I welcome a Bush/Kerry debate. I think most Americans will. Democrats, Republicans, Declined-to-State, and others alike. But Bush won't have it as easy as last time, I'm afraid. The Gore people had foolishly denigrated Gov. Bush in the months leading up to the election, and all he had to do was pretty much show up and not trip in order to win. Ann Richards made the same mistake in 1994, to her disadvantage. I suspect Kerry's inside people are just a bit wiser than Gov. Richards and V. P. Gore, but who knows, the red-state people on this forum paradoxically take delight in lowering that bar for Bush. But set your uninformed tackiness aside for the moment: The expectations game will be tougher for the incumbent. And it will give the President the opportunity to lay out his vision for the next four years (which he has not yet done!) It will be an opportunity for Kerry to explain his contradictions and missteps (which he has not yet done!) Free and open discussion are vital to the maintenance of our democratic republic. (or, our republican democracy, if you prefer).
On a slightly more interesting but unrelated note, who will win? Find out:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A63776-2004Mar16.html
'Republican democracy'? Isn't that a contrdictio in adjecto?
I agree with you though, debates are good for democracy. Which is why we probably won't have a lot...
