formal Debate is a time-honoured tradition

posted by lampglow

TVOntario reports no clear winner of the second Leadership Debate.

Well-rehearsed statements were abound. It was still (mainly) monochromatic, but issues and positions did become clearer.

The Canadian University Society for Intercollegiate Debate (CUSID/SUCDI) apparently begin their debates with a statement by the 'Prime Minister' of the issue(s) for the debate. This is referered to as the 'Constructive'.

One wonders how much of a Leadership debate a Prime Minister is welcome to 'construct'. He (or she) is the person 'in power'. Imagine if they were all debating just to attain the right to define ground rules for future debates?

"All right . . . you can attend," he (or she) said. "But you have to stop talking when I say."

Kind of self-contained.

I don't suspect any rigging. There was at least one instance of direction being radio-ed in, a reminider that rebuttal time duly follows certain types of banter. Who was on the other end of that radio device?

ps. Are candidates welcome to give camera operators floor direction, or is the extremely slow in-zooming a standard practice?