Last night's debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama was for the most part entertaining, which is probably what the ABC network was hoping for. After all, it was broadcast in prime time, bumping what could have been profitable programming such as sitcoms, reality shows or dancing celebrities.
Plus it was tape-delayed here in the
Seattle market (presumably on the entire west coast as well).
What’s up with that?
We were getting pieces of the debate on MSNBC and HuffingtonPost.com long before we were able to view the debate.
People in
North America get to see hockey playoffs live, yet we’re forced to view something as important as a debate which has repercussions that could last for decades to come several hours after it actually happened.
But the debate itself was mired in endless talk about things that have nothing to do with the future of this country. That’s a shame. It could’ve been a defining moment in this historic contest for the nation’s highest office. Instead, almost the first hour (and well over half) of the debate was spent yakking about Hillary’s “Bosnia” comment, Obama’s relationship with his former pastor and an acquaintance who used to be part of the Weather Underground, and various other comments made by the candidates. Keep in mind that during this time a grand total of ZERO minutes were spent discussing Iraq, Iran, the economy, or any of the important issues of the day.
Who’s to blame for this travesty? Barack? Hillary? No, the responsibility for this nonsense is completely on the so-called moderators, Charles Gibson and George Stephanopoulos. They steered the subject matter, and the candidates had no choice but to go along with it. Perhaps it made for stimulating television, but the very fact that so little time was spent talking about important issues means that it was more than just a lost opportunity. It was a shameful bitchfest.
From here on out, the networks should be banned from being allowed to handle presidential debates. Leave it to the cable news outlets or the Internet. We can’t trust the ABC’s of the world to bring us such important matters. They cannot be trusted with anything more meaningful than sitcoms, desperate housewives or dancing celebrities.
Last night's debate between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama was for the most part entertaining, which is probably what the ABC network was hoping for. After all, it was broadcast in prime time, bumping what could have been profitable programming such as sitcoms, reality shows or dancing celebrities. Plus it was tape-delayed here in the 
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