“Pete Spiliakos might consider that extensive debates are an excellent chance for in depth evaluation of candidates ideas.” Yes. they were also a chanced that was missed over and over again because of the low quality and dishonesty of the candidates.

“That is if the candidates themselves have depths. That is precisely why Gingrich outshine others in an extended debate format.” The two candidates who rose fastest as a result of the debates were Herman Cain and Gingrich. We will have to invent a new word because “shallow” doesn’t capture the epic quality of Cain’s shallowness. Gingrich’s awesome debate performances were mostly from attacking the moderators in an environment where the circumstances and the audience prevented the moderators from hitting back. It was quite cowardly (and to some degree dishonest if you break down his answer on the question about his second ex-wife) when you look at how the exchanges were structured.

“An important characteristic of an effective President is to be capable of sustaining a prolonged and muscular debate.” I agree. so what are we to make of a candidate who folded and whined when confronted by the rhetorical superpowers of Mitt Romney? Especially after the candidate preened about how he would take on Obama in three hour Lincoln-Douglas debates.

“What this country and the Republican party needs as a moderator is a historian with the depth of a Gingrich.” I’m sure the personnel department of Freddie Mac’s lobbying division could provide some suitable candidates.

Pete Spiliakos might consider that extensive debates are an excellent chance for in depth evaluation of candidates ideas. That is if the candidates themselves have depths. That is precisely why Gingrich outshine others in an extended debate format. An important characteristic of an effective President is to be capable of sustaining a prolonged and muscular debate.

The Republican party should realize that the bad taste left by recent debates result from the fact that the moderators are journalists, and are representatives of the depraved and sensation-seeking mind set that the media have proselytized through out our culture.

The debates should not be the captive of these trivial journalists. They should be conducted by the party itself so that major issues receive substantive discussion. What this country and the Republican party needs as a moderator is a historian with the depth of a Gingrich. That the country needs a person of his quality as president is evident to me.