks volumes about both men's character.
Mar '11
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
Kudos to Cain and Gingrich for stepping up to a challenge that would scare off most candidates.
However, I do hope that Herman Cain brushes up on the art of persuasion before the debate. For better or worse, Cain is now the most prominent spokesman for a series of reforms that many fiscal conservatives have been championing for years. If he bumbles his way through an extended format the way he did in the previous debates, he risks jeopardizing not only his own candidacy but also public support for the Ryan plan and other necessary long-term entitlement changes.
Aug '11
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
Mendel: Kudos to Cain and Gingrich for stepping up to a challenge that would scare off most candidates.
However, I do hope that Herman Cain brushes up on the art of persuasion before the debate. For better or worse, Cain is now the most prominent spokesman for a series of reforms that many fiscal conservatives have been championing for years. If he bumbles his way through an extended format the way he did in the previous debates, he risks jeopardizing not only his own candidacy but also public support for the Ryan plan and other necessary long-term entitlement changes. · Oct 24 at 4:50pm
Yep. Cain's got a lot riding on this. And so do we.
Aug '10
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
This may be the first political debate in years I am excited to see, instead of merely watching it dutifully.
Also a great tactical move for Cain and Newt. Both badly need to do something to stop Romney or Perry from assuming the appearance of The Guy That Inevitably Wins. If the voters see them willing to argue real ideas, outside of the candidate-against-candidate setting, they could steal the spotlight.
At least one of the candidates will emerge looking serious and sharp. Maybe both of them. Either one would be a boost to party and the nomination process.
My concern is that other candidates will try to jump in, and just muddy the presentation on the stage. I would prefer quick series of 1 on 1 debates in this format, or at most have 3 candidates at once.
Paging Rob Long and Peter Robinson: steal this idea. Co-opt the Tea Party apparatus, slap the Ricochet name up there, build a brand in intelligent discourse!
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
This could finish Cain or make him. I like that.
Jun '10
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
It will likely finish him. Cain doesn't have the requisite knowledge base to take on Gingrich, and he hasn't thought the issues through. A few bad slips could derail his campaign permanently. My bet is that Cain backs away claiming that the two candidates couldn't agree on __________________ (fill in the blank).
The other danger is that such a debate will provide a huge amount of ammo for the other side should either man actually win the nomination. Errors will be magnified and comments will be taken out of context.
Ricochet members will no doubt enjoy the erudition, but the voting public isn't moved by professorial lectures. It might be anathema to say so, but elections are won by sound bites. A sad comment to be sure, but true nonetheless.
Mar '11
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
What if Newt were to accept a role as the conscience of conservatism? If he were to debate each of the candidates in turn?
Imagine him testing every one of contenders.
Jan '11
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
I don't see this as a Gingrich vs. Cain debate. It's not in either of their best interests to diminish one another. I see it as a colloquy with discussion points directed at the weaknesses of Romney and Perry. That will benefit both while narrowing the competitiveness of the leading contenders. This may be the best planned collusion in political history.
What a brilliant strategy!
I'm thinking that this has to be Newt's idea. On the other hand, Cain is a marketing genius...
Aug '11
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
What's curious about this is that Newt has nothing to lose. He's a distant third -- at best -- in polling. Typically he's coming in fourth or lower. Cain, on the other hand, as the current front-runner, has a lot to lose. But it could also catapult him farther into the lead.
And I'll note this is a Tea Party event, so I'm hoping for a good moderator.
May '10
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
At last. Maybe this will be a real debate over real ideas and issues rather than sound bites, talking points and petty attacks. Enough with the game-show "debates" with game-show journalist moderators. Huzza to Cain and Gingrich for their daring. Candidates owe the public a chance to see them think on their feet with fleshed-out ideas carefully explained and defended. May their example start a new tradition in American electoral politics.
Aug '11
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
So, since elections are said to be decided by soundbites (an assertion I reject, by the way), we should eschew the opportunity to subject our candidates to a thoughtful, in-depth dialogue? Gee, I thought we were a republic, not a focus group.
May '10
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
Don't forget that these are two Georgia guys who have known each other for years. Is there really all that much difference between them?
Aug '11
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
So what if there isn't? Don't we all deserve to hear a full discussion of the issues, rather than watching something like that squalid fistfight last week?
Edited on October 25, 2011 at 3:34amJul '10
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
First impressions:
1. This is awesome.
2. I'm a nerd.
3. Gingrich will demolish Cain.
4. There is little risk for two candidates with no shot at the nomination.
Second Impressions:
1. It will be assumed that Cain will lose. Debate victories are largely judged relative to expectations.
2. This can help Perry, by potentially crippling the other not-Romney "contender."
3. This can hurt Perry, by potentially reminding voters that conservative pols and complete sentences aren't mutually exclusive.
4. The upside for Cain is real. If he can more-or-less hold his own... his talk radio brand should, and will, go national.
5. The upside for Newt is legacy/ historical/ psychological.
Final Impression:
Romney is still the favorite. By miles.
Jul '10
Re: At Last! An Actual Debate, Actually Worth Watching
Cain is a front-runner in the sense that the rabbit in a 5k is the front-runner.