Captain’s Quarters has a post discussing Thompson’s wish that the old Lincoln-Douglas debate format be resurrected, and Mike Huckabee’s willingness to help make that happen. CQ observes, beyond this as an attempt for Huckabee to secure a bit more media attention:
For Thompson, it gives him an opportunity to address a couple of criticisms of his campaigning style right from the start. He has a rap for being less than energetic and a newly-acquired complaint about avoiding both New Hampshire and debates in general. All of these would get addressed in such an event. Also, and this is important, Huckabee has a reputation as a gentleman in debates, and like Thompson, too thoughtful to fit into the lightning-round format of the current system. Thompson can be reasonably sure that the 90-minute debate with Huckabee would not decline into a vituperative, negative attack session, and Huckabee could be reasonably sure of the same.
And for the rest of us, it could help drive a stake through the heart of the current presidential format once and for all. It might actually make these events worthwhile and give voters real reasons to watch them. Anything that would expose these attention-deficit-inspired quiz shows gets my support.
Although I think the ADD-style debates we have now do have their place (although the participant rosters could stand to be trimmed down a bit), I also would like to see a little more in-depth discussion from the candidates.
You’d think that with as many debates as are on the calendar, they could at least be a bit more focused on subject material, rather than having umpteen general-topic quiz shows.
I’ll refrain from wading into thoughts of whether Thompson and Huckabee should be given the sole spotlight for such a shift (although I must admit, I wouldn’t mind hearing more about Huckabee), but count me in on anything that would move televised political discussion between/among the candidates beyond the lightning round format.
As to whether Joe Average American would pay attention to such a shift, is another matter entirely, I fear.