Feigning Punches

Trey Smith

Time's Mark Halperin has made himself useful for once by obtaining, and publishing, a copy of the 21-page memorandum of understanding that the Obama and Romney campaigns negotiated with the Commission on Presidential Debates establishing the rules governing this month's presidential and vice presidential face-offs. The upshot: Both campaigns are terrified at anything even remotely spontaneous happening.

They aren't permitted to ask each other questions, propose pledges to each other, or walk outside a "predesignated area." And for the town-hall-style debate tomorrow night, the audience members posing questions aren't allowed to ask follow-ups (their mics will be cut off as soon as they get their questions out). Nor will moderator Candy Crowley.

~ from Leaked Debate Agreement Shows Both Obama and Romney are Sniveling Cowards by John Cook ~

In the sport of boxing, fighters often feign punches. They make it look like they will throw a punch, but then they don't. In many ways, that would be an apt description of presidential debates: the candidates pretend to debate, but they really don't!

Most things political these days are scripted. It's not hard to understand why. It seems that, whenever the candidates go off script, they cram their feet into their mouths and down their throats. So, to limit these kinds of embarrassments as much as humanly possible, both major parties try to keep spontaneity to an absolute minimum.

If presidential candidates truly wanted to debate, there would be no need to 1) Negotiate a "memorandum of understanding" or 2) Exclude viable third party candidates.

But they don't want to debate. They don't want voters to see that they really don't disagree on all that much.