BY DAN MILLER
(originally posted October 13, 2004)
As I write this, we're still hours away from tonight's final presidential debate.... but I'll go ahead and answer the big question..... "who won?"
Every TV host and anchor will ask that question...... so here's the answer in advance: It depends on who they ask.
The Bush spinners, without fail, will say Bush won.... while the Kerry people will be equally emphatic that Kerry was the clear winner.
In the post-debate polls, a significant percentage of people will say it was a tie. These people are those good Americans known as the "undecideds". They will do exactly what they're supposed to do........ they won't decide.
Oh, I'm sure a few of the "undecideds" will declare either Kerry or Bush the winner of this debate.... but I'm betting not many will make a commitment yet, one way or the other, on how they'll vote in November.
Why should they? The "undecideds" are the real power players in all of this. Everybody wants to be their friend.
If it weren't for the undecideds, there would be no need for these debates.
The "decideds" all know how they'll vote, no matter who wins these debates.
I'm certain there are some "decideds" pretending to be "undecideds", so they can continue to be courted. It would go against everything they stand for to commit this early.
Each candidate is, in a sense, preaching to the choir... Bush to the Republican choir.... Kerry to the Democrat choir.... but both are also trying to reach that choir of people who won't join the other choirs.
Sometimes I think it might be more fun, if not more meaningful, to have the candidates take part in a quiz show instead of a debate. Have Alex Trebek host. "Alex, I'll take 'Domestic Issues' for 800."
In the end, we'd simply add up the money and know who really won. And we still wouldn't know who'll win in November.
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