This country needs to think more about the consequences of the changing presidential primary election cycle. The debates in the Republican presidential primaries amount to a relatively cheap to produce reality game shows.  All the participants have a chance to win the big prize, and you need to include the celebrity moderator/panelists from the news media as the possible show's real winner. You can't have a real debate with eight candidates on the stage. These so-called debates are really a question and answer session with a little "I've been attacked" rebuttal time thrown in for the candidates to use if they get attacked by another candidate. The rebuttal time is done mostly for the drama that any conflict may produce, though it is billed as a fairness issue, and assures the show's producers of the candidates' participation. The celebrity media questioners like the format for the opportunity they have to put to a candidate a difficult question and to be a part of the national...(Read Full Post)