Are debates the determining factors to win your vote?

Question

Debates are so great because they show the true political individual and their views. The debates are truly what I base my votes on. Are debates what makes you decide who to vote for our President?

Answer 1

I listen to debates as well as look up their history. For instance, I am listening to CSPAN call-ins. A women just called and said in anger, "What does SHE know about the middleclass!" Well, if you look up her history, you will see both her and Bill were no where near rich nor raised by famous, influential people. They made it on their own merits. That impresses me.

Answer 2

Debates don't influence me and they should not influence other peoples' votes. They are artificial situations with answers prepared mostly ahead of time. A voter needs to take the small amount of time required to research a candidate. At the very least you can use the candidate guides put out by organizations like The League of Women Voters, etc.

Debates have some value, however I find myself rooting for a candidate just so that person won't fall in the polls due to to shallow and uninformed voters who use debates as their only decision making guide. For some it may have a place, but it should be a small one, and part of a much larger body of knowledge.

Thank you for allowing me to share.

Answer 3

No! And the reason why is because you are stuck with a response to a particular question, maybe not even a question you give a hoot about. What if a question you like is asked but is asked in a partisan way? What if in an audience, the people that give questions were hand selected a head of time? And second I hate the debates because all they are is a chance to see sand box politics at its best. Well, maybe not in the primaries but certainly in the general election it seems that way.

Answer 4

I look at the responses to see if they are consistent with what I think is right. That won't decide who gets my vote, but I'll look a little more at that candidate. Right now I like Edwards and Richardson best on the Democratic side, and McCain on the republican side. I don't really hear anything from Romney and Guliania (sp?) that make me think they have anything to say worth listening too. Obama is a great speaker but seems very young. However, when I listen to what he says he actually sounds optimistic and enthusiastic. I know Clinton is a great speaker and probably very good with policy, but she is very devise because of her husband's "alley cat morals." I know .... the Bush Whitehouse is full for liars that have done far worse things to the nation than get a BJ ... but I would like someone with good character (like McCain, Edwards, or Richardson) to work in a bi-partisan fashion to actually get the things done to help a majority of people I looked at Ron Paul - I completely dislike his "tax plan." A national sales tax would be great if I were a rich republican businessman, but I am a poor republican worker. I think a flat tax on income (everybody pays the same percentage if you are above the poverty line) is better. I looked at Dennis Kurchinh (sp?) too. Likewise unimpressed. As you have guessed by now, although I am a registered republican, I do not vote based on Party lines. I vote based on ideas.

Answer 5

No. The issues and a particular candidate's answers in written form, his prior experience dealing with people in public settings (not necessarily a previous political past) comprise 80% of my determination on how I will vote. Then seeing a candidate live in a debate situation, gives me an indicator on his true leadership abilities, whether he is solid and consistent in his answers and whether he can remain unruffled and not waffling on his stance from what his stance was prior to the debate.... these things are important and allow me to make my final 20% decision as to who I will ultimately vote for.

Answer 6

Republican debates offer great information since the candidates actually contrast and challenge each other. The Democratic debates have been less impressive in my opinion. Clinton rarely gives straight answers and pretends she's already President. Things will get more interesting when the Democrats decide to finally confront each other.

Answer 7

Debates can determine the intelligence and stability under pressure of a candidate but debates do not necessarily guarantee a win by a candidate who is a good debater.

VOTE for your choice as US President on my 360 degrees blog and know who will likely win.

Answer 8

Usually not. I mostly vote based on past record. I tend to not believe that a "zebra will change his/her stripes"...if you've voted "against" me in the past, you're likely to do so in the future.

If you're a "new" candidate with no voting record, I usually follow the money: check to see who's donating to you via Project VoteSmart and which PACs/special interests are endorsing you. That usually will tell me if I agree with a candidate's views or not. i.e. If you're a conservative and People for the American Way love you, you won't like the candidate and the same if you're liberal and Eagle Forum loves you.

Answer 9

Zenyatta, and final 3 hundred and sixty 5 days, too. no one has ever seen her do her superb artwork, nonetheless the BCC grow to be as close as we are going to ever get, i think of. She in no way had the possibility to do a Secreatariat/Belmont extravaganza, yet because of the fact that she grow to be in no way raced at an prolonged adequate distance (how normally does that take place?), she in no way have been on condition that loooooooong stretch run to go away the sector some distance in the back of her. i think of she could have, at a mile and a 0.5 or perhaps at 2 miles.

Answer 10

No. I base my decisions on knowing the candidates. Debates are nothing more than dog and pony shows. You seem to be going for the best actor, rather than the best candidate.