Debate Alternatives - Some Ideas for Testing the Candidates
Christopher Carter
Watching the third debate last night made me fidgety. Just ask my wife. I couldn't sit through it. I kept going to another room to check the score of the NLCS and the Bears Vs Lions on MNF. As opposed to the latter two items the first seems so staged and crafted. At this point most people have a good idea for which candidate they will pull the lever on the first Tuesday in November, so why not make this final debate one that will show Americans who the candidates really are and how well they can think on their feet. Here are some ideas. Presidential version of Chopped. Give the candidates some funky ingredients and lets see if they can stand the "heat in the kitchen" when the expert chefs critique each course they prepare.
Presidential Pictionary. Pit each candidate and their VP in the popular family game and lets see how well the really know each other and work together.
World of Warcraft Challenge. The winner will have to lead the best military in the free world. Let's see if they can really do it in a this game.
Windows 8. We're in an information economy. Let's test their tech skills to see how quickly they can come up to speed on the latest Windows OS. Many corporate CIOs are balking at the platform, for now. What about the candidates.
Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader. Self explanatory. Game on!
Whose Line is it? Let's see some Improv. Again, scene tossed out at random, different characters introduced as the scene develops, let's see how they react.
Family Feud. Pit the candidates and their teams against each other in topics about the economy, geography, trade, defense, education, etc. Kissing by the host optional.
Better yet, Jeopardy. Let's see how much they really know about the position they could hold and the key issues.
Carly Rae Jepson, Call me Maybe video. OK, maybe not this one.
Each party and their PAC's (unaffiliated, of course) spend millions of dollars positioning and repositioning and twisting facts. The debates were more of the same, complete with their own spin rooms and social media experts and fact checkers managing the results in favor of their candidate.
The best interaction between the two candidates was at the Al Smith Dinner in NYC. The lines were flowing and the contenders were relaxed. Wouldn't we learn more about the candidates and if they were forced to be themselves in unscripted situations?
Any other great ideas out there?