Why is there so little interest in the Edwards-Cheney debate?

[Onlooker]

For the Kerry-Bush debate, we were all as active as we could be posting worries, ideas, and thoughts. I have no idea if any of our ideas reached campaign officials, but I bet news of our excitement reached them. We're up against a corrupt machine and there's a good chance that Kerry will need to win by 1 or 2 percent to overcome any election fraud. Someone, like Will Pitt maybe (?) should try to kick start our Edwards-Cheney discussion.

[Kimber Scott]

1. Probably because we're so sure it's a slam dunk?

I don't know. I just can't imagine Cheney having a snowball's chance in hell of getting the one up on Edwards.

[Joylaughter]

7. Be careful

Let's not set any expectations. Cheney is dangerous as a debater.

[saccheradi]

17. yep, he can lie through his teeth quite convincingly...

using highly doctored statistics to back up his jaded BS.

BUT, if there is any man who can tear him down it's Edwards... with a smile and a wink.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. I think there is plenty of interest

I also think there is a lot more confidence today than the day before the debates...that is a good thing...people are fired up..many DUers are out today registering voters.

I don't think we need to tell Kerry/Edwards how to debate Bush/Cheney...I think they have more than demonstrated they know how.

[NMDemDist2]

3. we don't worry about Edwards he has faced the evil empire in court

many many times, and the BFEE hasn't been smearing him all over the canvass

Kerry had some 'splaining to do and we knew he had to hit it spot right

[CrowNotAngelGRL]

14. I agree

Edwards is fine I think since he's used to debating in court. :D I can't wait for it though! I wanna see him tear up Cheney like Kerry did Bush. :D

[sr_pacifica]

4. Maybe because...

Edwards has been ignored by the media all along, and the Republican-controlled media is worried Cheney is a liability? Edwards will be bringing up the Halliburton connection and the media doesn't want a large audience to be viewing because of that?

[Sparkly]

5. It's generally thought to matter less to the election

with the first rule for vps being "do no harm."

I expect Cheney will hit hard at Kerry and Edwards will need to hit back at B/C both. Cheney will crow about their superior experience but try to be cute about the whole thing, I think, like a likeable and trustworthy old grandfather or something.

I hope Edwards goes at Halliburton, the energy policy meetings, the secrecy of the administration in general, and how their policies have hurt working people.

[sendero]

6. I'm certainly looking forward to it..

... and I don't think Edwards is going to take any crap from Cheney.

[rocktivity]

8. A chance to look at Edwards for 90 minutes straight? I'm REAL interested!

:loveya:

But seriously, folks, things do tend to slow down around here on weekends; the novelty of the debate is gone; we know how to keep the right wing spin machine in check, and all Edwards has to do is chant "Halliburton" anyhow!

:headbang:
rocknation

[jean]

9. I can't wait! Elizabeth Edwards has been swinging a sledge hammer

at bush - basically calling him a child (article here: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/9820147.htm?1c ) JE will pound Cheney on Tuesday!

By the way, here's a reminder about the remaining debates:
http://www.debates.org/pages/news_040813.html


Vice presidential debate:
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH
Tuesday, October 5
Gwen Ifill
Senior Correspondent, The NewsHour, and Moderator, Washington Week, PBS

Second presidential debate:
Washington University in St. Louis
St. Louis, MO
Friday, October 8
Charles Gibson
Co-Anchor, ABC News Good Morning America

Third presidential debate:
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ
Wednesday, October 13
Bob Schieffer
CBS News Chief Washington Correspondent, and Moderator, Face the Nation

Each debate shall begin at 9:00 p.m. EDT.


Format

The format for the debates, as announced on June 17, 2004, shall be as follows:

• Each debate shall have a single moderator and last for 90 minutes.
  
• In the first and third presidential debates and the vice presidential debate the candidates shall be seated with the moderator at a table.
  
• The first presidential debate shall focus primarily on domestic policy and the third presidential debate shall focus primarily on foreign policy. The second presidential debate shall be held as a town meeting in which citizens will pose questions to the candidates. The vice presidential debate shall cover both foreign and domestic policy topics.
  
• There shall be no opening statements; there shall be two-minute closing statements.
  
• The order of questioning and closing statements shall be determined by coin toss.
  
• The moderator's job in the first and third presidential debates and the vice presidential debate will be to introduce and change topics, to ensure that the participants have equal time, and to encourage some direct exchange among the candidates. The moderators will select all topics and questions.
  
• In the second presidential debate, the town meeting participants will pose their questions to the candidates. The town meeting participants will review their questions with the moderator before the debate for the sole purpose of avoiding duplicate questions. The participants in the town meeting, to be chosen by the Gallup Organization, will be undecided voters from the St. Louis, Missouri, standard metropolitan statistical area.
  
• The moderators will have discretion to ask follow-up questions in all debates.
  
• Each debate shall take place before a live audience.
  

[Leilani]

10. I think there is a lot of interest, but not as much is riding on it.

Veeps have lost debates, yet the ticket goes on to win.

If Kerry loses his debates, because the race is so close, it could determine the outcome.

If Edwards beats Cheney, it will be icing on the cake.

If Edwards loses, it will stop momemtum, but need not be fatal.

The remaining Kerry/Bush debates will be crucial.

[Onlooker]

12. I think a lot is riding on it

Since Bush screwed up the first debate so badly, he's going to try to get something out of this debate. I don't think we can let up for a minute in the fight to replace Bush. He and his cabal are a dangerous group that know how to seize even the slightest opportunity.

[high density]

11. I'll watch it

But with Cheney's approval ratings around 35%, I think it's pretty clear that most people probably don't care about who the VP is when they cast their vote for President.

[senseandsensibility]

13. I'm not sure about DU

I think that we on DU reflect the mainstream media, whether we're aware of it or want to admit it. And this debate has not received much attention from the corporate whores, who have been trying to downplay Edwards ever since he was selected. They're scared to death of him, and don't allow much coverage of him at all because he is so appealing.

[tanyev]

15. Golly,

I'm still basking in the glow from the last one. I'll be ready for it by Tuesday, though.

:)

[FlaIndie]

16. Cheney might suffer the same fate as *

* keeps going to these rallies where all the people sign loyalty oaths and his canned lines draw applause. Cheney has said some stupid shit on the trail and nobody boos, few people hear about it (like the "we have a good chance of being struck again" comment). Edwards has had to deal with a few hecklers on the debate trail, just like Kerry has. He may pwn Dickhead.

[PurityOfEssence]

18. Worse. Cheney's smart; the defeat will be a defeat of ideas and ethics

There won't be the excuse of "being less adept at debating", it will cut to the quick of morality, decency and honesty. Why do all of their actions only benefit the well-off? Why have they leveraged us through fear to get their way? Who the fuck do they think they are?

Sure, there will be attempts to skew things along the line of "winning on style", but the substance will be thick and heavy; it will be a war of ideas and vision.