. @CNN is hyping its "unprecedented" presidential debate.
Please.
It's a debate. And it won't even be a good one.
That said, people do seem to think that debates are woven into the fabric of American presidential politics, They're not. The first one that we had that would be recognizable to contemporary American eyes was Nixon/Kennedy in 1960.
After that we didn't have another until Ford/Carter in 1976. From that point on debates have been a regular feature, but this is all a relatively new thing.
No one will ever accuse Ford or Carter of being great statesmen, but I urge you to go watch their debate. They were thoughtful, decent, and charitable.
Then take a look at what will doubtlessly be on offer tonight.
Then remember...we get the politics we deserve.
We have what we have because we put up with it, and in many cases we have demanded it.
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