Ninety seconds to answer is designed largely to test glibness, memory, spontaneity and theatricality. What you should be testing is the person’s judgment, wisdom, experience. You don’t get that by hiding the questions from him and seeing if you can catch him by surprise.-Former Gov. Mario Cuomo (Deomcrat-NY) on the "debates" held between major presidential candidates today, compared with how it was done back in the days of Abraham Lincoln.
Cuomo is set to join former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (Republican-GA) this evening at New York's Cooper Union for a true adult discussion of the issues facing America today. The debate was arranged in part to encourage the 2008 presidential candidates to dump the 30-second soundbites that have become so common, and engage instead in a serious debate.
Gingrich:
The gap between the challenges we face as a country and the trivializing of politics as "Entertainment Tonight" is so stunning.The former House Speaker suggested the presidential candidates should agree to nine weekly 90-minute debates after the party conventions in 2008 - each on a single topic - with a timekeeper but no rules.
The country gets to watch two adults have a conversation. By the end, the candidates would be different people.I tend not to agree with Mr. Gingrich on much. But I must say such a series of debates would have me - and much of the nation, I think - rivited.
Once the debate is over, it is to be posted on Gingrich's website. I will provide a link tomorrow.
