I watched the debates and was so annoyed with they way both pretty much avoided answering any questions.

In addition, I have to say if I hear McCain call me (or anyone) “friend” again I will lose it. He’s not my friend. He’s a government politician and should act as such.

So that point is well taken-your dig at Obama and use of “quotes” less so-but still I appreciate the comments. Thanks!

Your point, in fact, goes to my larger problem-that there is something fundamentally wrong with how our democracy works in a televised media state. (See this post about “Amusing Ourselves to Death”) That we’ve worked ourselves into a view that says “because this works, it’s okay.” The ends justifying the means has never worked out well in the end-and I don’t think it does here either.

People are used to, and want, the “rhetoric plus code words” because it creates a sense of warm fuzzy that persuades them-that doesn’t mean it makes any sense.

And just because Senator Obama could make these arguments (and I have no doubt that Senator McCain would as well-or at least they would have people who could help) doesn’t mean that they did, or will.

And yes-teaching at a women’s college I am keenly aware that Senators McCain and Obama are not in my class. Even still-that doen’t mean that we as concerned citizens can’t ask questions and pick apart what they say. The parameters for judging these two candidates is not limited to what we learned in Poli Sci and/or Com classes.

-And it certainly still is a great example of what NOT to do in my class.

Their goal is persuasion. And if you step across the hall to a Com 101 class, you’ll find that the first tactic in accomplishing that is knowing your audience.

Do you believe that a clear, detailed response to these complex policy questions would be the best strategy for persuading undecided voters? I don’t, and audience response polling supports that hunch. It’s the sad reality of the effectiveness of otherwise empty rhetoric linked to loved code words and national myths and narratives.

I can’t speak to McCain’s background, but considering Obama’s legal training and later years teaching constitutional law, I think it’s a safe assumption that he can put together the direct, logical and evidence-supported arguments you are asking for. But he’s not enrolled in your class; he’s running for president, and evaluating his answers based on your standards is about as off base as me walking into your classroom and basing your teaching evaluation on your choice (or not) of stylish wardrobe.

Want to evaluate this on the goals of his assignment: track resulting shifts in the polls of undecided likely voters. Otherwise, you’re just adding support to the pernicious notion of academics being disconnected from the “real world.”