I had suggested this in a comment in another diary, but I'm making this a diary in the hopes that maybe, just maybe, someone who works for Comedy Central or either of the campaigns will read this and work to organize it. Long shot? Yes, but it will certainly get more exposure as it's own diary.
A debate between Obama and McCain moderated by Jon and Stephen is a must, and I'll explain why after the fold.
Let's face it. People don't really watch the debates. We, as bloggers do because we like to pick them apart and comment on everything that happened on the internet. But I don't think the general public watches them. They might turn on the TV to the debate, then go off and do something else, leaving it on in the background. But I can't say that I know anyone who has sat down and watched a presidential debate from start to finish, giving it their full attention the entire time. Then throw in Old Man McCain, and it becomes a bedtime story. Millions of Americans will fall asleep on the couch.
There are many advantages to such a debate:
- The younger crowd. 2008 does seem to be different, but historically, we (myself included), have been the most apathetic when it comes to politics. Yet at the same time, we also make up most of Jon's and Stephen's audience. I know you're already saying "But most of the young people are already supporting Obama, why is this needed?" Yes, most are. But what about the ones that aren't. Every vote counts.
- Infotainment (wow, that's a real word? Firefox's built-in spell check didn't underline it). Some of the previous debates would put an insomniac to sleep. I think such a debate would not only be entertaining and people would actually watch and pay attention to it, but it would be just as informative about the candidate's positions as any other debate.
- Jon and Stephen would stick to the issues. While I could easily see Stephen JOKINGLY bringing up the lapel pin issue, the debate will be about real issues that Americans care about. The economy, war, healthcare, foreign policy, gas prices, etc. Not angry preachers. Not flag pins. Not chain e-mail smear campaigns. Jon and Stephen are more in touch with what real Americans care about than most of the MSM is.
- Jon and Stephen would remain neutral. Look, it doesn't take a genius to figure out which candidate both them and their viewers support. But unlike certain members of the MSM, they can remain neutral when needed. People say CNN and MSNBC are too liberal. People say Faux is too conservative. But I haven't ever heard anyone say "Comedy Central is too ___." Their network doesn't have a political agenda that they would need to keep up during the debate.
- It would just add more history to the campaign. We had our first woman run a serious campaign. We have our first African-American nominee. Why not have our first debate moderated by a couple of comedians who host a late-night fake news show?
I wrote this in a bit of a hurry, and I'm sure there are a million more reasons for this. Feel free to share.
If you agree with this kind of debate, please rec this diary. I'm hoping that if this gets some exposure, it might actually get that much closer to becoming a reality.