Readers: Hosting Debate Worth Expense
In the recent non-scientific Sunday Poll more than 60% of the readers agreed that hosting the debate was worthwhile — the poll ended as the debate started.
Here are the results:
Q: Agree or disagree: The high cost of hosting a presidential debate is worth it in the end.
- Strongly agree 6 [17.65%]
- Agree 10 [29.41%]
- Somewhat agree 5 [14.71%]
- Neither agree or disagree 2 [5.88%]
- Somewhat disagree 3 [8.82%]
- Disagree 4 [11.76%]
- Strongly disagree 1 [2.94%]
- Unsure/No Answer 3 [8.82%]
This was Washington University’s 5th time hosting a national debate. The exposure was certainly good for the private university, lots of viewers from all over the world.
How about the St. Louis region? The regional benefit is…debatable. We certainly didn’t look bad, nothing happened to embarrass us as a region. Well, other than the fact that just 2+ years after Ferguson there was zero mention of Black Lives Matter.
St. Louis is less than 15 miles from Ferguson, Mo., site of demonstrations in 2014 over the police shooting of a black teenager that sparked a national debate over law enforcement’s treatment of African Americans in communities across the country.
It’s an issue that’s still very much a part of the national dialogue two years later.
So, naturally, that topic was front and center in Sunday night’s debate, which was held in St. Louis?
Not exactly, noted Antonio French, a city alderman now running for mayor who became well known two years ago with his tweets documenting the Ferguson protests. (USA Today)
I’m still in the middle on the question of worth it. Although, had the debate not taken place here we can be assured that neither candidate would’ve visited Missouri — a reliably red state. Maybe that would have been best. I saw friends post on Facebook that they were embarrassed this took place here.
The second presidential debate veered into ugly territory Sunday night in St. Louis, as the two nominees swapped insults and interruptions.
Republican Donald Trump at one point said that his rival Hillary Clinton had “hate in her heart,” and showed it by saying that half of his supporters were in the “basket of deplorables.”
Clinton in turn accused Trump of living in an “alternate reality” and of peddling what she called the “racist lie” that President Obama was not born in the United States.
That exchange came as an especially bitter, boundary-breaking debate neared its conclusion. (Washington Post)
— Steve Patterson
Interesting that you brought up the Black Lives Matter Movement. Other issues that could/might have been brought up during the debate:
1) All the black on black crime that happens daily in the city.
2) All the black on white crime that happens daily in the city, much of which doesn’t get accurately reported in the Post.
“Black Lives Matter” is not the only–even the most demanding–issue that challenges St Louis and other similar cities across the country, especially when one considers that the movement grew out of an incident in which a thug who had just assaulted and shoplifted from a local merchant, went on to challenge and attempt to physically attack a police officer and then grab his weapon.
Or, they could have talked about voting reform. They could have singled out, as examples, two outstanding local pseudo-politicians and/or their representatives who may have taken a few liberties with some of the rules governing absentee voting. Or they could have discussed how this country’s failure to require positive voter ID could potentially serve to compromise the integrity of US elections. Or they could have talked about legalized, institutionalized murder of the unborn, about welfare fraud, about price-gouging among pharmaceutical firms…..and so many other topics that didn’t grow out of the”anything-but-a-job” and the “don’t-make-me-be-a-responsible-adult” movement in the US.
Comments like this is why I’ll be giving up blogging sooner rather than later.
Well, every path has some puddles. Some can’t be avoided. Some can and should be, especially when they’re easier to walk around than through. BLM, in the context of the Wash U debates, was one of those puddles that should have been walked around. That happened 2 years ago! It’s been discussed, cussed and cussed again and again over the past two years. WHY would either Clinton or Trump–or either of the moderators–have brought it up? Too much energy has already been wasted on the Brown shooting. Two men lost their lives as a result of it, one of whom was (based on his record) an exemplary law enforcement officer with a bright future ahead of him; the other whose aggressive behaviors are well documented and apparently was a saint only in the eyes of his mother ( but only post-mortem, obviously). To bring up BLM in a discussion about the costs of the debate was just another seized opportunity (on your part) to throw more coal oil on the flame. It had NOTHING to do with the topic. And Ferguson’s proximity to to Wash U’s campus was and will always be irrelevant. You can try to conceal your perceived motivation all you want. But some things cannot be concealed. Drop the “g” on picklin’ as often as you want. But everyone know what you mean.
Sometimes it’s time to leave the party before it’s officially over, especially if we’re having a miserable time there.
The location of the debate is irrelevant – name the locations of the two other debates! These are made-for-TV events, with the audience told to stay silent. Yeah, “hosting” one is a great ego trip, but it delivers real no long-term value to the institution, and certainly not $5 million worth!
Yes, you are correct, it is odd that given how close Ferguson is, plus the never ending racism in America some discussion of BLM was in order. At this point though Trump is so far gone as a viable candidate that my guess is it will be mostly name calling for the rest of the election. Trump has no policies.
I think it is a worthwhile investment, the school gives their students an insider view of history, something that you cannot put a price on when you consider educational value.
Name ONE (Just one!) thing that could have been said about BLM that hasn’t been said 400 times before! BLM movement is an excuse, the voice of blacks who refuse to accept personal responsibility for their unbridled/unrestrained life style and especially who 1)refuse to acknowledge that Black-on-Black crime affects their community more than police-on-black crime ever will….and that (drum roll!!!) Black-on-Black crime is self-inflicted; and 2) to admit that they can very easily avoid their perceived police-on-black aggression SIMPLY by complying with an officer’s directives. Think about it: why would an officer–black or white– jeopardize his livelihood, his family and his future by shooting a perp, unless of course the officer perceives his life to be in danger? And the officers should NOT have to analyze the situation to determine the degree of threat involved! It just isn’t worth it! The perp isn’t worth it! A situation involving an aggressive, defiant perp isn’t anything like a chess move. Officers don’t have as long as they want, to make the next move!
As I was saying, despite the gains in racial equality since the 60’s it should be obvious with recent events that there is a long way to go to achieve true racial equality. So yes, like many issues that are discussed continuously in the search of solutions it should have been a natural point of discussion during the debate, given the proximity of Ferguson. What are you saying, without BLM there would be no racial problems?
If you look in the mirror you will see a racist, I hate to say it because you seem to be a genuinely intelligent individual. You repeat the one dimensional talking points ad nauseum that we hear from Trump and the Republicans. What’s worse you generalize about the black community in a way that condemns anyone who is black. Racism and the many problems have not appeared out of thin air, and are not going away without efforts by everyone.
The problem with your rant is the accusations miss the many factors involved in America getting to this point. I am not excusing bad behavior, on the other hand society has kept a boot on the necks of black communities up until today, so there should be no surprise there are difficulties in some African-American communities.
Your attitude is part of the problem. If you can’t see that, then there is not much else I can say.
How do you want me to respond? I simply call it as I see it. If you see a racist, maybe you need to take off your clouded glasses. I don’t see a racist. I see a realist.Another thing: I’ve never owned slaves. So why should I put up with all the crap in the black community ( that has been “recovering” for the past 50+ years, vs the Japanese who took maybe 8 years!) because some greedy blacks sold their fellow blacks to the white man?
I can not even begin to extract the racist attitudes, you are the problem. Listen I gave a simple declaration of support saying yes racial issues should be part of the conversation..
Of course Climate, cough, cough, sorry, I was choking.
Truly I respect your knowledge and intellect, but apparently the ability for analysis does not extend into social issues.
Your comparison to Japan is instructive. Japan did not live under 300 years of slavery and oppression before world war 2
Nor did Japan suffer under a military force that discriminated against blacks. It was not unto 1948 that Harry Truman mandated desegregation of the Armed Forces.
Truthfully I could care less what you think, except it impacts our children and future generations. Society has responsibility too. Discrimination is real, you are not about finding solutions, but more about making accusations and trying to show people in the worse possible light.
Everyone works harder than you, you lazy ass. Get moving Mf. Jesus how do we tolerate people like you?
Not hard to extend your bullshit, you want to really talk, I’m all ears