Debates and Debates

When you watch a presidential debate, it does not have that much of an impact on the way you will vote. You aren't going to suddenly say: "OH MY GOD!" after one of the debaters answers a question. More or less, the debates are more about seeing how 'presidential' someone looks, not about the issues.

Within the next 72 hours, eighteen men and women will have debated each other.

That is right, folks! Tomorrow is the Democrats, and the next day is the Republicans.

On Sunday, the Democrats will be debating each other. What does this mean? Well, we will see three well known Democrats, in the middle of the stage, all vying for an up on the others. The other five will be at their sides, trying to burst on the scene somehow. Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards will steal the show. Last time, Obama "won" the debate, from the viewers' perspective. I wouldn't know- I fell asleep during the debate. The only exciting part came from the craziest of them all, Mike Gravel, at the last couple minutes. He challenged Obama, and Obama made him look like...well, a fool. Other than that, the only part that got my attention was when Dennis Kucinich's impeachment charges were brought up. The proctor asked which Democrats would be willing to back Kucinich's impeachment charges. Not one of them raised their hands. At this point in time, there are only four Democrats with a chance of winning the nomination- Obama, Clinton, and Edwards, with Gore (who isn't even running). These debates are supposed to be about reaching the American People and giving them some insight on the options they can choose from. So, if these debates are used to their full potential, hopefully one of these smaller, yet possible, Democrats can make an impact (such as Gov. Bill Richardson).

The Republican debate was even more of a laugh than the Democrats'. I apologize, but I think that the Republicans' debate was just a fiasco. One Republican tried to make an impact. Imagine this- he told the truth. Ron Paul, a Republican like no other, spoke of why we were attacked on September 11. He said that we caused it because of how militaristic we are against many other foreign nations. Funny enough, everyone on that stage attacked him for telling the TRUTH, along with some boos from the audience. This is why I don't watch the Republicans- they lie, and then if someone is good enough to tell the truth to the People, they try to distance themselves from that person. I don't like the two party system that we use in America, and the Democrats aren't my favorite people either, but watching Ron Paul get bullied on that stage by the likes of Rudy Guiliani...well, that just made me mad.

Right now, there are very few candidates that have a chance at getting their party's nomination, and each one has their own problems. On the Democratic end we have John Edwards, who was a part of the losing team in 2004 and who got into DC by being a patent lawyer; Hillary Clinton, whose time in DC has led to corruption and who never shows the slightest bit of emotion; and Barack Obama, whose only real flaw, his inexperience, is more of a blessing to me- that, and the attacks from Fox News he endures every day. On the Republican side we have Rudy Guiliani, whose only experience is in local government, giving him less experience than Obama; Mitt Romney, who will find it difficult to relate to Americans given his over $200 million dollar worth; and John McCain, who seems to be slipping into insanity (while singing "Bomb Bomb Iran") and who lost to GEORGE BUSH in 2000.

These debates will do nothing. I will watch them, though, in the hopes that Barack Obama gains more ground on Hillary and that Ron Paul lashes back at every Republican on that stage. And, of course, to watch my favorite news anchor, Wolf Blitzer, be the proctor.