The Debate over the Presidential Debates

It shouldn’t be of shock nor awe to anyone who has been paying any attention this election cycle that there is once again furor and fury surrounding the scheduling of debates. 

Now that Hillary Clinton has accepted the Fall Debate Schedule, let the shenanigans begin, as John Podesta put it, on ABC. Donald Trump has voiced some concerns regarding the timing of two of these debates, as they are to be ran concurrent to Sunday and Monday night NFL games. For once, I agree with Trump on this one. 

For a bit of background, the Commission on Presidential Debates was started in 1988, and ever since has organized and scheduled these events, usually months or even a year in advance. The CPD is managed by a bipartisan group of former politicians, governors, senators, business entrepreneurs, and retired members of the press. 

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This year, as in most years, the CPD has scheduled the debates a year in advance back in September of 2015. It boggles the mind why any group of sane people would choose Sunday or Monday evenings for events as important as the presidential debates.

Those who do not know, NFL always has Sunday and Monday night games, and anyone wanting the most viewers of these presidential debates would have figured that into the scheduling. In fact, these are two of not only the most watched NFL football games of the week but two of the most watched TV programs of the week.

And, the CPD has now stubbornly doubled down on their schedule, inserting yet another non-issue distraction into the presidential race. 

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We should all want three debates between Hillary and Donald. He should not be able to weasel out of debates for any reason. The American people deserve better than a ridiculously stubborn schedule that was foolishly stitched together without any foresight whatsoever, apparently. 

Give us what we deserve. Three presidential debates that we don’t have to fight to see and that the candidates don’t have to squabble over something as asinine as dates in order to make a reality.