The idea that there is a humiliating process for these candidates is absurd. I am guessing that not only has Krauthammer not read much Madison, but he also has not ever really paid much attention to campaigns elsewhere.
Watch a debate of British or Canadian party leaders some time. The moderator will not be kind to candidates who try to dodge questions or give pat answers. I am speaking of campaign debates, but of course they also have to answer (or ask, if the leader of the opposition) questions regularly before parliament in televised sessions. That gets to the point in the earlier post about campaign length. In Britain or Canada, sure the formal campaign is short. But it actually is a permanent campaign, because there are no term limits on the head of government, nor does the opposition wait till election year to pick a leader. So they are constantly in the public eye having to answer tough questions from the other side and from a media that is vastly more aggressive than ours.
The rock-star analogy Steven uses is a good one: presidential candidates are treated as celebrities.
The idea that there is a humiliating process for these candidates is absurd. I am guessing that not only has Krauthammer not read much Madison, but he also has not ever really paid much attention to campaigns elsewhere.
Watch a debate of British or Canadian party leaders some time. The moderator will not be kind to candidates who try to dodge questions or give pat answers. I am speaking of campaign debates, but of course they also have to answer (or ask, if the leader of the opposition) questions regularly before parliament in televised sessions. That gets to the point in the earlier post about campaign length. In Britain or Canada, sure the formal campaign is short. But it actually is a permanent campaign, because there are no term limits on the head of government, nor does the opposition wait till election year to pick a leader. So they are constantly in the public eye having to answer tough questions from the other side and from a media that is vastly more aggressive than ours.
The rock-star analogy Steven uses is a good one: presidential candidates are treated as celebrities.
Comment by MSS — Friday, June 8, 2024 @ 5:52 pm