A BRIEF HISTORY OF POLITICAL REPORTING

For years many political reporters told us "debates are not important."  How we have changed!  Good thing, too..for Centre College and America. I hope you will follow them before you cast your vote. (All that early voting before the debates is illegal, immoral, and fattening, IMHO).

Why reporters thought this after Kennedy-Nixon I am at a loss to explain. They do allow for important comparisons. It's now an obligation of the candidates--as it should be--and as it ought to be in the races for Congress. It is obvious Sixth District Democrat Congressman Ben Chandler is not going to debate his Republican challenger Andy Barr, and this is a black mark on his record. It may be "smart politics", but it is bad for democracy.

Reporters, for years, likewise told us.."the selection of a vice president doesn't matter." Wrong again, even if you don't want to go all the way to.."the finger on the atomic trigger" scenario.  It does matter..and I guess it started changing after the ill fated selection of Dan Quayle; most unqualified.  Maybe before, looking back on Spiro Agnew (Spiro who??)  And then there was Sarah Palin.  I rest my case.

Of all the debates I have seen, the best--in terms of civility and honest, extensive discussion of the issues, was the veep debate at Centre between Dick Cheney and Joe Lieberman. May it be the model for all of this year's  events!

Another tradition I look forward to is the PBS Frontline two hour special on KET October 9th--a straight- forward video biography of Obama and Romney..their lives, their qualifications, and hopefully their positions. It has been an excellent review in the past and I commend it to your viewing. (Wish there were similar ones for the 3rd and 6th party candidates who will also be on the Kentucky ballot and who, once again, have been ignored by the media tho they are legally qualified to run and even be president).

One tradition I do not look forward to is the possibility this could be decided by the Electoral College, an out dated, undemocratic monstrosity, or even worse, the Supreme Court. We need to abolish the "College" and rely solely on  "one person, one vote", with reforms in how we cast and report this most important vote of all that we as citizens do.

I urge you to watch the debates, tell Ben Chandler he needs to do so, (and the coal industry it needs to get crackin' on actually doing something to make coal cleaner), and sign any online petition to abolish that other college.

I'm just sayin'...