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Not that anyone cares, but I think I realized tonight why I have such a hard time judging political debates. There are two reasons:
- The candidates frequently drift off into mini-stump speeches. When that happens, I tune out. I’ve heard it all before. But for ordinary viewers, this might very well be the part of the debates that makes the most sense to them.
- The big “moments” also don’t do much for me. But that’s the stuff that ends up on a 24/7 loop the next day on cable news. By not paying much attention to these highlights, I’m missing out on the things that drive a lot of the post-debate reaction.
This is all in addition to the obvious fact that I react more to policy stuff than to affect and demeanor. Put it all together, and I’m hopelessly out of touch with the common man. Sad but true.
