UPDATE 10/4/12: Presidential debate fact-check list; Jim Lehrer's job as moderator a disappointment
Finally! Tonight is the first presidential debate (as well as the Obamas' wedding anniversary) and although these things tend to be high-level memorized presentations for the most part, I can't help but be super excited for this one.
I don't think I have ever witnessed such an extreme case of divergent values in two candidates, even compared to 2008. Sure there are eerie similarities such as Romney's team picking Paul Ryan as running mate, which gives me a confused case of Sarah Palin-deja vu. But tonight we'll all be focused on the two main men: Obama, who is trying to maintain his lead (and not give the GOP any more fodder to misuse), and Romney, who must know how much this debate will mean for the last stretch of his so-far tepid and uninformative campaign.
One of my favorite photos ever--Senator Barack Obama before the first presidential debate on September 26, 2008
Our economy and foreign policy aside, it would be simply amazing if tonight's moderator Jim Lehrer dared to ask one of the most important questions regarding our domestic politics today: Shouldn't we scrap the filibuster and restore majority rule? It's clearly an "ideal" debate question since it's a bipartisan problem that truly does affect the lives of citizens.
Or is our political discourse simply too diluted and hollow at this point to incorporate such a pertinent question?
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