The Debate

I tried to watch the recent presidential debate. I wanted to learn the views of the various candidates on how they would handle future relations with North Korea and Iran, what they could do to bring affordable healthcare to America, and how they would help the homeless find jobs and contribute to the economy. I wanted to hear them speak about gun policy, and taxes, and the extreme inequality of income and wealth in this country.

But right off the bat, the candidates seemed to take control away from the moderators, who couldn’t seem to moderate their way out of a paper bag. In fairness, I’ve never seen a moderator on a TV debate who appeared able to moderate a kindergarten class. I feel qualified to say that because part of my engineering training was learning how to moderate a debate. And in fact, I have been a debate moderator…in front of an audience…in front of a camera.

I’ve spoken at engineering symposia. I’ve presented slide shows, beginning with doing the research, outlining the speech, creating the slides, and finally making my case in front of a very large room filled with engineers. I think the presidential debaters should be allowed to present a slide show. There is something about presenting charts and numbers that clarifies the thought process—and sometimes reveals that there hasn’t been any thought process. As for the moderators, let’s get some of those people who run Toastmasters meetings. If they can’t control a debate, nobody can.